EastEnders legend Laurie Brett rips into fan amid claims she’s returning to soap this year

FORMER EastEnders legend Laurie Brett has rubbished claims she is to return to the BBC soap after a hoax tweet circulated online prompting her to hit back.

Laurie, 53, played the iconic role of Jane Beale and fans of the show bad been left excited after a tweet appeared to confirm that she would be reprising the role later in the year.

However, the tweet came from a parody account named Babe Smith, another EastEnders icon famed for her feud with Claudette Hubbard and played by Annette Badland.

The tweet read, alongside an official looking cast announcement photo: “NEWS: Laurie Brett to return to Walford! #EastEnders will be welcoming back Laurie Brett when she reprises her role as Jane Beale this Summer! To find out more, please visit @bbceastenders on Instagram and Facebook.”

Clearly unimpressed with the stunt, Laurie fired back at the fan on Twitter as she wrote: “Am I?? What a lovely surprise.”

However, despite Laurie shutting down any claims of a potential return, it did not stop her fans from going wild as they begged her to consider potentially moving back into Albert Square.

One fan said: “Got to be one of the funniest things I’ve seen. wish it was true though”

Another pleaded: “Please come back we miss jane beale!”

As a third penned: “Would be lovely if you did!”

Whilst a fourth added: “Please come back to eastenders we miss u.”

Laurie was last seen on-screen in 2017 where her time on the show had been dominated by the Who Killed Lucy Beale story arc.

Laurie abruptly departed the show as Jane and has not been seen on-screen since.

Her character last appeared to be referenced in 2020 when she granted Ian a divorce so that he could go onto marry Sharon.