EastEnders is welcoming the Hawkins family to Albert Square this summer, with their arrival reopening the troubled past of Laura Doddington’s Nicola Mitchell
Patricia Potter plays Gemma, joined by Jamie Bamber as Ned, Felix Uff as Ryder, Marian McLoughlin as Rose and Anna Constable as Jodie
Their tangled history is expected to create plenty of Walford drama
Meanwhile, Michelle Ryan is leaving after reprising Zoe Slater last year
Zoe’s final episodes will air later in 2026, with the character’s storyline reaching a permanent conclusion.