EASTENDERS bosses have signed up a West End legend for a guest role on the soap – and she makes her debut tonight.

Actress Melanie La Barrie will appear in a number of episodes of the BBC soap as Dr Kelleher as part of Ruby Allen’s dramatic return.

Viewers watched as Ruby returned after Martin discovered she had welcomed his son in secret.

And while she originally lied and claimed to have had the baby adopted, he soon discovered that instead their son was ill in hospital.

Viewers will see Melanie’s character breaking the news to Ruby and Martin that their son Roman is in need of a liver transplant.

“It’s one of the options we’re considering,” she tells them.

“Currently Roman’s liver isn’t responding to the steroid treatment as well as we’d hope. But we need to keep monitoring the situation closely to see if he improves over the next few days.

“The condition was already there, you’re not to blame, it can just develop.”

She was forced to break the news to Ruby that she wasn’t a viable living donor for Rowan, while Martin was taken for testing for his suitability.

The actress will appear in a number of future episodes The Sun can exclusively reveal.

She made her West End debut in Ragtimes in 2004 and has gone on to star in some of the biggest stage hits.

Roles in Mary Poppins, Les Miserables, Matilda The Musical and Wicked have followed making her a West End legend.

She was also appeared in &Juliet in both the original Manchester production, the West End shows and then on Broadway in New York.

The actress is currently starring in Hadestown at the Lyric Theatre in the West End.