2006 - Michelle Fowler returns played by Linda Henry (the actress known as Shirley just now). Michelle was never particularly happy so you could see her developing into Shirley in time, and taking after her mother's bitterness. Linda has stayed with the show for a decade and her current friendship with Kathy and Sharon and history in the square would have made sense as Michelle.

Danny Dyer could then have either played a secret son of Arthur's or Mark who just wanted to escape Walford, or got into debts and did a Kathy.

What are your thoughts?

edit - another poster suggested Michelle returned and got Denise's stories. That could work too but I like Diane Parish. Would the viewers accept a black recast Michelle? anyway, that is where I got this idea from.

Nope.

Shirley is a much better character than Michelle ever was.

Are you on drugs?

Are you on f*cking drugs?

Linda Henry looks nothing like Susan Tully.

I know we've had recasts where the new actor looks nothing like the old one before but this one would be a particular stretch.

I could see Michelle looking like she has just come out of the Shower

PMSL! Love it

Michelle seems to be the subject of several hilariously bizaare threads

Completely different characters who were/are both wonderful in my view.

I did like Michelle, she was my favourite youngster, but I thought she was rather bland and lacked a sense of humour. I wouldn't have minded her returning but not at the expense of Shirley.

Luckily for us starry rune is nothing to do with the show

this

Sue Tully has more talent in her little finger than that one trick pony actress has in her entire body though.

You have all misunderstood. Shirley would still be Shirley. She would just have a different name. "Michelle"

We could have more Shirley / Michelle and Martin scenes too. What would Bex think of her aunty Michelle these days? The Fowlers should be in the vic!

Don't see your vision at all

Pah! Can Linda hoist a lever arch file under each arm like Sue?

Why stop there, Linda should just play everyone. Lindaenders, directed, produced and starring Linda Henry.

No thanks

er...isn't Michelle supposed to be in Sharon's age group ( 40s) I think Sirl has at least a decade on them, & in any case, I never did get the Michele love, imo, she is vastly over rated.

I love Shirl just the way she is, thank you very much.

In think the actress who plays Shirley should have played Kathy Beale instead

And when Dirty Den was coming back to the show, they could have used the actor that played Gavin Sullivan

Linda Henry is at least 5 years older than Sue Tully

Dont you mean twenty years

Almost five. Linda was born in January 1963 and Sue was born in October 1967.