Although Zainab has been ruined offscreen, I really think she needs to come back especially with the recent allegations that "she wants nothing to do with the family anymore". Zainab always loved her family and was very protective. She was the matriarch of the Masoods and I think they need Zainab now. Shabnam needs her mother IMO and I want Masood and Zainab to reunite

Zainab vs Shirley would be epic because they are Jade's grandmothers.

Zainab is also best friends with Denise

Do you want Zainab to return to EastEnders?

I'm convinced she's going to walk in on Xmas or New Year's Day. She's the only major return that would make sense and slot in easily.

She hasn't been ruined imo. She was always a judgemental nasty woman. They're foreshadow her inevitable return it appears to me.

A few months ago I would have said no, I didn't want her to return and then go around the merry go round with Masood again.

However, I think now is the perfect time for her to return. She shares a grandchild with Shirley, which could lead to some awesome confrontations. She has gained a son in law in Kush, imagine what she would do to him once she found out that he had I got Stacey pregnant. Then there is Tamwars relationship with Nancy, I really cannot see her being pleased about that. Then we also have Masoods budding relationship with Carmel, I really want to see Zainab and Carmel onscreen together.

If Nina is free then they really do need to persuade her to return.

That long drawn out story with the Doctor was boring.... No thanks

I did, but they've done such a hatchet job on her while off-screen I dread to think what would happen if they brought her back.

The fact that the original character brief as Nina has stated was 'Pauline Fowler but with a comedic edge' I find the current abandoning of her family extremely out of character, so yes she must return so they can fix it.

Yes.

Zainab and Janine are pretty much the only two former characters I'd like to see back.

I wanted her back before and I want her back even more now. I can see Shirley and Buster getting custody of Jade...no way would Zainab tolerate that. Besides she has to get Kamil back, what Masood has done is spiteful.

And as S says, there is the potential for some great (and realistic) scenes.

Yes yes yes yes.

If not this bad mouthing of her character while off screen is unjustifiable.

She was horrible in the show. A fab character but let's not pretend she was a nice person. I dont think this is being done to ruin her character at all. It's to stir the pot till she returns and fights with Carmel in classic zee style

A resounding yes from me! Not only is she one of the best EE characters in the past decade, there is so much reason for her to be back. Of all the past names who've been talked about for returns (Grant, Tanya, Janine, Sean, etc) Zainab perhaps has the best current case to return asap. The explanation about wanting to cut her family out of her life, a granddaughter she knew nothing about and possibly Shabnam's marriage falling apart when she finds out the truth about Kush.

A good way to set up a Christmas/New Year return could be Denise receiving calls/texts and on TV we don't know who exactly is contacting her. Only towards the end of one of those episodes, or even Christmas Eve/Boxing Day we see Denise opening the door to Zainab. Why Denise? She was Zainab's closest friend on the Square and for this kind of storyline reaches out to her for somewhere to stay for a bit while she tries to confront her family.

I really want to see Nina share scenes with Rakhee too.

Not with DTC at the helm I don't. He's done enough damage to her already without her being on screen.

She could be horrible, but who wants 'nice' *puke*

She was also fiercely protective of her children

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Py3Xgxjj30w

And vulnerable

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wy588wOkCYQ

Zainab was a well rounded character who could make me furious in one scene, make me cry in the next, and then make me laugh in the following one. Nina Wadia stole every scene. She really was the glue that held the Masood family together.

I wouldn't say she has been ruined. That gets thrown around alot when a character does something undesirable for some reason. I was wondering whether all the mentions were to try to end rumours about Zee returning or whether it was just to throw us off the scent and she actually returning. I think it is the latter. But it's a yes from me, I loved and hated Zainab at times, she was/is a brilliant character. I would like Zee back. She could rejoin Denise and Shirley again for bookclub!

I don't think my heart could take the excitement!

Me too. I also hope Zainab gives Shirley a hard time

As if Shirley can read.

I think she likes mills and boons novels

Mills and Booze, maybe.

I.hope a shock as comeback

Lol

I don't mind everyday scenes as long as there's something interesting to watch alongside them. Book club is not my idea of entertainment. I presume we all have lives despite our presence on this forum so I don't need to watch fictional characters doing boring things as the basis of an episode's plot

I didn't like book club because it was a book club, I liked the banter. between the characters. It offered a bit of fun alongside the drama.

The show has moved on