HOT NEWS!!! Cast Update: Who Is Joining, Leaving & Returning?
As EastEnders approaches the final stretch of its landmark 40th anniversary year, the winds of change are once again sweeping through Albert Square. With 2025 drawing to a close and 2026 looming ahead, Walford finds itself at a crossroads shaped by loss, legacy, and looming upheaval. Familiar faces are saying goodbye, new characters are stepping into the spotlight, and ghosts of the past are returning to remind viewers that in EastEnders, history is never truly left behind.
After a year already defined by seismic moments, including Whitney Dean’s emotional exit and the arrival of Nicola Mitchell, the past twelve months have been particularly unforgiving. The deaths of Nish Panesar and Martin Fowler sent shockwaves through the Square, while Stacey Slater’s departure marked the temporary loss of one of the show’s most enduring characters. Yet, as ever, EastEnders refuses to stand still. Instead, it pivots forward, weaving new stories from old wounds.
Here is everything you need to know about who is joining Walford, who is leaving, and who is returning in the dramatic months ahead.
Joining Walford: A Mysterious New Face for Linda Carter
The new year will see EastEnders welcome a major new cast addition in the form of British comedy icon Ronni Ancona, who joins the show as the enigmatic Bea. Though details surrounding the character are being kept tightly under wraps, producers have teased that Bea’s arrival will reopen unresolved chapters from Linda Carter’s past.
Bea enters Linda’s life through a seemingly innocent high school reunion, but it quickly becomes clear that the two women remember their shared history very differently. Conflicting recollections, buried resentments, and uncomfortable truths begin to surface, hinting at a storyline steeped in emotional tension and psychological complexity.
Ancona has described Bea as unpredictable, nuanced, and deeply layered, qualities that make her a perfect foil for Linda, who is still navigating the emotional fallout of recent traumas. After everything Linda has endured, the arrival of someone from her past could either offer long-overdue healing or push her further toward emotional collapse.
Executive producer Ben Wadey has teased Bea as a “mysterious presence” whose true intentions will only be revealed over time. Already filming ahead of her early 2026 debut, Ancona’s character is shaping up to be one of the most intriguing new arrivals Walford has seen in years. Ally or enemy? Comfort or catastrophe? For Linda Carter, the answer could change everything.
Leaving Albert Square: Sam Mitchell’s Uncertain Goodbye
Sam Mitchell’s recent return to Walford may have been brief, but it has been anything but insignificant. Initially arriving for a festive visit, Sam’s storyline takes a dark and deeply personal turn when she discovers a breast lump, leading to a cancer diagnosis and subsequent lumpectomy.
While Sam is expected to survive medically, the emotional consequences of her ordeal are far from resolved. Long-standing tensions, particularly her fractured relationship with Zoe Slater, resurface, raising questions about whether this return is driven purely by illness or by unfinished business and buried resentment.
The biggest mystery surrounding Sam is how she will ultimately leave. Will she reconcile with Ricky and Phil, finally finding peace within the Mitchell family? Or will old wounds reopen, sending her away from Walford under dramatic and destructive circumstances once again? With Sam Mitchell, calm exits are rarely an option.
Joel Marshall: A Dark Chapter Reaches Its End
One of EastEnders’ most disturbing storylines is now approaching its grim conclusion. Joel Marshall, whose descent into misogyny and violence has left a chilling mark on the Square, is currently in police custody following his attack on Vicki Fowler.
Cut off from his father Ross and increasingly isolated, Joel is unraveling fast. Producers have confirmed that the storyline is reaching its climax, and Joel’s time in Walford is coming to an end. Whether his exit comes via prison or an even darker fate remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: his story was never meant to fade quietly into the background.
Though deeply uncomfortable, the storyline has been deliberately confrontational, shining a light on toxic ideology and its real-world consequences. Even after Joel’s departure, the emotional and psychological fallout of his actions will continue to ripple through the Square.
Returning from the Past: Pat Evans
Few returns carry the emotional weight of Pat Evans, and her upcoming appearance promises to be one of the most poignant moments of the year. Walford legend Pat returns in a deeply moving storyline centered on Nigel Bates, whose dementia worsens as his mind drifts back to the 1990s.
Pam St Clement reprises her iconic role in a posthumous return that is rich with nostalgia and tenderness. Pat appears not as spectacle, but as comfort, a familiar face offering reassurance as Nigel relives fragments of his past. Having previously appeared during Peggy Mitchell’s final moments, Pat’s return once again feels symbolic, reinforcing her enduring presence in Walford’s emotional history.
For longtime viewers, seeing Pat back behind the bar of the Queen Vic is guaranteed to hit hard, a reminder of the warmth, grit, and humanity she brought to the Square.
Barry Evans: A Memory That Refuses to Fade
Pat will not be alone. Her late stepson Barry Evans also appears within Nigel’s fragmented memories. Though Barry was tragically killed by Janine Butcher in 2004, his connection to Nigel remains deeply ingrained.
Shaun Williamson’s return brings a sense of warmth and gentle chaos, evoking a softer era of EastEnders. Together, Pat and Barry form a powerful emotional anchor within Nigel’s storyline, grounding his fading memories in love, familiarity, and loss.
Debbie Bates: Love, Loss, and Remembrance
Completing this trio of emotional returns is Debbie Bates, Nigel’s late first wife, portrayed once again by Nicola Duffett. Debbie appears as Nigel relives pivotal moments from his past, revisiting the love and heartbreak that shaped his life.
Debbie’s death in 1995 was a defining trauma for Nigel, and her return promises moments of profound emotion. The episode, centered on memory and grief, is being described as a carefully crafted exploration of loss and remembrance, offering viewers a rare, tender pause amid Walford’s usual chaos.
Who May Return: Stacey Slater
Though currently living in Brazil with Jean Slater and her youngest children, Stacey Slater’s story is far from over. Actress Lacey Turner has confirmed that she will return to EastEnders, though no timeline has been announced.
Given Stacey’s deep-rooted connections to Walford and her central role in the show’s history, her eventual comeback feels inevitable. For now, viewers will have to wait, knowing that when Stacey Slater does return, it is unlikely to be quietly.
As EastEnders looks ahead to its next chapter, one thing is clear: change is constant, but legacy is everything. With shocking exits, emotionally charged returns, and new characters poised to disrupt the balance of the Square, Walford remains as compelling and unpredictable as ever. Forty years on, the heart of EastEnders continues to beat strong, fueled by the past and driven relentlessly toward the future.