EastEnders icon reveals the very good reason why she won't be returning to the soap

A hoped-for return would have followed the recent comebacks of Carol’s ex David Wicks (Michael French) and daughter Bianca Jackson (Patsy Palmer).

Speaking to RadioTimes.com ahead of her Waterloo Road debut, however, Coulson poured cold water on the speculation by insisting she has left the character in the past despite huge pride in the show, her time on it and the soap's continued longevity.

When asked if Carol could make an appearance for the 40th anniversary, Coulson said: "No. I feel that if you're trying to portray another character and trying to put the work in, it would be odd for me to do another character I really loved playing, and I really think it's brilliant that that program is celebrating 40 years because it's incredible that the audiences have still kept with it."

Having been praised for her emotional work during the death storyline for Billie Jackson (Devon Anderson) and Carol’s battle with breast cancer during her last stint, Coulson reflected that perhaps there’s not much more trauma she would want to act out for Carol.

Coulson explained: 'You know, you see these characters grow and come back and stuff, but I feel that there sometimes needs to be an ending on some characters and I feel pretty much – I said that 10 years ago or somewhere other – but I feel like Carol’s gone off into the sunset, and it's happy."

Imagining Carol now, Coulson added: "She's doing some voluntary work somewhere. She's just out of it all and I feel like she's at rest. As much as I loved playing her and I had some wonderful storylines, I feel like it's the end for that and it's brilliant that people love that character because I think she was real.

"They gave me some good stuff to play, but there are only so many deaths of children, marriages and heartache that I feel I want to do."

She continued: "I mean, I feel like life I would like to be a little bit brighter, yeah, and that's the lovely thing with [Dame Stella Drake in Waterloo Road], for me, it's like, she's, you know, she's dressed, she's ready, she's educated. Not that Carol couldn't have been.

"I’ve thought in my head,[Carol] might have even done an open university degree. She might even be in some charity centre in Calais somewhere, volunteering. I feel like she's, she's out there doing some really good stuff in the world.

"Because for me, sometimes we don't see that growth. Yeah, maybe come back and if I came back, I'd be in the cafe serving tea, yeah? And I feel like she can have a bit more of a life outside of that. I know it's fictional, and they can do, you know, whatever they want."

Coulson concluded: "It was an amazing time I had there, and I learned so much and made such lovely friends and I think it's fantastic it’s celebrating 40 years – that's their real achievement. But yeah, Carol's not popping back in - she says."

Sorry, David and Carol fans, looks like those lovebirds won’t be reuniting any time soon!

Meanwhile, Carol's youngest daughter Sonia Fowler (Natalie Cassidy) is set to depart the soap this month over three decades after her debut.

Read more:

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• Iconic EastEnders writer breaks down Barbara Windsor's outstanding final episode – departure of a great matriarch
• EastEnders airs perilous scenes for dark Phil Mitchell story in early BBC iPlayer release
• EastEnders confirms new behind the scenes special fronted by returning soap legend
• EastEnders confirms live episode date, hour-long special and an additional audience vote
• EastEnders airs perilous scenes for dark Phil Mitchell story in early BBC iPlayer release
• EastEnders' Jessie Wallace calls for iconic Slater character's return to soap: "Can we Make that happen?"
• EastEnders fans have the chance to appear in an episode – here's how
• EastEnders confirms 40th anniversary documentary with Ross Kemp and 2 iconic former stars
• Why EastEnders must not resurrect Grant Mitchell and Sharon Watts's romance

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

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