No EastEnders return for Gillian Taylforth’s Kathy Mitchell

Gillian Taylforth isn’t likely to return anytime in the near future to BBC One’s EastEnders the beeb have stated after a story in the Daily Star reported producers wanted the character – who was killed off – to return to Albert Square.

Kathy Beale, later Mitchell, was a regular in the east end set soap from its very beginning in 1985 through to 1998.

The Daily Star reported corporation bosses had ‘begged’ Taylforth to return to the soap so she could reprise the iconic role of Kathy – who during her years on the show had several high profile storylines including being raped, marrying Phil Mitchell, giving birth to demon child Ben as well as running a knitting stall before taking over the Bridge Street Cafe. Executives had reportedly said killing-off Kathy in a car crash – all off screen – had been one of the shows biggest mistakes.

The character reportedly was ‘done in’ due to Taylforth’s inability to ‘drop everything’ for the BBC when they wanted the character to return to EastEnders as part of bringing Ben back into the storylines. The actress had been recording Footballer’s Wives at the time. Kathy was killed off in a car crash while living in South Africa with a new lover and her son Ben.

Gillian reportedly told the Daily Star Sunday, “I was at an EastEnders party and I had a scriptwriter saying they wanted me to go back…They were asking if I could think of any way Kathy could return even though she’s been killed off.”

The paper note that executive John Yorke had told the actress that killing off Kathy was the biggest mistake the show had made. While the producer who carried out the storyline on screen recalled to her that while the story seemed like a good idea at the time it shouldn’t have happened.

However a spokesperson for BBC Elstree, where the soap is produced, stated that while Kathy was a ‘great character’ the programme had ‘no plans’ to bring her back.

“If the EastEnders storyline was good and I could make a dramatic return I would go for it.” The paper reports Gillian saying.

Gillian had proved popular with viewers when recently appearing on Channel 5’s Celebrity Big Brother however left the series on Friday after hardly featuring in the series, with more air time given to other housemates instead.

EastEnders are unlikely to revive a ‘dead’ character after the failed return of Leslie Grantham as ‘Dirty’ Den Watts a decade ago, he ended up being killed off in 2005 for the second time, however unlike his first death it was seen on screen for the final demise.