Click the picture to see what happened when our cheeky little friend to the stars asked EastEnders Gillian Taylforth "Who was your first TV crush?"

Members of the EastEnders cast - including their child stars - put on a dance show for Children In Need that was full of razzle-dazzle - and one wardrobe malfunction that nearly saw Gillian Taylforth fall flat on her face.

Gillian was dancing alongside Jonny Labey (who plays Paul Coker) when she got her heel caught in the hem of her dress and had to perform some unchoreographed moves to get back in step with her co-stars.

Gillian was nearly floored when she got her heel caught in the hem of her dress

It gave Gillian and Jonny a fit of the giggles but didn’t spoil the cast’s production, just added to the fun.

Gillian tweeted afterwards: “Oops. But hey.. It's all for a good cause (Who cares about a wardrobe malfunction?) #CiN #EastEnders

Gillian got a fit of the giggles after her slip-up

And Gillian did get back into the swing of things on stage pretty quickly.

The dancer who really wowed the studio audience, though, was Bonnie Langford, 51, whose legs put on a show of their own before she joined a breathtaking tap dance sequence in the cast’s energetic routine, danced to “Putting on the Glitz” from the musical “Top Hat”.

Bonnie had all the right moves

Danny-Boy Hatchard (who plays Lee Carter), was a bit of revelation, as he showed some smooth moves dancing with a cane.

And Lin Blakley (Pam Coker) wore the dress when she and Roger Sloman (recently revealed cross-dresser Les Coker/Christine) took to the stage and gave the viewers a little twirl.

Roger and Lin came out for a twirl

The soap’s young stars provided the “Aaaaaah” factor, with Eliot Carrington (Bobby Beale), Aine Garvey (Lily Branning), Amaya Edward (Jade Green), Abbie Knowles (Amy Mitchell) and Arian Chikhlia (Kamil Masood) taking to the stage for a little swaying and shuffling.

The junior members of the EastEnders cast were also in the line-up

Back in the Queen Vic, viewers and celebrity guests were entertained by Peter Andre, who performed swing classics “Mack the Knife”, “Beyond the Sea” and “Come Fly With Me” (with Shane Richie shuffling around him), plus a reworked version of his hit “Mysterious Girl”.

Shane swayed while Peter crooned

EastEnders continues on BBC1, Monday, November 16, 8.00pm - and the cast will have their dancing shoes off and fighting faces back on.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XK-a51GMyRQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nw9R1q0DHjM

She was supposed to be six feet under, for heaven’s sake! Den Watts aside, characters don’t usually come back from the dead in the grimy world of Walford! 

TV Times chats to actress Gillian Taylforth at EastEnders’ HQ, about her return to the soap – we still can’t get our heads around it. But it has really happened. Kathy has come home – even if the place doesn’t yet feel like that to Gillian...

Has much changed on set since you was last here?

“They’ve got new studios now; I don’t know where I’m going half the time! Stage one is more or less the same, with the caff, the Vic and the Beales’ house, but they’ll say to me ‘Are you going to Studio C?’ and I’ll say ‘I am… where is that?’ And Perry Fenwick, who plays Billy, is in my old dressing room, so I’m gonna have to get him out!”

Was it a surprise when you got the original call from EastEnders' then executive producer, Kate Harwood, telling you that your character was to die in a car crash in South Africa?

"Definitely, yes. Kate phoned me up and explained the ripples that would happen with Ben coming back to the square. I said ‘Do you have to kill her off? I don’t like the idea of Kathy dying; she is such a strong character.’ But I was like ‘OK, fair dos; it will be a good story for Adam and Steve (McFadden)."

Yet another surprise then when Dominic Treadwell-Collins, invited you round to his house in late 2014?

“I thought he was going to ask me to present Adam with a cake at the anniversary! It didn’t cross my mind that he’d want me back. When he asked me, I was like ‘Wow!’ and when he told me the story, I thought about it and went ‘Yeah’ Now that I’m getting up at five in the morning, I’m thinking ‘Why?!’”

