I'm not sure they have my friend. Save for the Den exit of 2005.

I'll make sure in my will states that there's to be a discussion about this hideous decision, every year until 4016

It will also be good for Dot. Michelle's mum was her best friend and they will have many shared memories. More than she has with any other characters in the show. I'm hoping that having Michelle around will cheer her up and that they have a few trips down memory lane.

That's certainly one of them. The destruction of the Watts, Gavin and that farce we had in the summer over Mark Jr was the nadir for me.

Bringing Kathy back from the dead was a far worse decision.

Well killing her in the first place was an even worse one, but there was no body ever seen, and they made sure they hired the actress WHO MADE HER THE ICON SHE IS!

Gavin, utterly shite. Mark JR...could have been better if Kemp just shelved one of his docs for a few months. His return earlier in the year, with Michelle a vital cog in the storyline, makes her sudden 'reappearance' now even more exasperating!

She didn't offend me. Time will tell if she irritates me as much as the original.

I absolutely LOVE her - she is AMAZING in the role and so far in-front of Susan it is like comparing NuJohnny with Laurence Olivier - we will remember NuChell for a long time - OH WAIT! She has only been in it for 2 minutes and said two lines - How the hell is anyone supposed to decide yet - people need to give her a chance and then decide - I think it is wrong to hate her without giving er a chance just because she is a re-cast of a former character that you liked (even if you have built her up to be more iconic than she really was).

I never considered Kathy an icon. A rather dull woman who hasn't changed a jot and adds nothing to the show. It wasn't worth turning the show into a farce just to have her long face hanging around and having her do s*d all.

And I think you're wrong for not being as offended as I am. So who is actually wrong?

The Wilmott-Brown storyline of 1988 was one of the standout storylines in show history with Kathy at the forefront. You can argue the actresses ability, but in my view, its difficult to argue that she was not a major face of the show in those early years.

And I'll decide what I should reject as an abomination and this is not one of them. I think it shows SOC has balls. Here's hoping that even though I would miss them he has the balls too to kill off Dot or Phileth. Michelle is a character who can easily be roast especially after 21 years away qnd jenn will do it justice.

Nobody could irritate me as much as Sue Tully's depiction of Michelle. Sulky, miserable and moany are words that spring to mind. The new Michelle must be an improvement. I look forward to seeing more.

Oh I see - it is perfectly OK for you tell people they are wrong for not agreeing with your views - but if anyone criticises your choice for not agree their beliefs it's a different story - thanks for setting me straight Everyone is entitled to their own views and maybe if you stopped trying to force your views in them they'd stop doing the same to you

You're only saying it to disagree with me. It can't be your true feelings. Because the post you have quoted is IRREFUTABLE!

They aren't just my 'views' - I'm trying to stand up for what is right and correct Everyone just meekly accepts what is thrown at them, they spin it, to make it seem right, and that the right are wrong.

The people saying 'give her a chance' are trying to force their views too! How is it any different?

Most of the fans are too young to care, they don't remember her and her legacy means nothing to them. But the fans who LIVED the character and are ok with this, they are the ones who have disappointed me.

I think you need to either get back under the bridge. Or accept that there are people who have watched it from the start who don't give a flying fook that she's been recast. End of the day Sue was offered the chance to come back she refused and thank God have you seen what she looks like now.

I am saying it because I am willing to give Jenna a chance - James Bye has proven re-cast CAN work by making Martin on of the most interesting characters on the Square at the moment and surpassing James A's role - I LOVED Michelle when she was in it (Susan was always more beautiful than Letitia) but that does not mean I don't want Jenna to fail - if she can pull it off (and if anyone Jenna can) then fair play to her) and if she doesn't at least SOC had the guts to give it a try - and hopefully it will then put to bed the calls for Michelle's return - plus the scene at the end really felt like Jenna's Michelle and Letitia's Sharon were long term BFFs

Glad to be of service and disappointed you

Couldn't agree more re James Bye, I can't even think of old martain in the role.

I'm sure I'm not alone, but I guess they've learned what I should have by now, no point in taking on the mob, the mob can't be helped, they've been drip-fed by too much of todays standards to know whats right.

Not sure what you mean by the bridge remark. But I'm sure it was insulting.

I'm not sure what Sue's looks have to do with this

He's done a decent job, I was annoyed at that recast at the time, but the character of Martin didn't achieve anywhere near the same levels that Michelle did, he's not in her league. I'm a strong believer that the face of the character IS the character.

Can you POSSIBLY imagine another actor playing Phil Mitchell? Answer honestly.

I don't want to argue with everyone so I'll be happy to keep it civil with you .

"Icon" Sue Tully clearly wants nothing more to do with the character. That's her choice. We've had 20 years of farcical reasons for her staying away from Albert Square. You can have another 20 years of the same, or you can bite the bullet and accept that a good chunk of the audience weren't born when Michelle disappeared off in that black cab and an even bigger chunk weren't watching and an even bigger chunk don't care if she gets recast, so do it and be damned. It's much the same as the situation with Roo in Home and Away, where after twenty years of asking Justine Clarke they realised it had reached the point that Alf's daughter never visiting was more ridiculous than just casting a new actress.

I think it's a farce.

Recasts go against everything a soap is suppose to stand for. Whether you're a major character or a minor character, I will never agree with it.
Leave that sort of nonsense to America. Heck, even Hollyoaks isn't so careless and disrespectful as EastEnders has been over the past five or so years with its recasts.