Who is Zainab Masood as EastEnders airs update on iconic character?

As Jade told Jean Slater (Gillian Wright), Shabnam had relayed the news that she was moving to Pakistan, and she wanted Jade to join her. Her reasoning was because Jade's nan, Zainab, is poorly – although she added that the illness was "nothing serious".

Jean offered to accompany a worried Jade in telling Dean that she was moving to Pakistan, and when Jade explained about Zainab and revealed that, although she didn't really want to move so far away, she missed Shabnam and would be leaving in two weeks.

Dean refused to allow this, and when Jade stormed out, Jean curtly pointed out that Dean was wasting precious time with Jade. But ahead of the teen's departure, you may be in need of a reminder on Zainab's time in Walford.

So, who is Masood matriarch Zainab, and what happened to her? Read on for all you need to know.

Who is Zainab Masood in EastEnders and what happened to her?

The fierce, but often funny, Zainab arrived in Walford as new owner of the post office, where she clashed with employee Denise Fox (Diane Parish). The pair later formed a friendship, and Zainab and husband Masood Ahmed (Nitin Ganatra) began a catering partnership with Ian (Adam Woodyatt) and Jane Beale (Laurie Brett), along with Jane's brother Christian Clarke (John Partridge).

Zainab clashed with daughter Shabnam, who wanted to embrace both her cultures – something which didn't align with Zainab's stricter views. Zainab also welcomed her fourth child with Masood, a little boy named Kamil.

Later, son Syed (Marc Elliott) arrived, and it was revealed that Syed had previously stolen from his family. Ahead of Syed's wedding to Amira Shah (Preeya Kalidas), Zainab discovered that he was having an affair with Christian. Zainab ordered Syed to go through with the marriage, but in time, Syed's secret was exposed and he and Christian became a couple.

Zainab disowned her son, unable to accept him as a gay Muslim. But she was in for a bigger shock when her ex-husband Yusef Khan (Ace Bhatti) arrived, and it emerged that Yusef's family set Zainab on fire decades earlier. But when her middle son Tamwar (Himesh Patel) wed Yusef's daughter Afia (Meryl Fernandes), the Masoods were forced to accept them into their lives.

As Zainab and Masood's marriage fell apart, Yusef manipulated her and drugged her, causing her to be hospitalised. Masood divorced Zainab, who married Yusef, oblivious to his sinister actions. Yusef turned violent with her, and Afia later learned that Yusef was directly responsible for the fire all those years ago.

Zainab decided to forgive this when she found out, but when she planned to escape the abusive union, Yusef beat her. After a confrontation with Masood, Yusef started a fire at the B&B. Zainab spotted Yusef gloating outside, and in revenge for all he had put her through, she lied that Afia was trapped in the blaze.

While Yusef entered the burning building to save Afia, so did Tamwar, much to Zainab's distress. Yusef died, while Tamwar sustained severe burns and required skin grafts. Zainab reunited with Masood, but later confessed to unwittingly causing Tamwar's injuries. The family overcame this bombshell, and Zainab warmly accepted Christian and Syed as a couple.

But as Zainab and Masood prepared to remarry, her snobbery shone through and Masood admitted he was unhappy in their relationship. Zainab and Kamil moved to Pakistan in 2013, and news later reached Albert Square that she had become engaged, although the wedding was later called off. Zainab sent Kamil to stay with Masood for Shabnam's wedding to Kush Kazemi (Davood Ghadami).

Masood announced that Zainab had been planning to cut ties with her family, and he refused her access to Kamil unless she returned to collect him herself, but she never did. In 2016, Zainab phoned to tell Masood she was getting married in Pakistan, but Tamwar wasn't keen to accept her invitation to attend, as Zainab hadn't been there for her loved ones in recent years.

The last we heard of Zainab was that her latest husband was divorcing her, and Masood called to offer her comfort, before flying out to see her with Kamil. With Zainab now said to be unwell, it remains to be seen whether we'll hear more about her if Jade does indeed exit for good.

Read more:

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• EastEnders' Shona McGarty teases Whitney's final weeks: "Drama, deceit and chaos"

EastEnders airs Monday to Thursday on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

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