Kathy, has had her fair share of trauma – she was raped by Wilmott-Brown in the 1980s, and had failed marriages to Pete Beale and Phil – now she wants to escape her ‘control freak’ husband Gavin and re-unite with her sons. But will it be that easy?

“She has this idea that she will come back and it will be OK once she explains it all. She has to understand what she put them through and, bit by bit, it really hits her what she has done to Ben and Ian, and what she has missed out on with the grandchildren.

“With Ben, she knows that he killed Heather, but she didn’t know he was a father. So she comes back, thinking ‘We will get rid of Gavin and live happily ever after.’ When they find out that she did what she did for money.... well, it’s not a good reaction.”

Did you get a warm welcome from the boys off-screen?

“It was a chance for me to meet Harry Reid, who plays Ben and an emotional reunion with Adam Woodyatt that he never thought would happen.

“In the first scenes we had together, Adam just kept looking at me and smiling, and saying ‘We’ve missed you!’ He did say, ‘How can you come back and look younger than me?’ But he’s been here for 30 years, that’s why! Give me three months and I’ll be looking like his grandma!”

It’s true, you look younger than your age. You could easily pass for someone in their 40s, not someone who actually turned 60 last month!  What did you do to celebrate?

“My agent said that EastEnders wanted me back earlier than planned, I said ‘Will you let them know that I’m doing something for my birthday on August 14th?’ They were like ‘Don’t worry!’ But then they forgot! So I was working on my birthday until 11pm!”

So what’s it like to be back?

“It’s nice to come back into it with people I’ve known for years. The main things at first were with Steve McFadden in the Arches, and then I did some stuff with Tish (Letitia Dean) which was nice.

“Kellie Bright, who plays Linda, played my daughter in a comedy series called The House that Jack Built so it was lovely seeing her again. And the other day, I did a scene with June Brown, who plays Dot. I was so excited! It’s brilliant!”

Kathy’s back and she faces a stunned Sharon… and the truth about her ‘death’ is finally revealed, says EastEnders’ Gillian Taylforth...

What’s it like, rising from the dead?

“I never expected to come back because Kathy was killed off – although we never saw a body. When they asked me if I wanted to return, I was like ‘Wow!’, as the story was amazing. I loved doing Hollyoaks, but I feel EastEnders is my home. It’s where I came from.”

How does Sharon (Letitia Dean) react when she finds Kathy at The Arches?

“It’s really dramatic when they meet and there’s a bit of a scrap between them.”

Isn’t Kathy cruel to have faked her own death for cash?

“It was an insurance scam, but it wasn’t Kathy’s idea. I can’t imagine doing it myself, but it’s all to do with her being under the control of her husband, Gavin [Paul Nicholas]. He told her she was a bad mother and a bad person. When they left for South Africa, Ben was supposed to go with them. But Gavin said, ‘It’s safer for him to stay here’.”

Does Kathy believe Ian and Ben will forgive her?

“She has this idea she’ll come back and it will all be OK once she explains things. However, she has to understand what she put them through and, bit by bit, that really hits her. She realises what she’s done to Ben [Harry Reid] and Ian [Adam Woodyatt] and what she’s missed out on with the grandchildren. I mean, Lucy’s died, and Ben’s committed a murder and he’s a father. She thinks she can get rid of Gavin and they’ll all live happily ever after.”

Is Gavin really nasty?

“He is. He can be a charming character, who can turn menacing, dark and deep.”

What’s going on between Kathy and Phil (Steve McFadden)?

“There’s still something between them. He’s been helping her out and there’s still a little bit of love there. They were together for a long time and they have Ben. I’m not sure if it’ll turn into anything because he’s married to Sharon now.”

What will Kathy get up to in Walford?

“You’ll have to wait and see! I want to go to The Albert and Ian’s new restaurant. I wouldn’t mind getting the cafe back, but I don’t know what’s going to happen.”

EastEnders, BBC1

After two brief glimpses of Kathy Beale the EastEnders legend made her return to Albert Square proper this week… Gillian Taylforth tells Soaplife how it happened and what to expect...

What’s it like to be back at EastEnders?

