Former EastEnders star hints at return of iconic character: 'Never say never'

With viewers speculating on who they'd like to see back on screen, there's one name that almost always crops up: Tanya Cross/Branning (Jo Joyner).

Tanya joined Albert Square in 2006 with her family, Max (Jake Wood), Lauren (Jacqueline Jossa) and Abi (Lorna Fitzgerald).

The Brannings were an instant hit, and were at the centre of some of EastEnders' most iconic storylines, including Max's affair with Stacey (Lacey Turner) which culminated in an explosive Christmas Day reveal.

Though Tanya hasn't been seen on EastEnders since 2018, that doesn't stop people asking when she's returning.

Joyner gave a teasing answer during an appearance on The One Show last night (11th September) when asked if she would go back to the BBC soap by hosts Alex Jones and Anita Rani.

"Not at the moment," Joyner confessed. "But never say never. It was a great time! But I dunno, have I still got family there? Is there someone to return to?"

Well, as fans of EastEnders know all too well, Lauren is currently on Albert Square – meaning there's a pretty good reason for Tanya to make her way back!

But will she?

Read more:

• EastEnders airs big threat for Sharon Watts in early BBC iPlayer release
• 6 EastEnders spoilers next week: Bobby discovers Anna kissing Freddie amid pregnancy decision
• EastEnders' Tracy-Ann Oberman teases possible death twist for Sharon and Chrissie
• EastEnders confirms final scenes for Dean Wicks as Matt Di Angelo exits
• Has Bernie left EastEnders after Linda's explosive reveal?

EastEnders airs Monday to Thursday at 7:30pm on BBC One and from 6am on BBC iPlayer.

Visit our dedicated EastEnders page for all the latest news, interviews and spoilers. If you’re looking for more to watch, check out our TV Guide and Streaming Guide.