Yahoo News EastEnders' Charlie Brooks has bad news for Janine fans
EastEnders is sure to have some big plans to win over its fans again over the next few months – but it looks like an explosive return for Janine Butcher won't be one of them.
Charlie Brooks, who plays Janine, has been speaking about the recent behind-the-scenes changes at the BBC soap now that former executive producer John Yorke is back in charge.
Yorke has stepped in to take control on a temporary basis as EastEnders' creative director following the abrupt departure of Sean O'Connor, who left as executive producer after a year in charge.
Discussing the shake-up in an interview with Soaplife, Charlie explained: "It's brilliant and it's good for the show. John's a genius at what he does.
"I was there during his earlier 'reign' and Janine was his baby, really. He so invested in her storylines."
It sounds like Yorke would struggle to tempt Charlie back though, as she's about to do a three-month theatre tour in the comedy How the Other Half Loves – and has no plans to return to EastEnders right now.
Asked whether she's enjoying the freedom of life away from Soapland, Charlie replied: "Very much. It was the reason I left EastEnders. It was my plan that I would do more theatre and I have. It's great to have the freedom to do other stuff."
Quizzed on whether this means she'll never return, she promised: "I'm not saying that! But it's not in my immediate plans. Never say never – I'll say that!
"I love Janine, but I have to fight to leave her behind. It's a constant battle to get people to see beyond her. It's 13 years since she pushed Barry Evans off that cliff, but it's what people still say to me all the time.
"I do wonder about what the writers and storyliners could do with her. She's done so much, so where would she go next? What might pull her back to the Square? She's supposedly living in France with her sister Diane at the moment."
Charlie left EastEnders in early 2014 in the fallout from Michael Moon's murder.
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