EastEnders star Michelle Collins has praised the soap for showing that women have got voices and stories that "should be heard".
Collins spoke about this while reflecting on the soap's 40th anniversary , having reprised her character Cindy Beale in 2023, years after Cindy was said to have died in prison while giving birth in 1998.
Speaking to the Radio Times, Collins was asked if she ever imagined her character returning to Albert Square for the 40th anniversary.
"Cindy was originally only meant to be in the show for 11 episodes. And then she died, off-screen, in 1998 – so no, I never imagined being here for the 40th", she said. "Now I’m back again, I’m happier to stay".
"I think I’m more comfortable in my own skin, more content, and I’m not running away all the time. I’ve certainly grown, and hopefully I’m a better actor", Collins added. "TV isn’t great for women of a certain age, but soaps are. What EastEnders and characters like Cindy show is that we have got voices, we have got stories – and they should be heard".
Cindy Beale was attacked on Christmas Day 2024, with the culprit's identity to be revealed during EastEnder's special anniversary week, which begins on February 17.
As part of these celebrations, a live EastEnders episode will allow viewers the power to decide whether Denise Fox played by Diane Parish, reconciles with estranged husband Jack Branning who is played by Scott Maslen or secret lover Ravi Gulati, played by Aaron Thiara.
Parish who also played DC Eva Sharpe in famous British police drama, The Bill in the 2000s, has also seen her character Diane embroiled in a number of storylines and seen struggling with her mental health this year.
"Her psychosis storyline did, but only because I wanted it to", Parish said when asked if this has taken its toll. "That might sound masochistic, but it had to be truthful, so I isolated myself from the cast in order to do the story justice. That was intense, but I enjoyed it".
On women's roles in soaps, Parish also added: "Women were always the silent, tragic heroes, and until recently their stories were told through men’s voices. Soap has given women their own voice – you see how they run the household and keep everything together".
EastEnders will air for a special hour-long episode on the show's anniversary, February 19, with a full live episode taking place the following day.
Each episode from the anniversary week will run from Monday February 17 at 7.30pm on BBC One.
Back in January, it was confirmed that EastEnders would say goodbye to Sonia Fowler, with actress Natalie Cassidy announcing that she would be leaving the soap after 31 years. More on this here.
