Jacqueline Jossa has called her shock return to EastEnders as a "no-brainer'" - but admits it was "bittersweet".
The actress, 29, who quit the BBC One soap four years ago to focus on motherhood is heading back to Albert Square.
In scenes set to air in the coming months, Jacqueline - who plays Lauren Branning - will bid her final farewell to the legendary Dot Cotton at her funeral.
June Brown - who played Dot for a number of years - passed away earlier this year at the age of 95 and her on-screen alter ego is also set to pass away too.
A number of stars will be returning for the special memorial episode, including Colin Russell (Lord Michael Cashman CBE), Barry Clark (Gary Hailes) George ‘Lofty’ Holloway (Tom Watt), Mary ‘the punk’ Smith (Linda Davidson), Disa O’Brien (Jan Graveson) as well as Lauren (Jacqueline) who will join everyone to say goodbye to her step-grandmother.
Speaking about her return, Jacqueline said: "Coming back to EastEnders for Dot's funeral was a no-brainer, and it was a real honour to be invited back. I had a lot of fun but, of course, it was bittersweet.
"It was amazing to be back, but hard to be filming this storyline. I can tell the viewers now that Dot gets the beautiful send-off that she deserves. June was the light and joy of EastEnders."
Discussing her wonderful memories of working with June, Jacqueline added: "I had so much fun working with her, the incredible stories and how infectious & witty she was. June is a legend and I miss her very much."
Jacqueline had recently recalled how she was forced to sell her home after leaving the BBC One soap.
Speaking to Sam and Billie Faiers on their podcast The Sam and Billie Show, she reflected on her past financial worries, as she explained: "It was a set pay cheque [with EastEnders] and I didn't have to do anything else.
"It was my comfort blanket, it was what I knew. Then it just wasn't. There's no such thing for me as maternity pay, so when I had kids I had to leave and I had to do magazine covers to make money to feed my kids."
The actress has seven-year-old Ella and three-year-old Mia with former The Only Way Is Essex star Dan Osbourne, with the pair tying the knot in October 2017. The reality TV star is also a father to eight-year-old Teddy Osborne from a previous relationship.
"There's been times where I haven't had money. Before I went in the jungle I was struggling with money. I had to sell my house," Jacqueline continued to explain about the time before she headed into the I'm A Celebrity jungle, "And then I went in the jungle and had amazing opportunities, so I would never ever ever look at somebody and say, 'They're not hustling enough.' You have to do it."
