20 years on, and all 3 ‘Witches of Walford’, Sam, Zoe, and now Chrissie Watts, are now back in EastEnders.
Chrissie was sensationally revealed as the mastermind behind the months of torment haunting Zoe Slater.
Teaming up with Zoe’s estranged daughter, Jasmine, Chrissie has spent the last three months orchestrating a campaign of fear. As Christmas Day approaches, the woman who spent two decades behind bars for the murder of ‘Dirty Den’ is ready to take the ‘ultimate revenge.’
‘I enjoyed my return storyline with Sharon [Letitia Dean] last year so much that when Ben Wadey asked me to pop back for Christmas Day, how could I say no?’ Tracy revealed. ‘Chrissie is in my DNA; she is such a great character, so, I love the idea of her returning at Christmas to create havoc.’
The actress emphasized that the decision to return wasn’t made lightly, praising the production team’s collaborative spirit. ‘What I love about Ben, and the team at EastEnders, is that they are very open to discussing the character, and her motivations. They are so respectful about the characters and the actors that originated them. So, we had a long discussion about why Chrissie would actually come back to the Square, and what her motivations were and are.’
Keeping a secret in the age of social media is no easy feat, but for Tracy-Ann Oberman and Executive Producer Ben Wadey, the element of surprise was paramount.
‘Ben and I were keen to keep Chrissie’s return a complete secret, so I’m delighted my return was kept under wraps,’ Tracy shared. ‘I think that Chrissie has always felt that it’s very unfair she spent 20 years in prison and has never really been able to move on from the trauma of Dirty Den and living in Walford.’
It seems time hasn’t healed any wounds where the Slaters are concerned.
‘When the opportunity came up to have something over Zoe Slater, who she has always found to be an irritating little girl, she jumped at the opportunity. She clearly has time on her hands!’ Tracy explained.
For Chrissie, this isn’t just a petty grudge; it’s a matter of balancing the scales. ‘Also, Chrissie, whilst being very hard and tough, has a strong sense of justice, and in her mind, Zoe never really paid for Den’s murder, and the part she played in destroying the Watts family.’
The most chilling twist in Chrissie’s return involves her connection to Jasmine. What began as a tactical move has evolved into something far more complex and dangerous.
‘What started off as a game for Chrissie, has ended up becoming a little bit of an obsession, and finding this gorgeous daughter, who was also hurt by Zoe, seemed like too good of an opportunity to miss,’
Despite her manipulative nature, Oberman suggests there is a flicker of genuine emotion in Chrissie’s mentorship of Jasmine, even if it is rooted in toxicity. ‘Also, I do think she is genuinely very fond of Jasmine. She’s like the daughter she never had, and I think she wants to empower Jasmine to also get revenge on the woman who abandoned her. Chrissie thinks Zoe needs to take responsibility, and that’s her motivation.’
EastEnders airs Monday – Thursday on BBC One with catchup via iPlayer, Classic EastEnders airs on Drama with catchup on U.