Michelle Ryan breaks silence on EastEnders exit and decision to kill Zoe off

Michelle says that Zoe has come ‘full circle’ (Picture: BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron) With her character Zoe Slater about to exit EastEnders forever, Michelle Ryan has spoken out about the decision to kill her alter-ego. Zoe returned to Albert Square for the first time in 20 years last June, with a fleeting appearance prior to a full-time comeback. Having been estranged from mum Kat (Jessie Wallace), Zoe had to navigate the difficult reunion before taking a bullet – and that was just the beginning! As the two repaired their bond, Zoe confessed to having given birth to twins while away from Walford, with one having been still-born, while she gave the other up for adoption. After what was a seemingly-endless stream of chaos, including a hostage situation, stalking ordeal orchestrated by historic frenemy Chrissie Watts (Tracy-Ann Oberman), a reunion prior to the murder of the father of her twins, Anthony Trueman (Nicholas Bailey), by the child she’d believed still-born, Jasmine Fisher (Indeyarna Donaldson-Holness), and a stint in the clink for said-murder. Having now been reunited with Jasmine and her son Josh Goodwin (Joshua Vaughan), things finally quietened down for our Zo’, but they’re about to get a lot more quiet. Dead silent, if you will. Zoe will die imminently in EastEnders (Picture: BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron) As we gear up for her final storyline, Michelle explained that it brought Zoe back to the beginning: ‘Zoe is coming full circle really, because when she first arrived on the square, she crashed her dad Charlie’s taxi, and we have her stealing a taxi.’ As she tries to nick the taxi, though, she suffers a blow to the head which will ultimately kill her. Ask Metro Use AI to go deeper into the stories you care about – powered by Metro and trusted publications. According to Michelle, Zoe’s return was never going to be longer than a year, and she understands the decision to kill her character. Speaking to Radio Times, she said: ‘My agent and I sort of discussed from the outset that it would be a year, and I think that when we came to look at where Zoe was going, it just seemed like a natural conclusion for her to die, because for her to run away again would have gone against everything she’d fought for; for her children. Michelle says she understands why Zoe is dying (Picture: BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron) ‘So as sad as it was to hear that Zoe was going to be killed off, I was like, ‘I completely understand that’. ‘I’d always felt that I would be going back for a year because I really do like the variety I have with my career and playing different parts. ‘But it was such a gift to be able to go back and have a year of playing her and getting to see all my old friends like Laila [Morse] and Jessie and Shane. ‘And they’ve got such a solid, brilliant cast, and they are the loveliest group of people, so there’s so much camaraderie there, and I just feel so lucky that I got to go back when I did.’ What do you think about EastEnders killing Zoe off? All the latest soaps spoilers and gossip, in your inbox every morning. Zoe’s storylines have proven divisive among EastEnders viewers, something Michelle acknowledged: ‘I know sometimes you can work on something and be very passionate, and then it goes out, and some people respond to it, some people don’t.’ She had a more positive view of things, though: ‘But I feel that Zoe really got to explore some great storylines, and just working with that company of actors was one of the best experiences I’ve had.’ Speaking on the filming of her final scenes, Michelle revealed that her co-stars struggled with the finality: ‘[Laila Morse] on my last day… was getting emotional, so she left before there was a big goodbye or anything.’ ‘But I think that’s what makes it so interesting, that it’s such a big machine that no character is bigger than the show, and I’ve always been aware of that.’ Zoe achieved her goal of being reunited with her twins (Picture: BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron) ‘So I hope the fans do find some solace in the fact that the Slaters will continue, as far as I’m aware, have some really good storylines because Zoe came back. ‘I’m really excited myself to see the leaving episodes because I really enjoyed working on them.’ She took responsibility for any fan-backlash to Zoe’s death: ‘I know some people are upset that Zoe is going to be killed off, but I feel like it’s the right time, and I think it’s better that there’s a conclusion rather than it being open-ended. ‘They’re very passionate, so I understand when sometimes they don’t respond to certain storylines, or they feel a bit cheated if a character’s leaving too soon, but that’s probably down to me, in the sense of I always anticipated a year [on the show].” What’ll Mini Mo do now?! (Picture: BBC) When asked what message she’d give to fans, Michelle said: ‘I just thank you from the bottom of my heart. ‘To all the fans who have supported me and supported Zoe from the beginning and through this return and the exit. ‘It just feels like it’s the right time… and it will always have a special place in my heart because it gave me my first big break. 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