“It’s lovely being back. I’m really enjoying it. It’s lovely seeing some of the people I used to work with before and to meet the new people.”

How did it feel to be such a dramatic part of the live 30th anniversary episode?

“It was amazing. It was wonderful they chose that time to have me back. It could have been any time, but it was just amazing to be involved with the legacy of 30 years of EastEnders.”

Was it hard to keep such a big secret?

“It was very difficult! I couldn’t tell my children, I couldn’t tell my sister or my family, who I tell everything to. They were all saying to me around the anniversary week, ‘EastEnders is good this week!’ and I just had to say nothing!”

How did they react when you actually appeared on screen?

“When I came on screen, my brother just texted me, saying, ‘What the…!’ And I had so many texts from people about it all saying, ‘Oh my God! I can’t believe you're back!’”

Did it take long to get back into Kathy’s shoes?

“No. Once I did a couple of scenes with Steve [McFadden, who plays Phil] and wore her jewellery, it was like I’d never been away! I can’t wait to do scenes in The Vic and in the cafe. Then I’ll think I’m home.”

What’s it like working with Paul Nicholas, who plays Kathy's husband, Gavin?

“He’s lovely and he’s a really nice guy. We had quite a few laughs. We had some lovely stuff to do at an airfield and at a railway station, so we were thrown into it straight away.”

Can you describe what’s coming up for Kathy in three words?

“Emotional. Life-affirming. Guilt.”

EastEnders, BBC1.

The EastEnders "What's going on with Kathy?" mystery hots up in the coming weeks and viewers will start to wonder if there's something going on between Kathy Sullivan (Gillian Taylforth) and Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden) that Sharon should know about…

Because when Kathy arrives back in Albert Square she goes straight to see her ex, Phil .

Kathy came back from the dead during the BBC soap’s live week in February and, so far, Phil is one of the few people who know she is alive (although we know that in the weeks to come, Kathy is going to race to the rescue of suicidal son Ian, played by Adam Woodyatt).

Kathy asks Phil for help in EastEnders (BBC)

What we think is happening is that Kathy is desperate to get away from villainous husband Gavin Sullivan (Paul Nicholas) and return to Walford, and runs to The Arches to ask Phil to help her.

We know Phil has already secretly helped Kathy by giving her cash. But will he want to get further involved in what is hinted to be her very dangerous marriage?

We think he'll be damned if he does and damned if he doesn't… Gavin might kill Phil if he finds out he's been aiding and abetting his wife's bid to escape him - and Sharon (Letitia Dean) will definitely go ballistic if she finds out Phil's been keeping such a huge secret from her.

Kathy pleads with Phil for help (BBC)

These scenes will air in EastEnders on BBC1 in the week commencing August 17.

EastEnders has released behind the scenes photos of a stunt in which Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt) appears to be about to end his life. The scene was filmed at Queen Elizabeth Park in Straford, east London for an upcoming episode.

But Ian appears like he won't be allowed to go quietly...

Ian's supposedly dead mother Kathy (Gillian Taylforth) suddenly arrives on the scene. What will this ghostly apparition do to a man on the edge?

A close-up of the stunt shows Adam is securely fastened and won't fall, but it still takes some nerve getting up to the height at which they're filming.

Ian and Jane (Laurie Brett) are gobsmacked when they see Kathy approaching...

This better be good! Find out why Ian has decided to try to end it all and what Kathy has been doing for so many years when the scenes screen on EastEnders in the autumn.

We’ve already had hints of the dramas that are heating up in EastEnders this summer… bad Vincent Hubbard (Richard Blackwood), pregnant Shabnam Masood (Rakhee Thakrar), Ben Mitchell’s lust for Paul Coker (Jonny Labey). They’re all parts of stories that have been simmering for a few weeks.

Plus, we know Carol Jackson (Lindsey Coulson), Max Branning (Jake Wood) and Lola Pearce (Danielle Harold) are leaving… but not together!

Now EastEnders’ boss Dominic Treadwell-Collins has teased what lies ahead in Albert Square in the coming months: “We haven’t haven’t shut up shop for summer,” he says. “We’re going to propel through it… building everything towards a very, very explosive September!”

