Lucy Benjamin played the role of Lisa Fowler in EastEnders from 1998 to 2003 and made a dramatic return to the show just last month nearly 14 years after she left.
During Thursday’s Loose Women the actress revealed what it was like returning to the soap after so long and how it felt being reunited with ex-boyfriend and co-star Steve McFadden – who plays Phil Mitchell.
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Speaking to the panellists Lucy, 47, said: “I’m back after all this time. I had always said if I was going to go back I wanted it to be for a really good storyline – something I could really get my teeth into.
“Somebody high up in the storyline department phoned me and said ‘here’s the story are you interested’ and I thought that sounds like too much of a good opportunity to miss so I said yes.
“It’s been fabulous.”
Revealing what it was like to be reunited with on-screen and off-screen ex Steve Lucy admitted: “It was strange really but within 10 minutes it was like I’d never been away.
“It was like having old mates back and I knew they would look after me on my return.
“To be honest, it was more about the history of Lisa and Phil and you resort back to those storylines.
“I didn’t have to think about me and Steve in the old days.”
Last month EastEnders’ bosses teased the return of Lisa.
Lisa returned to Albert Square to take care of her daughter Louise, who she shares with Phil, after the teenager was badly injured at her school prom.
Louise was rushed to hospital after she was thrown into a table of candles.
Speaking about how she will make a comeback a soap insider told the Mirror: “When that hospital door starts to open, they’ll be on tenterhooks to see who has rushed to help Louise.
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“When it turns out to be Lisa, rather than Phil, there will be gasps of shock.”
Since her dramatic return there have already been plenty of fireworks between her and Phil. And on Tuesday night an unstable Lisa kidnapped a poorly Louise.
Teasing tonight’s two episodes Lucy told the Loose ladies: “There’s two episodes and Phil is on a rampage looking for Lisa.
“Lisa takes Louise to this hotel and wants to make amends and look after her daughter.”