Kellie Bright to make brief EastEnders return over Christmas

Kellie Bright will make a brief return to EastEnders as Linda Carter over the festive season.

Linda was last seen in September fleeing Walford with her new daughter, Annie.

Desperate to keep the truth about Annie’s real father, Max Branning, from being exposed Mick (Danny Dyer) helped get his wife away from Walford.

Mick has since returned to The Vic without Linda and Annie in order to restore some routine to son Ollie’s life – but is that the whole story? Having recently taken a shine to Mick, Janine Butcher (Charlie Brooks) is keen to find out.

The BBC have released new pictures that show Janine coming face to face with Linda after tracking her down to her mother Elaine’s pub in a soon-to-air episode. As ever with Janine, it’s all about gaining an advantage but fans will have to wait and see how exactly her encounter with Linda plays out.

Kellie has taken time out from EastEnders for maternity leave having given birth to her third child on 22 July with husband Paul Stocker. In September the couple revealed the baby boy’s name of Rudy Joy Stocker. Rudy joins brothers Freddy, nine, and Gene, four.

The actress has spoken of undergoing IVF treatment for her second child, having struggled after giving birth to Freddy. From that treatment three extra embryos were frozen, and Rudy is the result of the final embryo being fertilised.

“I know it’s not for everyone and there’s millions of women my age thinking, ‘God I wouldn’t want to go back to that for anything.’ But for me, I just never had that feeling of being done with having children,

“It’s a really special and unique thing and I wanted to have it again. I do feel very lucky I’ve got to experience it again. But now, 100%, I feel this is it and the family is complete.” – Kellie speaking to OK Magazine

Linda’s return airs Tuesday 28th December at 8.10pm on BBC One.