Dominic revealed that the Lucy Beale murder storyline was set to make a comeback in a big way. “We rested the story to give everyone a breather, but that kicks up quite massively over the summer, with a big arrest that’s going to take us up to September. And a few old faces return!”

Is Peter Beale (Ben Hardy) coming back? With Lauren Branning (Jacqueline Jossa)…and their baby?

Cindy Williams (Mimi Keene) has been threatening to reveal that Bobby killed Lucy and we know there’s a shock arrest in the murder case coming up… But we don’t think it’s Bobby who gets nicked. We’re thinking maybe Max will be making his dramatic exit from Walford in the back of a police car.

“There’s also a big summer of gay romance with Ben and Paul,” Dominic continues. “We have a lot of fun with that, but it’s also got seriousness to it. It’s quite a real love story. We will dig into Ben and what makes Ben tick, because Ben has been quite messed up by the death of his mother, Kathy.”

Ah, yes… that’s Kathy (Gillian Taylforth) who’s not really dead.

“We’re gearing up towards the big return of Kathy – and her ex, Gavin, played by Paul Nicholas,” Dominic confirmed. “Paul has already started filming. I’ve been speaking to him and if everything works out the way I hope it will, Gavin is going to be an EastEnders villain like no other. He’s going to be modern and complex - and have a foot in the past and a foot in the present.”

Is that foot in the past the step towards revealing that Gavin is the long-lost father of Sharon Mitchell (Letitia Dean)?

Other highlights will include a big story with Jay Brown (Jamie Borthwick) and Lola, which leads into Lola’s departure and some very big developments in the Shabnam/Kush (Davood Ghadami)/Martin (James Bye)/Stacey (Lacey Turner) love square.

The Fox-Hubbards and The Cokers also play an important part in this summer’s storylines, says Dominic: “We learn a lot more about Vincent and Kim’s relationship – and Claudette [Ellen Thomas]. She sits there being all lovely and smiley, but she’s so not! There will be a lot more about her relationship with Kim [Tameka Empson] and Kim’s relationship with Vincent. It keeps getting bigger and bigger; there are some surprises in that story that tie in with Claudette, Les [Roger Sloman] and Pam [Lin Blakley].”

As for Nancy and Tamwar: “Their relationship is going to up the game quite massively. There are more twists and turns in that,” adds Dominic. “Also Lee Carter [Danny-Boy Hatchard] and Whitney Dean [Shona McGarty], which is going to take quite a serious turn.”

Another major departure will be Carol’s. “It’s not for a while but we’re building to that, too, with the return of Robbie Jackson [Dean Gaffney],” Dominic says.

Will Robbie be returning to help Carol embark on a new life away from Walford - or to say a final goodbye to her?

EastEnders continues on BBC1, Monday, 29 June, 8.00pm.

EastEnders fans have a juicy storyline to look forward to when Kathy Beale makes her full-time return – her comeback scenes have been filmed with menacing ex-husband Gavin Sullivan.

New pictures show Gillian Taylforth, who plays Kathy, and Paul Nicholas, cast as Gavin, shooting at London King’s Cross St Pancras station – and from the looks of things, Gavin will make Kathy’s return to Walford anything but smooth.

Viewers saw Kathy seemingly return from the dead during the BBC soap’s live week, when she reappeared to speak to Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden) despite apparently having died off screen years earlier.

Kathy (Gillian Taylforth) is disturbed to see her ex Gavin (Paul Nicholas) (BBC)

Kathy looks terrified of her ex Gavin in the station scenes, and possibly with good reason, as he’s said to know where many of Albert Square’s bodies are buried.

Gavin is set to follow Kathy to her old home when she goes into hiding with ex Phil.

Paul said of his casting: “I am delighted to be joining the wonderful cast of EastEnders for what is going to be an exciting time. I can’t wait to get started and seeing what’s in store for my character.”

Gavin (Paul Nicholas) and Kathy (Gillian Taylforth) run into each other in the station (BBC)

Executive producer Dominic Treadwell-Collins added that he was pleased to have signed the former pop star and Just Good Friends actor.

