Maisie Smith has hinted at a return to EastEnders - less than a year after she departed the BBC soap.
The actress played Tiffany Butcher on the programme for several years before quitting at the end of last year in some emotional scenes. Maisie made a brief return earlier this year as part of Keegan Baker's exit storyline - but she has hinted that she could be back permanently for her role as she spoke of the "family" bond between her, the cast and the crew.
Maisie joined the show when she was just six-years-old and enjoyed an extended stint on the programme until 2014, before a few years on and off the show and finally returned full time in 2018. She departed the show back in 2021 to focus on other projects.
However, the soap actress has now hinted she could be back on the soap very soon.
Speaking to Inside Soap, she said: "The moment I left they said to me 'We're so excited to see what you're going to do, but you're always welcome to come back and reunite the family' - and I said, 'Absolutely!'
"I said if they ever need me, just call me. I have so much family there with cast and the crew, I don't think anyone ever really leaves. That's what is nice about EastEnders. You always have a place there."
At the time of her exit, Maisie shared her "excitement" for her next challenge.
"It’s time to say farewell to Tiff," she said at the time, "I’ve grown up on EastEnders since 2008, and have learnt from the best over the past 13 years. I’m very excited for my next challenge and thank the BBC for the opportunity they gave me as a six-year-old."
Since exiting the show, she has gone on to do Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins, whilst her romance with fellow Strictly Come Dancing star Max George has blossomed and the pair regularly share loved up snaps on social media.
She returned to Albert Square earlier this year to help Zack Morris make his exit from the show. Tiffany travelled back from Germany to help Keegan. The pair split when she exited last year, with both of them convinced they wanted a divorce.
However, it was a miscommunication and the pair both loved each other still. They decided to head off for a new start together and their final scenes saw them leave hand in hand as they bid farewell to Walford.
