EastEnders dead legend’s return ‘sealed’ as BBC soap set to ‘bend reality’ again
EXCLUSIVE: EastEnders Pat Butcher was one of most iconic characters on the soap - but over 10 years since her exit it’s been claimed a comeback could be on the cards
EastEnders could be set to welcome back the iconic Pat Butcher.
The actress, 81, made her Walford debut back in 1986. A hit with viewers, Pat soon went on to become one of the soap’s most iconic and longest-serving characters.
For 25 years, she was a staple on the soap, having been involved in countless big storylines.
During her time in Walford, her character was married four times and had many explosive rows with her frenemy Peggy Mitchell.
However, in 2012, the man-eating character hung up her earrings for good. Fans will recall how she was killed off in January shortly after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
But now, over 10 years since her on-screen death, Pat has been tipped to make a comeback. In exclusive odds provided by Crypto Casino LTD, the bookies have chalked up Pat to return next year with odds of 50/1.
What’s more, a PR expert told us how despite the character’s death a return could be “believable.” Dom Aldworth, Head of Brand Marketing at Slingo said: “Pat Butcher, portrayed by Pam St Clement, was a central and much-loved figure in EastEnders for many years, so her return would undoubtedly generate excitement among fans.
“Though Pam’s iconic character passed away in the show some years ago, soaps are known to bend reality just enough to make such returns believable. It’s easy enough to imagine that she may reappear as a ghost or in a dream to another character, as she did previously in scenes with Barbara Windsor’s character, Peggy Mitchell, in 2016.”
As for how fans would react to Pat’s return, Dom added: “I anticipate an appearance of this kind would go down a storm with viewers, providing it was handled sensitively and appropriately to the character, evoking a sense of nostalgia to loyal fans of the show.”
After her exit, Pam revealed that she didn’t actually want her character to be killed off – and had been promised that she wouldn’t be. Speaking to The Mirror in 2015, she confessed: “It was very, very difficult.
“I was saying goodbye to a character I’d inhabited for almost 26 years and, while I had chosen to leave EastEnders, I didn’t want Pat to die. I was adamant there should be a chance for her to return and had been assured by the executive producer she wouldn’t be axed… I went away feeling empty and let down.”