He said: “We are all thrilled. So many viewers have grown up with Paul so it’s brilliant to have him back on our screens.

“He’s a major part in Kathy’s explosive return to the Square, while holding the key to many more of the Square’s secrets.”

EastEnders star Adam Woodyatt has revealed he was instrumental in bringing back Kathy Beale – he gave his soap boss Gillian Taylforth’s telephone number.

The actor’s on-screen mum is set to return to the soap after making a surprise appearance during the live scenes, celebrating the soap’s 30th anniversary.

Gillian Taylforth (Ian West/PA)

He told This Morning: “I just can’t wait until she gets here. I don’t know how Dom’s (executive producer Dominic Treadwell-Collins) doing it yet because he hasn’t told me… it’s going to be great working with Gillian again.”

Asked who engineered Gillian’s return, he said: “I gave Dom her mobile number so he could call her without telling her agent.”

Adam said of the live scenes: “It’s been a full-on year… the toughest I can remember… (but) none of us expected the response we got (to live week) which was overwhelming.”

Laurie Brett and Adam Woodyatt (Ian West/PA)

Adam and Laurie Brett (Jane Beale) are up for best on-screen partnership at this weekend’s British Soap Awards, while Adam is also in the running for best actor, against the likes of Corrie’s Simon Gregson (Steve McDonald) and David Neilson (Roy Cropper).

“It’s lovely to win, but all the people in all the soaps work so hard,” Adam said. “I’ll clap just as much for David Neilson winning something or Simon Gregson.”

Gillian Taylforth’s surprise return to EastEnders was so secret that even her own children did not know – meaning they missed the moment she stepped back on screen.

Show boss Dominic Treadwell-Collins said her on-screen son, Adam Woodyatt, was so shocked by the news that he burst into tears.

Viewers saw Gillian’s character, Kathy Beale, return on Thursday, almost 10 years after she was said to have died in a car crash off-screen.

Gillian signed up for her return in November and was sworn to secrecy and only told her partner David Fairbairn.

She said: “It’s been awful and the only person that knew was my other half Dave. I was trying to say to the children the other day, ‘try and watch EastEnders on Thursday’, I said to them, ‘because it’s live and Adam is going to do something really silly so everybody starts laughing’ and I thought that will get them watching so they can see it then and go ‘ohh’, but my daughter said ‘I’m working until nine Mum’ and my son said ‘I’m playing football over the rec’, so I went ‘oh fine, thanks very much’.”

Dominic told Adam, who has played Ian Beale since the BBC One soap started, just before Christmas.

He said: “I had this meeting with Adam and he came to my office and I said ‘look, we’re bringing someone back’ and he looked at me and he went ‘not my mum’ … he broke and he started sobbing and sobbing and sobbing.

“He cried for two minutes, he cried from his gut, and he looked at me and said, ‘Really? really?’ and he said, ‘That’s all I ever wanted, all I ever wanted is for my Mum to come back’.”

The producer, who said the character would return in a “credible” way, said he had disagreed with the original decision to kill her off.

He said: “I’ve always wanted Kathy back. Kathy is one of my favourite ever characters.

“When I first arrived here 10 years ago I was at the story meeting when they said ‘right, and Kathy’s died off screen’ and I remember sitting there as this quiet little newbie going, that’s stupid, why would you kill her off-screen, why kill off an iconic character off-screen in a car crash.”

Even Gillian has been kept in the dark about exactly how she will be brought back, saying: “I’ve got no idea whatsoever. I hope I come back strong because I’ve been through an awful lot, death, everything.”

The plan to bring her back was even given a codeword – OOF which stands for Our Old Friend – which was dreamt up by Adam and Steve McFadden, who plays Kathy’s ex Phil Mitchell.

Show bosses filmed Gillian’s scene in an isolated set near Canary Wharf and drafted in Anna Acton, whose character Emma Summerhayes was killed off recently, as a stand-in in case any pictures leaked out.

The return of Kathy Beale is the start of the 'most earth-shattering storylines ever', according to the soap's boss Dominic Treadwell-Collins.

