Actresses Gillian Wright and Lacey Turner have both returned to the EastEnders set in Elstree to film scenes to be shown in the coming months.

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Their characters - Jean Slater and her daughter Stacey - have not appeared on screen together since Christmas 2010, but will be reunited for an upcoming plotline that will see Wright reprise her role on the BBC1 soap for a short stint. Turner, who rejoined briefly in February 2014, will be back on a permanent basis.

Jean Slater exited Walford last year to start a new life with allotment-owning boyfriend Ollie, but looks set to return in a worse condition than when she left, judging by these photos released by the BBC.

Speaking recently about Jean's comeback, Gillian Wright commented: "I feel very honoured to be asked to reprise my role as Jean Slater, for a short while.The storyline promises to be challenging and exciting! I look forward to playing again with old friends and new and to pick up the special relationship between Stacey and Jean."

Executive producer Dominic Treadwell-Collins added: "We are so pleased to have Gillian back with us to reprise her role as Jean Slater, albeit briefly. Stacey and Jean have such a rich, loving but difficult history. There is still so much to plumb between them as we delve deeper into what it means to have bi-polar disorder as a mother but also as a daughter. There are some truly heartbreaking scenes ahead for our audience."

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Although the character hasn't featured since September 2013, Jean was referenced recently as being the current carer of Stacey's daughter Lily while her mum serves time in prison after confessing to killing Archie Mitchell.

Authors

David Brown is standing outside in front of some greenery. He wears a grey T-shirt and is looking at the camera
David BrownDeputy Previews Editor, Radio Times

David Brown is Deputy Previews Editor at Radio Times, with a particular interest in crime drama and fantasy TV. He has appeared as a contributor on BBC News, Sky News and Radio 4’s Front Row and has had work published in the Guardian, the Sunday Times and the i newspaper. He has also worked as a writer and editorial consultant on the National Television Awards, as well as several documentaries profiling the likes of Lenny Henry, Billy Connolly and Take That.

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