Kat Slater has teased another return to Albert Square as she called a forgotten character for help with Bianca Jackson.

The EastEnders legend portrayed by Patsy Palmer was diagnosed with depression and has been struggling with her mental health. But in recent scenes aired on BBC One, she has been neglecting her mental health to help prove her sister Sonia Fowler is innocent as she believes Reiss Colwell was responsible for his wife’s death.

During this Wednesday’s (October 2, 2024) trip to Walford, Bianca was caught trying to get a confession out of Reiss Colwell (played by Jonny Freeman) after finding out he had been given close to nothing in Debbie’s will and Freddie Slater (Bobby Brazier) reported straight back to Kat Slater (Jessie Wallace) as Bianca was trying to use his recording equipment.

Kat has been trying to shake some sense into Bianca, urging her to stop her crusade against Reiss to focus on her mental health – but the stubborn character has, so far, dismissed Kat’s concerns as she makes it her mission to be present for Sonia.

Kat Slater decided to call someone from Bianca’s past as her concerns for her pal’s mental health grow

Feeling like her hands were tied, and as she faces her own woes with her volatile son Tommy, Kat was then seen making a call to Ricky Butcher – Bianca’s former husband. Could this prompt him to come back to Albert Square to help?

Bianca and Ricky (Sid Owen) became romantically involved in August, 1994, and moved together. But when she began to treat him badly, Ricky embarked on an affair with her best friend Natalie Evans. After catching them in the midst of a kiss, Bianca called time on her marriage with Ricky but they eventually reconciled.

The pair tied the knot in April, 1997, despite Bianca straying with Lenny Wallace. That same year, Bianca fell pregnant but she was crushed to find out her unborn baby had both spina bifida and hydrocephalus, prompting her to terminate the pregnancy, much like her adoptive daughter Whitney Dean did years later with baby Peach.

Later on, Ricky and Bianca welcomed a son of their own, Liam, but their marriage broke down after Bianca embarked on another affair with her mother Carol Jackson’s boyfriend, Dan Sullivan. Shortly after the separation, Bianca left Walford for Manchester with Liam in tow. In 2002, the pair reunite for a one night stand, which later led to the birth of their second child, their daughter Tiffany.

Since Bianca put a stop to their relationship for good, after realising she couldn’t forgive him for his infidelities, Ricky has been living over in Germany, with his niece Scarlett, Tiffany, Liam, and more recently, Tiffany’s own beau Keegan Baker.

Ricky was last seen in the Square last year and Sam Mitchell was due to head back to Germany with him. But when she found out her son Ricky Branning was going to be a father after getting Lily Slater pregnant, Sam decided to put the lad first and Ricky left alone.

One character is known to be on his way back to help Bianca in her struggle as actor Michael French has agreed to reprise the role of David Wicks, who is none other than Bianca’s father. But could Ricky get involved?