Sarah Jayne Dunn wants Ali Bastian back on Hollyoaks

Sarah Jayne Dunn wishes Ali Bastian could return to \'Hollyoaks\'.

The 38-year-old actress - who has played Mandy Richardson on and off since her debut in 1996 - admitted she would love to see her former co-star back on screen as Becca Dean following her 2007 exit after six years on the Channel 4 soap.

Asked which character she\'d bring back into the fold if she had the power, Sarah told new! magazine: "It would have to be Becca, who was played by Ali Bastian.

Ali Bastian: Hollyoaks killing me off kept me moving forward

"She was one of Mandy\'s best friends and I loved their relationship.

"It\'d be nice to explore that again but I can\'t because she\'s dead."

Becca was killed off over 12 years ago after a scuffle with Fran Hathaway (Donna Henry).

Ali Bastian recalls being 'shouted at in supermarkets'

Sarah and Ali are still close pals, while the soap star revealed she has a number of "genuine" friendships over the past two decades.

She added: "Ali, Carly Stenson, Jodi Albert and I are really good friends and are always on the phone.

"Carly\'s married to Danny Mac, so I see him a lot, and Matt Littler - there are loads of us. I\'ve made some genuine friends."

Ali Bastian found it tough to judge Hollyoaks' Becca during teacher-student plot

Meanwhile, Ali, 37, has previously compared her \'Hollyoaks\' days to her "version of university" because she "learnt a lot" and made so many friends.

Speaking in 2018, the former \'Doctors\' star said: "It\'s 11 years since I left, which is quite a long time, so, yes, it does feel like ages ago.

"I loved my time on \'Hollyoaks\'. It was a bit like my version of university in the fact that I learnt a lot and made friends for life."