Jane and Max return

[Perdita]

EastEnders star Laurie Brett has revealed that she had to keep quiet about her Walford return for months.

Last night, viewers were shocked as the actress's character Jane Beale made a surprise return to Albert Square to visit her ex-husband Ian (Adam Woodyatt).

Show bosses had kept Jane's comeback tightly under wraps prior to the broadcast of yesterday's episode.

Speaking on ITV's Daybreak this morning (January 7), Brett explained: "I told very little people. All the people at EastEnders were really keeping it hush-hush too. I don't know how they managed it. They did an amazing job of doing it.

"I've known for months that I was going to go and do [these] episodes. It's about five, six months I've been keeping it a secret."

Brett also plays Waterloo Road headteacher Christine Mulgrew and had to juggle both shows while filming the scenes last year.

She added: "I was filming some massive Christine scenes which come at the end of this block of ten [episodes]. So I was filming really, really intense Christine stuff, then coming down to Elstree to do this.

"We were actually on set and Adam Woodyatt said, 'You know you just sounded Scottish there!' I got a bit confused with the accent!"

EastEnders fans will see Jane reveal the reasons for her return tonight at 7.30pm on BBC One.

[Perdita]

EastEnders star Laurie Brett has confirmed that she wouldn't rule out another future return to the soap.

The actress was seen reprising her Walford role as Jane Beale this week as show bosses briefly brought back the character in a surprise storyline twist.

While fans have been speculating about a possible full-time return for Jane, Brett is still part of the cast of fellow BBC One show Waterloo Road, on which she plays Christine Mulgrew.

Asked if Jane could make a permanent comeback, Brett told Digital Spy: "I'm going back in late spring to film series ten of Waterloo Road, so apart from that I can't really think of anything else. That's there and I'm going to be doing that, so I've got no idea of what's going to happen.

"I don't really plan anything so it's a case of 'que sera sera' - whatever will be, will be."

Brett also admitted that she was surprised when EastEnders' new executive producer Dominic Treadwell-Collins first suggested Jane's return to her last year.

She explained: "I'd never actually thought about returning, to be quite honest. It was only a couple of years since I'd left and I've been so involved in Waterloo Road, so it never even crossed my mind.

"When Dominic called me and wanted to speak to me, it was just a really nice thing. Dominic's just great so when he asked me to come back for these episodes, of course I was going to do that for him.

"I think his work is fantastic and he's a dear friend. It was a lovely opportunity to come back in and surprise people. I can't believe it was kept so quiet."

Backing EastEnders for a bright future with Treadwell-Collins at the helm, she added: "I think Dominic is great and the team there are great. Dominic eats, sleeps and breathes it and he knows the show so well.

"He knows about drama and he's such a great man for the job, so I was really thrilled when he told me that he was going back as exec producer. I just think he was born to do it and the show will do really well under him."

Waterloo Road returns with a new block of episodes tonight (January 8) at 8.30pm on BBC One.

[parkerman]

Brett explained: "I told very little people."

What's wrong with telling tall people? Do they blab more?

[parkerman]

Brett explained: "I told very little people."

What's wrong with telling tall people? Do they blab more?

[sarah c]

What's wrong with telling tall people? Do they blab more?

No but their voice carries further because of the height

[sarah c]

...

[alan45]

ACTRESS Laurie Brett is returning to Albert Square as Jane Beale.

Producers managed to make Jane's return a complete surprise to viewers

Viewers were shocked when she arrived at ex-husband Ian’s house earlier this month as the soap’s bosses had managed to keep her return a secret.

But we can exclusively reveal it was always intended for her to do two stints.

However she had to work around her Waterloo Road role as Christine Mulgrew.

Laurie, 44, left the show in January 2012 when she left to take up a new job in Cardiff.

An EastEnders source said: “Bosses were keen to get her back to be a part of a bigger storyline that’s going on. There’s lots coming up with the Beales heading into the big 30th anniversary next year.”

Fans will be able to watch Laurie’s second spell as Jane next month.

[owenlee4me]

sorry but i'm not that fusssed on her as Ian's wife, she was not really convincing to me, so lets get her 2nd spell over with and move her on!

[Perdita]

EastEnders' Jane Beale finds herself at the centre of more drama when she pays another visit to Albert Square later this month.

Jane (Laurie Brett) gets more than she bargained for when she returns to Walford to spend some quality time with her family.

The first bombshell for Jane comes when she learns that the local market is likely to be closed down and that Ian (Adam Woodyatt) has a surprising plan to keep his finances afloat during this difficult time.

Jane also quickly picks up on tension between Ian and his new partner Denise Fox (Diane Parish), which prompts Denise to privately tell her that she recently kissed someone else.

The Beales enjoy some family time.
© BBC
The Beales enjoy some family time.

Denise confesses to Jane about the kiss.
© BBC
Denise confesses to Jane about the kiss.

Later in the week, Jane starts to clash with Ian about his failures as a father and Bobby's welfare.

As the tension mounts, Jane starts to wonder whether leaving Walford again would be the wrong move, and she finds a willing confidante in Masood Ahmed (Nitin Ganatra) at the pub. What will Jane decide?

Jane and Ian disagree about Bobby's welfare.
© BBC
Jane and Ian disagree about Bobby's welfare.

Masood and Jane find comfort in each other's worries.
© BBC
Masood and Jane find comfort in each other

EastEnders airs these scenes next week on BBC One.

[Perdita]

EastEnders star Laurie Brett will return to the soap on a permanent basis later this year.

The actress has now finished filming her latest stint as Jane Beale, but will be back on set as a regular cast member from the autumn.

Brett is taking time away from EastEnders again as she still has a number of Waterloo Road episodes to film in her role as troubled teacher Christine Mulgrew.

In EastEnders, viewers will see Jane remain on screen for the next few weeks as she deals with the devastating loss of her stepdaughter Lucy.

After Lucy's funeral, Jane will leave Walford again for the time being, but will make a full-time return later in the year.

Speaking at an EastEnders press event this week, Brett explained: "I'm on screen until the funeral and then I do have a job commitment, but then I will be back in September. I'm back in September once I've finished at Waterloo Road."

EastEnders' executive producer Dominic Treadwell-Collins also confirmed that Jane's return will be permanent.

Brett originally played Jane between 2004 and 2012. She made a shock return at the beginning of this year and has been appearing frequently over the past few months.