EastEnders star Tracy-Ann Oberman has confirmed that she will soon depart the BBC soap following her brief comeback, with Chrissie Watts’s storyline set to conclude at some point this year.

The actor returned to the soap in September 2024, marking the first time she had appeared in 19 years. She reprised her role on Christmas Eve the following year, with the figure coming back to Walford following her release from prison for the murder of Den.

In the latest storyline, it was revealed that Chrissie was behind the scheme which saw Zoe Slater stalked and eventually imprisoned, though she maintained that Jasmine Fisher – Zoe’s daughter – was the real orchestrator of the campaign.

With Chrissie coming under fire from Kat Moon following the death of Anthony Trueman, many fans have wondered how her arc will play out, and Oberman confirmed that it will be a “happier” ending than the storyline involving Den.

“It’s a nice and happy ending,” the actor told Kate Garraway and Richard Madeley during an appearance on Good Morning Britain (via The Sun). “It’s dramatic. It’s been really lovely to go back in, walk around the square and interact with people.”

“There’s a few little nice Easter Eggs in there meeting up with characters… It’s been a real privilege to come back in and play her again – it was really fun,” added the actor, who said returning to the soap was akin to “putting on a really comfy pair of shoes”.

While Chrissie is due to leave East London in the near future, one figure who will be returning to Walford later this year is Grant Mitchell, with Ross Kemp set to reprise his role once again following his comeback during last year’s 40th anniversary celebrations.

“I’m truly delighted to be stepping back into Grant Mitchell’s shoes and returning to EastEnders later this year,” said Kemp, who first portrayed the character in 1990, in a statement.

“As well as exploring Grant’s attempts to reconnect with his son Mark, it’s especially an honour to be part of Nigel’s powerful ongoing dementia storyline, which holds deep personal meaning for me due to a close family connection in real life,” he added.