EASTENDERS‘Joe Swash has lifted the lid on whether or not his surprise return to the soap could become permanent.
A fresh-faced Joe first appeared in Walford in 2003 as Spencer Moon’s mate Mickey and was only supposed to stick around for six episodes.
Joe’s portrayal of Mickey was so popular that the executive producer of the soap decided that he needed to become a regular character.
Mickey remained as part of the cast until 2008 when the Miller family’s house burned down in a gas fire and he moved away with his mum for a fresh start elsewhere.
But the iconic character has never been far from fans’ minds and, almost 16 years after he was a regular cast member, Mickey popped up recently as part of a storyline to help save the market with a Walford hunks calendar.
Joe told the BBC what Mickey had been getting up to since we last saw him.
He said: “Mickey has opened a range of eco BnBs across the Cotswolds and he’s doing well for himself! He also is married with two kids.”
Joe’s return sparked rumours about whether Mickey would ever come back long term.
Speaking to the Metro, he said: “They’ve never really asked me back and if they really want you to, they can bring people back from the dead.”
He then revealed that there would be a key factor in any future decision: “I loved my time there, but all my decisions about work at the minute have to suit all the family.
“Ultimately. Soaps are quite full on and I have quite a young family.”
However, there is some hope for a future return as he confirmed: “If it ticked all the boxes, then it would be hard to say no.”
MICHELLE Collins has seen her second EastEnders stint boost her bank balance. Yet what stars have quit this year?
The Sun exclusively reported how Michelle, 62, was down to £20,000 in her company accounts when she agreed to a shock back-from-the-dead return to Albert Square last year.
Her character, Cindy Beale, was presumed dead off-camera in 1998.
Yet what about the 2024 exits?
Earlier this summer, loyal soap fans appeared to note how Stevie Mitchell had “quit” the long-running series.
It came after Alan Ford enjoyed just six-months on-screen.
Bobby Beale actor Clay Milner Russell also left this year after five years in Walford.
Fans also feared Martin Fowler actor James Bye would “quit out of boredom” over recent storylines.
Additionally, a host of stars have quit the BBC soap for Hollywood fame.
One of the most successful stars to come from the BBC One soap is Rob Kazinsky.
He played Stacey Slater’s brother Sean Slater from 2006 to 2009, he has starred in Hollywood blockbusters Pacific Rim and Captain Marvel.
Ben Hardy, who quit EastEnders as Bobby Beale almost a decade ago, went on to break Hollywood the following year, when he starred as Archangel in X-Men: Apocalypse.
Since then, he has played Roger Taylor in Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody, and he starred in Michael Bay’s Netflix movie 6 Underground.
Michelle Ryan played Zoe Slater until 2005.
She starred as the lead in short-lived American series Bionic Woman from 2007 to 2008.
Away from the Square, Joe is keeping busy both at work and home. Talking about his upcoming documentary work, Joe said: “I did a documentary with the BBC last year about kids leaving the care system, which is something I’m passionate about.
“My mum is a foster carer and we’ve have two foster kids in our life for the past 20 years. Daniel, who is with us at the minute, we have had him since he was eight and now he’s going his master’s next year.
