EastEnders' Tracy-Ann Oberman teases potential return for Chrissie Watts wedding: "The opportunities are endless"
Tracy-Ann Oberman speaks to Radio Times about Chrissie's shock engagement and her EastEnders exit.
Tracy-Ann Oberman has had quite the day. The EastEnders actress not only wrapped up her latest stint in Albert Square, but also accepted an MBE from King Charles at an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle - something she initially thought was a parking fine.
"It comes in a really official looking brown envelope. And I thought, 'Oh God'," the star joked to Radio Times.
"My husband said, 'What have you done?', and I thought I hadn't paid something. I opened it, and I was really delighted to find out that I've got an MBE from The King in his Birthday Honour's list."
The order of chivalry isn't the only award that Oberman has been bestowed during her career, which spans over three decades. From best actress to best newcomer, she's also won soap bitch of the year twice over for her performance as scheming Chrissie Watts.
And, as the last week's worth of episodes have proved, she's still up there with some of the genre's finest antagonists.
Chrissie was lured back to Walford by estranged boyfriend Jake Moon (Joel Beckett) in an attempt to get her to confess to the murder of Anthony Trueman (Nicholas Bailey). Of course, as we viewers knew, she wasn't actually responsible.
Troubled teen Jasmine Fisher (Indeyarna Donaldson-Holness) had smacked him over the head with a salt lamp, and allowed her mother Zoe Slater (Michelle Ryan) to be sent down for the crime.
Chrissie pleaded her case, explaining that she'd already served time for killing husband Den (Leslie Grantham), and wasn't prepared to live the rest of her life behind bars. Kat then came to the realisation that she'd have to call the police on her own granddaughter.
In tonight's instalment, Jake tried to prove to Chrissie that he was still committed to their relationship - despite being prepared to throw her under the bus.
"I think that there's a moment where she thinks it's over with Jake. I think she feels like he betrayed her. He was the one person that she could trust and rely on," Oberman reflected.
"For all these years, they had something that was strong. They are each other's family, and I don't think she really feels she can get over that."
In a bid to cement a future together, Jake asked her to give him an hour to put things right - allowing her some time to stroll around the streets that she once called home - and a chance encounter with owner Cindy Beale (Michelle Collins).
"It's a really nice, sweet little scene where like-meets-like," Oberman added.
Imagine the story potential! The two women could've been best of friends - or the worst of enemies - in another life.
Later, Chrissie was counting down the minutes as Jake rolled back into The Square. Had he been late, she'd have probably grassed him up to the police for accidentally killing his brother Danny (Jake Maskall) two decades ago.
However, in a shock twist, he swiftly opened a ring box, and asked her to become Mrs Moon.
"With Chrissie, her motto has always been, 'You scratch me and you drink your own blood,'" Oberman continued.
"She was going to go out to try and destroy Jake, until he does something very surprising, very romantic. and rather lovely."
With wedding bells set to ring out, sirens also sounded across East London, and Chrissie began to fear that Jasmine had reported her for orchestrating a string of attacks on Zoe last year. She and Jake didn't have a moment to collect their thoughts - they had to leave.
But is this the last we've seen of her? Oberman hopes not.
"My dream is that I would love them to come back and host their wedding at The Vic. Nobody knows what the wedding is. They decided to hire it out," she explains.
"Being back with Joel was great. We really enjoyed the scenes, and there's such a nice chemistry there. They're an interesting pairing and an interesting couple. So who knows?
"I'm always talking to [executive producer] Ben Wadey, who I love. I've enjoyed Chrissie coming back so much, and I love dipping in and out of it. The opportunities are endless.
"Chrissie cannot get away from The Square. She keeps coming back. There's something about that place."
For the time being, the star is returning to her theatrical roots in an adaption of Noël Coward's Present Laughter. Her role of Geri Essendine is a reimagining of character Garry from the original 1942 comic play.
The curtain won't rise at the Theatre Royal in Bath until August, but Oberman is already excited about the audience reception: "I did the Merchant of Venice 1936 which was a play that I adapted, and was the first ever female Shylock. And it did very well, going into the West End twice.
"Well, I've done it again. I've taken one of the funniest plays I've ever read, and I've adapted it so that the very badly behaved male lead is now a very badly-behaved female lead.
"I really can't wait for audiences to see it. It's going to go on a national tour, and I really hope they come and see that. If you love Chrissie, you'll love this character."
Read more:
- 4 EastEnders spoilers next week: Shock Branning pregnancy and Callum Highway is blackmailed
- EastEnders star reveals Chrissie Watts's Jasmine Fisher fears ahead of explosive week
- EastEnders' Kat Moon and Vicki Fowler make risky move to secure Zoe's freedom in BBC iPlayer release
- EastEnders reveals Mark Fowler Jr's secret and surprise connection to Walford local in BBC iPlayer release
- EastEnders airs dark Ravi Gulati scenes amid revenge story in early BBC iPlayer release
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Authors
Michael Adams is the Soaps Editor at Radio Times, covering all of the hot gossip and spoilers from Weatherfield to Walford, Emmerdale to Hollyoaks and everywhere in-between. He joined the team from Metro, where he spent two years as a Soaps Reporter and previously worked on the sets of both Coronation Street and Emmerdale.
