I was thinking about this watching EastEnders last night... In the last 5 years, I'd say that over half of the 'bigger' and 'long term' characters have left.

We've lost:

Pat
Peggy
Tanya
Zainab
Kat
Alfie
Max
Carol
Bianca
Ricky
Janine
Ronnie & Stacey (Although they've returned, but still)
Jean

I wouldn't mind, but I don't think the filler characters of today are as good to make up for them. I know people don't like EastEnders to be 'living in the past', but I really hope they do bring some of these characters back as practically all of the names listed above were once in the show together.

Does anyone else think the show has lost too many big names?

When you look at the list, then yes. We have actually lost some great characters. Many of which are brilliant female characters. But that's soaps for you. People come and go. I think the show still has a strong cast without some of those wonderful characters anyway.

Everyone apart from Pat can come back. But these characters need to come back if the actor wants to and if there is a story for them to come back. Characters who return after years away need to have another story to tell. Otherwise, it can come across as bringing a character back purely to please fans. I wish Ronnie and Stacey had both stayed away as both their second stints have been massively depression. Ronnie is a pathetic panto villian, while Stacey is a miserable cow who has had zero character development and is going around in circles.

The only two I miss on that list are Zainab and Janine. I'm glad Ronnie and Stacey returned but I actually think there have also been too many returns. I don't want Kat and Alfie to come back at all especially Alfie who I can't stand. I don't like the living in the past for Eastenders.I think nostalgia is overrated. I think some people would only be happy if the show went back to the 80s!

I think it's more that we have lost some of our big families.... the Butchers, the Slater/Moons, the Brannings, and to an extent the Masoods. And with so little effort made to flesh out new families/characters we are reduced to three main families, which is not enough IMO.

It is quite concerning. The Mitchell's are the only family now that have a big family unit. You've got the Beale's and the Carter's (Although they're also all over the place ATM), then you've got lots of other characters scattered around everywhere. Compare that to 5 years ago, when you had strong family units with fantastic storylines spread across the square, that would link lots of characters together. 75% of the younger cast have also been axed. :/

Almost all of those who left will return as surely as night follows day. I wouldn't be too worried about it. There are still a lot of actors in the cast.

A fair number of those were created/returned to replace the big characters who left at the end of 2005 so it's all part of the ebb and flow of soap I guess.

Yep. I think the only fans that seem happy with the show are Mitchell fans, and even then with Ronnie ruined I'd have to say not all Mitchell fans. With Kathy and Martin back at least they're attempting to build up the Beales...so that's something. I miss the sort of characters that are good at both comedy and drama...Janine, Pat, David, Zainab and Kat. It all feels very heavy ATM.

I do think they've gone too far with the youngsters. It was lovely to see Rebecca last night, and I do like her. The light hearted scenes between Stacey and Whitney were nice too.

A lot of the people you mentioned were characters bought in to replace others who had left, so it's swings and roundabouts really.

Dot, Sharon, Jane, Shirley, Ronnie, Roxy, Stacey, Denise, Lauren, Abi and Whitney are all females who have at least 5 years of history on the square.

There's also, of course, Kathy and Shabnam, but their returns are still quite recent. Kat will also be back, and we also have Mo as a recurring character, and Kim is building up a reputation as a long serving character.

Linda, Nancy, Tina, Babe, Elaine, Carmel, Pam, Donna, Claudette are all new additions. I personally think that the balance is OK between old and new.

The iconic Tiffany Mitchell would have long been back by now had she not been idiotically killed off.