Jo Joyner shot to fame playing Tanya Branning in EastEnders, and fans have always remained hopeful that the popular character will make a comeback following her short stint at the end of last year. Tanya briefly made a return to Albert Square - having left in 2013 – during the Christmas showdown, only to witness her daughters Abi and Lauren Branning plummet from the rooftop of the Queen Vic, a fall Abi didn’t survive. Tanya made several appearances in the soap until Abi's funeral in February, and during Jo's appearance on Monday's episode of Lorraine, stand-in host Christine Lampard made sure to ask her what all fans have been dying to know.
Jo Joyner was asked about returning to EastEnders on Lorraine
"Never say never," Jo replied when asked if she had plans of returning in the future. The actress then added: "At the moment I’m going straight into Shakespeare & Hathaway up until Christmas. I won’t be there for now.” As well as Shakespeare & Hathaway, Jo is also starring as school headteacher Mandy Carter in the second series of Channel Four drama Ackley Bridge.
On the soaring popularity of the show, she said: "Everyday someone will say something to me about it who has watched it and enjoy it which is lovely. Because there is a whole band of teenagers who will have watched it and not know who I am, who would have been too young to have watched me when I was in EastEnders, so it's really nice to have that enthusiasm around you again."
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Jo with her on-screen daughters who play Abi and Lauren Branning
The busy actress has her work cut out with her schedule, and told Christine that she feels incredibly lucky to have a strong support system around her to help her look after her young twins Edie and Freddie, including her husband, parents and brother and sister-in-law. "I am very lucky to have the support I have," she said.
READ: This EastEnders star rules out return to soap - find out why
During the interview, Jo and Christine also spoke about Love Island ahead of the series final on Monday night. Jo was quick to praise her former co-star Danny Dyer's daughter Dani, and told Christine that she wants her and her boyfriend Jack Fincham to win the show. She said: "I think Dani has done Danny really proud."