Michelle Ryan has spoken out for the first time since the BBC confirmed that her character Zoe Slater will be written out of EastEnders later this year. A spokeswoman for EastEnders said: "We can confirm Zoe Slater will be departing EastEnders later this year. "To wait 20 years to finally have you back, to now read that announcement of THE Zoe Slater is potentially being killed off is so sad," one fan penned. "Since Zoe left, we know their relationship deteriorated until Zoe cut ties completely," he said. The Hawkins family, who are estranged relatives of existing character Nicola Mitchell, will bring longstanding grudges and tangled family history to Walford.