EastEnders star Charlie Brooks has addressed the chances of her character Janine Butcher returning for the soap’s 40th-anniversary celebrations.

The BBC One soap is set to celebrate its anniversary next month with a week of memorable episodes, including a live broadcast from BBC Elstree Centre.

With classic character Grant Mitchell recently confirmed to return as part of the celebrations, fans have been wondering who else could make an appearance.

During a recent interview with The Mirror, Brooks was asked if her plans involved a return to Albert Square.

“I’m going straight back into Chitty Chitty Bang Bang for a while, and then I probably need a little bit of time off,” said the actor, who made her debut as the Childcatcher in the UK tour of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang last year.

However, she didn’t rule out the possibility of returning to the soap completely, adding: “And then we’re in talks about another theatre project at the moment, so I don’t know yet. I’m biding my time. So who knows.”

Brooks made her debut on EastEnders in 1999 and has had multiple stints on the soap. Her last appearance came at the end of 2022 as part of a dramatic storyline that also saw Danny Dyer leave as Mick Carter.

Meanwhile, the actor is set to make her Dancing on Ice debut tonight (January 12), which she admitted she’s “very nervous” about.

Teasing her first routine, she shared: “We’ve got a lift in there, which when I first saw it, I was like, ‘There is no way that’s gonna happen,’ but we’re now doing it, which is surprising and brilliant.

“It’s a fast, really fun song, and we’re straight out of the gate with high energy. There’s every chance I could fall over, although I don’t do any of the toe pick things generally in the routine so hopefully it’ll be alright.”