Cindy Beale could return to EastEnders, says Michelle Collins - but who else might be resurrected?

Cindy died an off-screen death in 1998 when Ian received news that his ex-wife had passed away during childbirth. The daughter she gave birth to - Cindy Williams - is currently living with Ian in Walford.

Since her departure from EastEnders, Collins has had a prominent role on rival continuing drama Coronation Street, where she played Rovers Return landlady Stella Price. But it now seems that, post Corrie, the actress would like a return to the London-set soap that made her name.

"I'm sure they could make it work," she told the Sun. "Everyone seems to be coming back from the dead. It's all anyone is talking about. I'd love to go back now. It'd be great for Lucy's mum to make a shocking reappearance."

But why stop at Cindy? Surely these EastEnders icons could be ripe for a bit of miraculous resurrection too? Let's speculate...

Angie Watts

In 2002, we learned that years of heavy boozing had claimed the life of the Vic's original landlady. Cirrhosis of the liver did for Angie at the age of 52 and Sharon returned her body to London from Miami. But who's to say that she - like ex-husband Den - didn't also go into witness protection to escape the Firm? Maybe they'd put a hit out on both Den and Angie? And wouldn't it be terrific to reunite Sharon with her adoptive mum just as she's searching for her birth parents?

Pete Beale

Ian's dad was killed off in a road accident in 1993. But this happened away from Albert Square and in Leicester of all places. Surely, now is the time for him to make a comeback, just as ex-wife Kathy is also set on a return to Walford. And after all, Ian's son Peter (Ben Hardy) - named after his granddad lest we forget - has just left the market for a new life overseas. Pete Snr could pick up where he left off. All right, treacle!

Paul Trueman

Patrick's son was last seen in 2004 when he was driven away in a taxi, supposedly to his death, his demise having been ordered by gangster Andy Hunter. OK, so Patrick did identify his body, but maybe he was confused by shock and grief? Perhaps Paul has been lying low and will return a totally reformed character, ready to offer help to his long-suffering dad. But has he really gone from drug dealer to good samaritan? And how would Denise and Kim react to this stranger in their midst?

Trevor Morgan

OK, well, this is a two-step return. First of all, Little Mo arrives back from Devon with an 11-year-old Freddie Mitchell. Then, just as she's settling back into life with the rest of the Slaters, who should resurface but evil Trevor, who didn't actually perish back in that 2002 house fire. Will Little Mo be able to reach for the iron quickly enough? Or will mad-eyed Trevor begin a fresh bout of persecution?

Lucy Beale

As it turns out, Pam and Les Coker could have colluded with Lucy to help her escape at her own funeral. Lucy needed to make a quick dart from Walford because she'd got in too deep with Peter's drug dealers, who wanted to do her harm after she failed to pay for her supply of cocaine. Jane and Bobby only thought that Lucy was dead (she'd actually mastered the skill of slowing her heart rate to virtually zero), leading to a shock reappearance at Christmas. Imagine the fun to be had as the entire Beale family (including Kathy and Pete, see above) reel from the surprise...

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