[Bleaney]

Characters come and go and EastEnders, but sometimes I look back and think there are a few characters I would like to see again... but with a different face!

This is either because the actor who played the character first time round wasn't very good, is a liablility for EE, wont go back or is not going to be available.

I appreciate there is always the argument of ''Don't recast, create new characters'', but sometimes I feel that certain characters from EE past have such important links with those of today or have such a story left to tell, that bringing them back in a different form would be really good.

So my question is... in EE, which character would you bring back as a recast, and why?

[Check it out]

Zoe Slater. I truly believe this affair shit is being used to throw Kat to the gutter, and then they will start to rebuild her character back into something watchable. I truly believe the perfect way to do this is to bring in her daughter again. Their is so much scope with Zoe and Kat's relationship and I hate that it goes unexplored. Michelle doesn't want to return, and I am fine with that, her choice, but Zoe shouldn't stay offscreen because of it. Plus Sharon is on her way back and we never got that closure on Den's death. I'd love Michelle to come back, but I think if she truly refuses to, a recast is needed.

[Marakaer]

I'd say either Vicky for Sharon or Zoe for Kat. Their natural counterparts.

[Check it out]

Originally Posted by Marakaer

I'd say either Vicky for Sharon or Zoe for Kat. Their natural counterparts.

Actually Scarlett who played Vicki has really grown into a wonderful actress. She is really, really great and if she were willing to return I would happily have her back.

[Marakaer]

Originally Posted by Check it out

Actually Scarlett who played Vicki has really grown into a wonderful actress. She is really, really great and if she were willing to return I would happily have her back.

I genuinely had nothing against Scarlett, I think the hatred for her was hugely OTT. Yes, there was the accent shift but I'm fairly sure the producers would have had a say in that not the actress just randomly turning up on set and changing her voice at a whim.

I just think it would be good for Sharon's character to have Vicky back as a direct family tie, though given the hatred for her a recast may seem the only option.

I'd rather Scarlett come back over Michelle Ryan, I never thought much of her as an actress at all.

[Bleaney]

One obvious one for me is Spencer Moon. I always thought there was much more scope for the character but Christopher Parker, who played him had a breakdown and was hospitalised, leading to his hastily written departure, and I dont think it would be a good idea to bring him back to EE where the scrutiny is even more intense.

But I really think Alfie would improve with a recasted Spencer, and it would be interesting to see him interact more with Kat and the other Moons.

[Check it out]

Originally Posted by Marakaer

I genuinely had nothing against Scarlett, I think the hatred for her was hugely OTT. Yes, there was the accent shift but I'm fairly sure the producers would have had a say in that not the actress just randomly turning up on set and changing her voice at a whim.

I just think it would be good for Sharon's character to have Vicky back as a direct family tie, though given the hatred for her a recast may seem the only option.

I'd rather Scarlett come back over Michelle Ryan, I never thought much of her as an actress at all.

It was very OTT. She wasn't a great actress back then, no arguments there, but the abuse she got was disgusting. I believe it was her first television role as well! But she is so good now I would love her to come back and for everyone to be all cynical and then be completely proved wrong about her.

A recast would work though. She didn't leave an impact at all but Vicki was horridly misused as a character anyway.

The thing with Michelle is that her face is associated with such big things. ""You ain't my muvva", Den's murder. And that is two stories which would be revisited, so would having a recast cheapen this? They would need someone very good and quite similar looking to Michelle because a half-arsed attempt at a recast would boil well. Zoe wasn't an icon, but she was used in some iconic storylines,

Personally I would choose Sinead Moynihan to play her. She looks enough like Michelle for it to be believable, but not so much as to look like a bad gimmick. She was in Hollyoaks and was good, and I saw her recently in some BBC Three thing and she had improved even further.

http://www.hollyoaksbabes.net/_holly...oynihan130.jpg

[maurice45]

If they were ever planning on re-introducing Vicki, I'd say recast. If Sam were to ever return, I'd say they should bring Kim Medcalf back.

At the moment, Amy is in serious need of a recast.

[Marakaer]

Originally Posted by Check it out

It was very OTT. She wasn't a great actress back then, no arguments there, but the abuse she got was disgusting. I believe it was her first television role as well! But she is so good now I would love her to come back and for everyone to be all cynical and then be completely proved wrong about her.

A recast would work though. She didn't leave an impact at all but Vicki was horridly misused as a character anyway.

The thing with Michelle is that her face is associated with such big things. ""You ain't my muvva", Den's murder. And that is two stories which would be revisited, so would having a recast cheapen this? They would need someone very good and quite similar looking to Michelle because a half-arsed attempt at a recast would boil well. Zoe wasn't an icon, but she was used in some iconic storylines,

Personally I would choose Sinead Moynihan to play her. She looks enough like Michelle for it to be believable, but not so much as to look like a bad gimmick. She was in Hollyoaks and was good, and I saw her recently in some BBC Three thing and she had improved even further.

http://www.hollyoaksbabes.net/_holly...oynihan130.jpg

Looks like a good fit for Zoe!

I think the fact that they recast Sam Mitchell originally with Kim Medcalf shows they can pull it off very successfully - Daniella Westbrooke was absolutely huge when she was first in Eastenders and she was in some pretty huge storylines for the shows first 10 years, so I think it can definitely be done.

