EastEnders legend Michelle Collins has revealed she is set to take another break from the BBC soap.
The actress, 63, first appeared as devious Cindy Beale in 1988, with her most recent stint kicking off in 2023.
Despite being presumed dead for 25 years, the schemer made a shock return and revealed she had been in witness protection.
After settling back into Walford life, she’s had an affair with former step-son Junior Knight (Micah Balfour), shot ex-husband Ian (Adam Woodyatt) and inadvertently caused an explosion at The Queen Vic when she pushed him in front of a car which crashed and ignited the boozer.
She was also attacked by former mother-in-law Kathy Cotton (Gillian Taylforth) with a shovel at Christmas, which led to an extended break between February and May of this year.
After discovering that Kathy wanted her dead, and the events of The Vic disaster, Cindy fled the area and wasn’t seen until she gatecrashed son Peter’s (Thomas Law) engagement party to Lauren Branning (Jacqueline Jossa).
Now, Michelle is set to depart once again – but she’ll be back.
Swapping The Square for the stage, she’ll be appearing in one woman show Motorhome Marilyn at the Edinburgh Fringe in August.
It’s unknown whether she’ll be written out again, or if we’ll simply see Cindy vanish from our screens.
‘I’m going off in the summer. I’m doing my one woman show at the Edinburgh Festival,’ she explained to The Daily Mirror.
‘I don’t think she’s anything like Cindy. It’s a play about a woman impersonator lookalike who lives in a trailer and dresses as Marilyn Monroe. But she’s 60 – it’s kind of strange.
‘It’s about failure, lost dreams, and feeling like life has passed you by.’
She continued: ‘She’s an interesting character. I’m really excited to play it. EastEnders have let me have a month off so I’m very excited.’
In a recent interview with BBC Breakfast, she spoke about the importance of shows like EastEnders empowering older women.
‘I’m just really happy that we are embracing older women on screen’ she said.
‘I think that’s really important, and giving them big stories, which is what EastEnders did when Cindy came back.
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‘I think that’s really important, and for the Edinburgh Fringe to be – you know, it’s quite scary doing a one-woman show at my age and, also, why not?
‘Why can’t we be ambitious at my age as well and be scared and out of our comfort zone?’
On her soap alter-ego she added: ‘But she’s, kind of, been named as “The Queen of Chaos”, I think, and loves the drama in her life.
‘But she’s a multifaceted figure, she’s a strong woman.
‘I think she actually is an unapologetic character and not frightened to speak her truth. Her truth may not always be what other people like about her, but I think people, kind of, love to possibly hate her.
‘Listen – nobody’s perfect. Every woman has their flaws.’
In scenes that air this week, Cindy prepares to reopen The Prince Albert gay bar – which she forced Kathy to sign over to her – but her launch party is initially a failure.
After some support from her ex-hubby George Knight (Colin Salmon), things start to take off… much to the annoyance of his current spouse Elaine (Harriet Thorpe).