EastEnders have announced that Ruby Allen will be returning to Walford later this year.
It’s been 12 years since she left the soap after having her heart broken twice – first when her dad died, and then when she was rejected by Sean Slater.
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But a lot has changed since she left, and she returns a very different woman indeed…
Ruby, played by Louisa Lytton, first came to Walford back in 2005 when she ran away from boarding school looking for her dad, villainous gangster Johnny Allen.
She quickly became best friends with Stacey Slater, who took her under her wing.
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Viewers soon learnt about her troubled past and watched her get caught in the crossfire between Johnny and Phil Mitchell’s feud.
However, when her dad died, Ruby found comfort in Sean Slater but soon realised the feeling wasn’t mutual and fled Walford in 2006.
But now she’s back – and more confident than ever!
When she arrives in Albert Square, Ruby attempts to reconnect with her old best friend Stacey but, after leaving on bad terms, will Stacey welcome her with open arms?
On reprising the role of Ruby, Louisa says: “EastEnders was my first acting job out of drama school and opened so many doors for me. It’s wonderful to be given the opportunity to come back and explore my character and I’m excited to see what’s in store for Ruby.
“We last saw her twelve years ago as a young girl and now she is returning as a woman with scope for major change and some brilliantly challenging storylines.”
John Yorke, Executive Consultant, added: “Louisa is a fantastic actress and I am delighted that she is returning to EastEnders. Now twelve years older, viewers will see a much more mature and confident Ruby who is set to be involved in one of our biggest storylines later this year.”
Oh John, you tease!
After leaving the BBC soap, Louisa went on to star in The Bill, finished fourth in the 2006 series of Strictly Come Dancing and represented the UK at the Eurovision Dance Contest 2008, finishing ninth.
And, it’s a little known fact that Louisa was Emma Watson’s body double in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.
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