EastEnders hoping to lure back Nick Berry and Michael French

EastEnders are hoping to lure Nick Berry and Michael French back to the BBC One soap for the exit of Pat Butcher (Pam St Clement) later this year.

Producers are said to be keen to lure back the two actors to reprise their roles of Simon and David Wicks for the departure of their on-screen mother Pat over the Christmas period.

“Producers are working flat out to get Nick and Michael on board.  Nick hasn’t done any major TV work for the best part of a decade. To get him back into Albert Square would be a major coup.” – A “source” quoted in The Sun

Nick Berry played Simon “Wicksy” Wicks between 1985 and 1990 famously having an affair with Cindy Beale (Michelle Collins) resulting in her son Steven. However, Cindy was also dating Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt) and the devious minx convinced the rising businessman her son was his. Simon was something of a womaniser having flings with various Walford residents but had enough of Albert Square in 1990 and left – with Cindy. However, two years later Cindy returned without Simon and it was later said he had emigrated to New Zealand. Nick Berry went on to star in Heartbeat and later Harbour Lights.

Michael French joined EastEnders in 1993 as car-dealer David Wicks; a womaniser as well who also had a fling with Cindy and helped her flee to France after she tried to have Ian killed! David was also revealed to be the father of Bianca Jackson (Patsy Palmer) having had a ding-dong with Carol (Lindsay Coulson) many years before. French quit EastEnders in 1996 and has gone on to star in a number of dramas such as Crime Traveller and Born and Bred as well as Holby City – and currently Casualty – as Dr. Nick Jordan.