Is Shabnam Masood returning to EastEnders amid sad news about daughter Jade?

Jade's father is villain Dean Wicks (Matt Di Angelo), and he claims to have returned to Walford so he can be close to her.

Linda Carter (Kellie Bright) was convinced that Dean, who raped her back in 2014, was lying about Jade's health - but Whitney Dean (Shona McGarty) delivered some sad news in tonight's episode (1st November 2023).

"Stacey rang Shabnam, and their little girl Jade is ill. She's waiting on transplant. They don't think she's going to last that long," Whit told Linda.

So, with Shabnam living nearby as she supports her daughter, could we be seeing her again some time soon? First, let's remind ourselves of Shabnam's story.

What happened to Shabnam in EastEnders?

Initially played by Beyond Paradise star Zahra Ahmadi from 2007 to 2008, Shabnam appeared as the rebellious only daughter of Zainab (Nina Wadia) and Masood (Nitin Ganatra).

Zainab did not approve of Shabnam's wish to go clubbing and dismiss her culture and, feeling lost, Shabnam left Walford to move to Pakistan in search of her roots.

In 2014, Shabnam was back, played by Rakhee Thakrar, who most recently starred in Netflix's Sex Education.

Now a much more serious woman, Shabnam was unimpressed by cheeky market trader Kush Kazemi (Davood Ghadami), but the pair eventually got together as Shabnam opened up to him.

Befriending Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner), Shabnam confessed that when last in Walford, she had a fling with Dean, falling pregnant and giving the baby away.

Dean discovered the truth, although Shabnam attempted to cover it up by lying that their child had died.

When Shabnam was attacked by a gang, she was found by Jade Green (Amaya Edward), who turned out to be her daughter.

At the hospital, Shabnam, now engaged to Kush, learned she was five months pregnant, and her guilt over abandoning her first baby impacted her feelings over the news.

Dean's parents, Shirley Carter (Linda Henry) and Buster Briggs (Karl Howman), asked for Shabnam's support in gaining custody of Jade, who had cystic fibrosis and had never been adopted.

But soon after, Shabnam and Kush discovered that their unborn baby was stillborn, and Shabnam had to give birth and say goodbye to their son, who she named Zaair.

Shabnam and Kush married, but she later discovered that she had scarring in her uterus that meant she may not be able to conceive naturally again.

She realised that Kush was the real father of Stacey's baby, Arthur, and urged Kush to keep his son in his life. Shabnam ended their marriage and planned to move out of Walford.

Shirley and Buster asked Shabnam to become Jade's legal guardian, and Shabnam and Jade left in a black cab in 2016, and haven't been seen since. But is it time we saw Shabnam once more?

Will Shabnam return to EastEnders?

There has been no suggestion that Shabnam will be heading back to Walford so far, and her family are no longer living in the area.

But it has to be said, hearing about Jade's prognosis purely from Dean would feel like a missed opportunity; so could actress Thakrar make a comeback, even for a brief cameo?

Shabnam's history with Stacey and Martin Fowler (James Bye) means she may have support to rely on, and with fans still awaiting a confirmed return from Shirley, perhaps we'll see her visiting Jade in hospital, with Shabnam by her side.

We'll be sure to update you should there be any more news on this character in the coming weeks, so check back on this page regularly.

EastEnders worked with Sands on Shabnam's story, and you can find help and support via the website sands.org.uk

Anyone affected by Linda's story can find support by visiting Rape Crisis, or calling their 24/7 Rape & Sexual Abuse Support Line on 0808 500 2222.

Read more:

• EastEnders winter preview 2023: Chris Clenshaw on Christmas, exits, returns
• EastEnders boss explains Dean Wicks return to Walford in Halloween shock
• EastEnders boss teases "huge consequences" for Reiss Colwell lie
• EastEnders' Lauren Branning "won’t be returning on her own", teases soap boss
• EastEnders confirms festive "miracle" for Whitney Dean and Zack Hudson

EastEnders airs Mondays to Thursdays 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.

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