Charlie Brooks has discussed whether fans will ever see her playing Janine Butcher again on EastEnders.
The character, who is one of the biggest villains in soap history, was last seen on Boxing Day 2022 after her web of lies was exposed to Mick Carter, which resulted in a car chase, Mick’s disappearance at sea, and Janine’s arrest for perverting the course of justice.
Janine subsequently accepted a plea deal and was handed a five-year sentence, meaning her release is right around the corner.
Asked whether she might “get out earlier” by Richard Arnold during a recent appearance on Good Morning Britain, Brooks said: “We’ll have to see!”
Susanna Reid then asked about a potential comeback to the BBC soap, to which Brooks responded: “I mean, look, I get asked this question all the time. I love Janine, I love playing her. She’s a wonderful character. I always get blessed with such great storylines.”
Brooks added: “So, who knows? It’s always a home from home, EastEnders, you know.”
Ed Balls then joked: “You’ve got to get through the parole hearing first,” with Charlie responding: “Yes, yes, but she finds her way out of these situations.”
Richard added: “That’s the staying power for that character, though, and you did that spectacularly. For a character with such form, if not [to] redeem them, but to still keep a presence and be part of the show for so many years, when Janine has done so much.”
Speaking about Janine’s fate, Brooks added: “She should have had a proper comeuppance, shouldn’t she?”
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Since departing from the soap in 2022, Brooks has appeared on stage in productions of The Ocean at the End of the Lane and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
She’s also set to appear in the world premiere of The Hidden Dangers of Camping later this month at Windsor Theatre Royal.
EastEnders airs Mondays to Thursdays at 7:30pm on BBC One and from 6am on BBC iPlayer.
Visit our dedicated EastEnders page for all the latest news, interviews and spoilers. If you’re looking for more to watch, check out our TV Guide and Streaming Guide.
Authors
Molly Moss is a Trends Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest trends across TV, film and more. She has an MA in Newspaper Journalism and has previously written for publications including The Guardian, The Times and The Sun Online.
