The BBC One soap aired the first episode under new executive producer Ben Wadey today, and even skipped the early BBC iPlayer release to preserve the surprise for terrestrial broadcast.
The BBC has now confirmed that Ryan will next appear as Zoe in Tuesday and Wednesday's episodes this week before making her big comeback in the summer.
"I was absolutely delighted when Michelle agreed to return, and I’m thrilled to welcome her back to Walford. Whilst I can’t say too much at this stage, Zoe’s return is just one of the many exciting storylines we have planned."
A mystery brunette was seen sleeping under blankets on the sofa in a dishevelled room, while a bottle of booze fell out from under the blankets as she stirred.
Stacey yelled at her to wake up and called her a thief.
Stacey then tried to call Alfie, but he didn’t answer. Stacey then warned who she was talking to that she was getting Alfie involved so that she would maybe talk to him, while Stacey overheard the woman vomiting in the toilet.
Later, Alfie finally arrived after Stacey’s calls and said they needed to find the person, but Stacey described her as "unhinged" and said that it was perhaps for the best they were gone.
When the woman entered, Alfie finally addressed her, and her identity was revealed: "Zoe."
So, just what has happened to her? And will she be reunited with biological mother Kat Moon (Jessie Wallace) anytime soon?
While Kat and Zoe parted on good terms after a difficult few years following the revelation that Zoe was the result of an incestuous, abusive relationship that Kat endured as a teenager at the hands of her evil uncle Harry Slater, the pair grew apart off-screen.
We’ll have to wait and see what happens next for one of Walford’s most iconic mother-and-daughter pairings.
"It just so happened that at the same time, EastEnders had announced a new Exec who was keen to explore the potential of a return as he was such a massive fan of Zoe and the Slaters, so both of our worlds aligned at the right time, and I’m so excited to be back. When Ben pitched me the storylines, and when I read the scripts, I knew it was the right decision."
View oEmbed on the source websiteOn where Zoe is at in the present day, Ryan noted: "I can’t say too much as there is a lot of drama to come, but Zoe is a mess. She’s not the girl that left Walford twenty years ago, and she’s been really struggling on her own. She has her defences up, but this week you will see that she needs help, but whether she is willing to accept it is another story."
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EastEnders airs on BBC One at 7.30pm on Mondays to Thursdays. Stream on iPlayer on the same days at 6am.
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