People who should return next year:
Zsa Zsa Carter
Martin Fowler
Vicki Fowler
Grant Mitchell (well, for the wedding)
Courtney Mitchell (make her hot)
Steven Beale
Carly Wicks
Sean Slater
Mandy Salter
Simon Wicks (one-off, depending on Nick Berry)
Michelle Fowler (one-off, depending on Susan Tully)
Melanie Owen (if Tamzin would be up for it)
Chrissie Watts (for another Sharon storyline)
Ricky Butcher (one-off and just for Bianca's exit, if Sid would do it)

I'd settle for Zainab and Janine. A Slater or two would be good.

I'm not sure tbh... judging by the last couple of episodes, i'm not entirely excited about the 30th!

Agreed. Also; Zoe Slater, Peggy Mitchell (this year, for the wedding), Tanya Branning and another Slater - either Little Mo or Lynne.

I think sid Owen has retired so probably not!
Tracey would be up for a chrissie return!
I think peggy and grant would definitely return on a short contract and I have a feeling they will! Ross kemp could actually stay for a longer run when he wants to though!
Janine, tanya, and zainab would also be great returns! We can be sure to see tanya and janine back soon, not too sure about zainab but maybe one day! Michelle fowler would be brilliant but I can't see it happening!

I'd like a slater reunion (charlie, sean and zoe)
And a mitchell reunion (peggy, grant and sam)
And also a janine and tanya return! Way too many good characters have left! it's a real shame! But I can see a lot coming back in the future! The current cast is quite good though! What with ronnie and stacey it has the potential to be explosive!

Tony Hills is now working for an independent TV channel in Brighton and is asked too do a cutting edge documentary on how living in a close community can shape you. He decides too contact Ian as He plans too do some filming in Walford, as He feels it shaped him into who is today. He returns and the locals have a screening in the Queen Vic on the 30th Anniversary Episode, Tony has managed too get hold of a few faces from the past to contribute too the documentary.

Dot, Sharon and Ian have all helped find a few people as well for him too interview like Kelvin carpenter, Dr Legg, Sanjay and Gita, Nigel bates, Ruby Allen. Diane Butcher, Beppe Di marco, Natalie Evans, Christian & Syed, Libby fox, and others

Aunt Sal, Minty& Dawn, Charlie Slater and Robbie Jackson all return for the big screening.

I think it would be great if Detective Roy Quick who was on the Reg Cox case came back on the 30th and arrested whoever killed Lucy.

I would say Janine and only Janine for a couple of episodes or more she has to be part of the 30th year.

Maybe there should be a nod to every decade - so for the 80s it would be the Fowlers/Beales, for the 90s it'd be the Mitchells and for the 00s it'd be the Slaters.

Steven Beale briefly for the fallout of the Lucy investigation. It is ridiculous how he hasn't even been mentioned or seen since her murder. At one point, it seemed like she was closer to Steven than her own twin.

In terms of the Mitchells, Peggy is the obvious choice but personally I'd like Sam Mitchell played by Kim Medcalf (poor Danniella definitely won't be an option now but I'd want Kim regardless). However the whole getting out of jail scenario has been done to death recently so maybe just settle for Peggy. It'd be good to see her thoughts on Lucy's murder.

For the Slaters, A Zoe return will never be on the cards (not for another 10 years at least) so a Little Mo return would be the next best thing. She could reunite with Billy. She brought his character to life and was a great pairing for him. Plus her son could come in the show. He'd be 11 or something now.

I'm sick to death of all the returning characters. There's a revolving door for too many of them.

Well they're far better than the dreary characters that have been brought in over the past few years, we need returning characters...

No we don't. We need characters like Charlie and Pam and the Carters to be developed more and shaped into important characters.

If you find all the new characters dreary, the solution surely isn't bringing back old characters, it's improving the new characters they bring in?

Zainab and Peggy - their faaamilies have not been the same since they left.

Martin & Vicki Fowler with Mark Jr

A Grant guest appearance would be cool

Steven Beale has oodles of potential - I can see Peter maybe wanting to reconnect when things blow over (maybe discovering no brotherly bond?) Ian & Jane would be furious

Chrissie would be interesting but just for a short storyline

Sean would have potential too as Stacey & Roxy would both be there.

I know he retired but for one episode to say goodbye to Bianca. It would be a disgrace if Bianca did not leave with Ricky. The whole Bianca/Terry thing is a joke. Bianca belongs with Rickaaay!! They should at least kill Ricky off before putting her with a new man.

Sean Slater. And Sean slater!!!! Please sean slater come back

anybody more interesting than jane, libby, honey,anthony,raine, sonia, dean and shabnam take note producers

They read that and are bringing back Gus and Juley.

Anyone where it feels that their presence is required and not as a gimmick

I know it's ridiculous, doesn't surprise me at all just lately, poor writers! Think they're doing such a good job aswell... They certainly haven't this summer idc what anyone says! And they're doing what they've done with many other storylines, Bianca's leaving in about 4 weeks, so just like everyone else, she'll appear regularly for about 2 episodes then leave...

Janine
Peggy
Zainab
Sean Slater

Tell me about it!

Yeah but I also think they've kind of destroyed Bianca over the last couple of years. The attention has been given to Carol and Bianca has just been given very poor storylines. The whole split from Ricky, 'Bianca in jail' thing and loads of debt just left what was a legendary EastEnders character in the gutter. It began with Kirkwood, continued with Newman and DTC had other plans with Carol so Bianca was just left out. It's a real shame. She should be with 'RICKAAAAYY!!'.

If any characters need to return it's Michelle Fowler with Mark and maybe Vicky, then Peggy & Grant. The fact that Grant is the father of Mark would make a great explosive reveal and having all the main players there including Sharon would make for some great viewing. Get them all back for the wedding with Michelle being a bridesmaid and let's see how Sharon copes finding out her best mate did the dirty on her, Michelle wouldn't need to stick around after that as no doubt Sharon would want her gone, Peggy would be begging her to stay so she could get to know her grandson and Grant would be fuming over never being told and missing out on seeing his son grow up. Obviously this will never happen and it's a travesty that one of the biggest soap secrets will probably never get an onscreen reveal.

reg cox

How about in a shocking twist: nobody from the past returns! I know. I know let it sink in for a moment.