[94ir]

Zoe Slater, Shabnam Masood

[Check it out]

Originally Posted by Marakaer

Looks like a good fit for Zoe!

I think the fact that they recast Sam Mitchell originally with Kim Medcalf shows they can pull it off very successfully - Daniella Westbrooke was absolutely huge when she was first in Eastenders and she was in some pretty huge storylines for the shows first 10 years, so I think it can definitely be done.

Yeah that is true about Sam. I am never one to say Sam should be recasted again, but with Sharon back, I would love it to be Kim coming back again. It would feel wrong for Daniella to try and pull off she was the same Sam.

[*TribeSpirit*]

I would bring back Kim Medcalf to play Ronnie Mitchell. Just for lulz

I want Suzy Branning back but since the actress had issues with other cast members, it might be wise to recast her. We need to get rid of few of the Brannings first

[vaslav37]

Zoe Slater and Shabnam Masood...

These two characters are needed back on the Square. Not a recast as such but I would also cast Mark Fowler Jnr as well which could possibly be a prelude to a Grant reunion with Sharon down the line

But for now definitely Zoe and Shabnam.

[vald]

Michelle Fowler and Shabnam Masood.

[SugaRiz93]

I would love Zoe and Spence back as that would probably Reinhance Kats character again and she always liked Spencer. I would love the original actors to play them but failing that...recasts

[JK4265]

Originally Posted by vald

Michelle Fowler and Shabnam Masood.

See the thing is with Michelle that she is too iconic to be recast because the recast would ruin the iconic status of Michelle. And, I don't think it would work as good as it did when Susan Tully played her for 10 years. It's the same with Grant and some other characters - their too iconic. I'd say bring back Susan Tully or don't bring Michelle back in the first place.

[Scrabbler]

Zoe Slater? Yes what the show needs is another young female character who only cares about herself, is gobby and sleeps around. We haven't got any characters like that at the moment

Shabnam would be a good one, we have not seen her interact with Syed have we?

[vald]

Originally Posted by JK4265

See the thing is with Michelle that she is too iconic to be recast because the recast would ruin the iconic status of Michelle. And, I don't think it would work as good as it did when Susan Tully played her for 10 years. It's the same with Grant and some other characters - their too iconic. I'd say bring back Susan Tully or don't bring Michelle back in the first place.

I just don't get that thinking. It is the character that is iconic and because of this the character should be re-introduced.
Susan Tully was great in the part but having seen a recent picture of her I would not have recognized her, she has changed so much.16 years is a long time and with cosmetic surgery freely available as well as changes in hair colour and weight, appearance becomes immaterial, as long as the personality and height is right.
This is the woman who had both Den Watts' child and Grant Mitchell's. To me she will always be the most important of our original characters.

[Check it out]

Originally Posted by Scrabbler

Zoe Slater? Yes what the show needs is another young female character who only cares about herself, is gobby and sleeps around. We haven't got any characters like that at the moment

Shabnam would be a good one, we have not seen her interact with Syed have we?

We have no females in Zoe's age bracket, Janine being the closest. She was only gobby when she was pushed to it and how did she sleep around? While on the square she slept with Jamie, Anthony, Dennis and Den (which was disgusting). Hardly sleeping around.

[Bleaney]

I'd also consider recasting Chelsea Fox and bringing her back.

[Seanie(:]

Shabbnam Masood, it's the first thing I'd do if I was a producer.

[thejoyof_pat]

Shabnam Masood recast? I would try asking the original actress first.

[gboy]

Originally Posted by vald

I just don't get that thinking. It is the character that is iconic and because of this the character should be re-introduced.
Susan Tully was great in the part but having seen a recent picture of her I would not have recognized her, she has changed so much.16 years is a long time and with cosmetic surgery freely available as well as changes in hair colour and weight, appearance becomes immaterial, as long as the personality and height is right.
This is the woman who had both Den Watts' child and Grant Mitchell's. To me she will always be the most important of our original characters.

I tend to agree with you - I think the character was iconic rather than the actress. Sufficient time has past for a recast to work. When Mark Fowler was recast there were no major outcries, though David Scarboro was only in it for a couple of years.

Michelle still has a connection to the square - Ian, Sharon and her (tenuous) connection with the Mitchells. I would be great to see her back in EE.

[vald]

Originally Posted by gboy

I tend to agree with you - I think the character was iconic rather than the actress. Sufficient time has past for a recast to work. When Mark Fowler was recast there were no major outcries, though David Scarboro was only in it for a couple of years.

Michelle still has a connection to the square - Ian, Sharon and her (tenuous) connection with the Mitchells. I would be great to see her back in EE.

...also related to Bianca, Michelle is Lou Beale's grandaughter and Bianca her great grandaughter. They also share a neice in Chloe Fowler.
Dot was her mother's best friend.

[TheAuburnEnigma]

I'm another who would like to see Spencer back Alfie needs someone to bounce off once the affair is revealed, and although he works well with Jean and Michael (doesn't seem to have much to do with Antler and one of them is off anyway), he needs someone who's quite close to him to help with the fallout (please not Roxy).


As for the potential of a recasted Zoe, if she wasn't doing Merlin then I think Katie McGrath would be brilliant and she does look quite similar to Michelle Ryan.