One of EastEnders true icons, Kathy Beale (Gillian Taylforth), shocked fans when she returned to the show in a live scene on Thursday night.

EastEnders' executive producer Treadwell-Collins said: “I have always made my feelings on Kathy Beale and Gillian Taylforth very clear – she is part of EastEnders history, mother to Ian and Ben and one of the most important and iconic television characters on British television. Six months ago, we set ourselves the challenge of bringing Kathy back to the Square in a credible way. And I believe we have succeeded.

"Viewers will have to keep watching to find out exactly why Kathy ‘died’, where she has been all these years and why she now wants to come home to Albert Square. This is only the beginning of one of the most earth-shattering storylines EastEnders has ever seen…”

Kathy was last seen in EastEnders in 2000 before returning to South Africa and viewers were led to believe she was killed in a car crash. However when Kathy returns to Walford later this year, viewers will learn where Kathy has been and why she has stayed away so long.

Gillian said" “When Dominic approached me with his plan, I was so shocked I got into my car and burst into tears! ‘Kathy’ has always been so close to my heart and it’s absolutely wonderful to be returning to the show and reprising the role.”

Adam Woodyatt, who plays her on-screen son, added: “I’m thrilled, I couldn’t be happier. I’ve finally got my mum back! I’ve been keeping this secret for so long and now I just can’t wait to work with her again.”

Kathy appeared in the very first episode of EastEnders on February 19, 1985.

EastEnders goes live tonight at 8pm to broadcast the aftermath of the revelation that Bobby Beale killed his sister, Lucy.

EastEnders fans and Ian Beale himself can expect a nostalgic treat when characters from his past - played by Gillian Taylforth, Michelle Collins, Pam St Clement and Hetti Bywater - return for a Children in Need sketch.

Ian (Adam Woodyatt) is knocked unconscious and visited by some infamous ghosts from his past in the sketch. He finds his home-wrecking ex-wife Cindy (Michelle Collins) in his kitchen; Pat (Pam St Clement) and her notorious earrings are running The Queen Vic; his mum Kathy (Gillian Taylforth) has a surprising new love interest and he has a touching encounter with his daughter Lucy (Hetti Bywater) whose killer is still on the loose.

Adam told Children in Need: “It was one of the best days I have ever had at work. I never thought I would see the day where I was reunited with Gillian, Pam, Michelle and Hetti, so to work with them all again and for such a great cause was an absolute dream. As soon as we got on set it was like none of them had ever left.”

He described what happens in the sketch: “After being knocked unconscious Ian finds himself taken back in time and he comes into contact with Pat, Cindy, Kathy and Lucy in various iconic places around The Square. I don't want to spoil it, but Ian is really happy to see some faces and completely knocked for six by others. But then again I think finding your late ex-wife in your kitchen is enough to shock anyone.”

Gillian also talked to Children in Need about the sketch, revealing 'it was surreal being back, but it was fantastic to have the chance to play Kathy again. Once I was back in the cafe with my apron on and stirring the beans it was like I had never left'.

Hetti said: “It was so nice to be back on set and see everyone again especially as Lucy’s murder is such a big storyline at the moment and her killer is still on the loose. The fact that the sketch is for BBC Children in Need is an added bonus as it’s such an amazing charity.”

Were you pleased when you heard that Lucy and Ian would be reunited? “Yes, I thought it was such a great idea that Lucy and Ian would be reunited one last time. Ian feels guilty as the last few conversations they had didn’t end well so it was nice for them to have a final moment together. Lucy and Ian have had their fair share of ups and downs but Lucy always loved her family so to work with Adam again at such a prominent time for the Beale family was fantastic.”

The sketch will feature as part of the BBC Children in Need night on Friday, November 14.

Hollyoaks star Gillian Taylforth bids an emotional farewell to her on-screen sons as her character Sandy Roscoe decides to leave the village.

The ex-EastEnder joined Hollyoaks just over a year ago as district nurse Sandy - arriving with her sons Robbie, Freddie, Jason, Ziggy and Joe, and Joe's fiancee Lindsey Butterfield.

Gillian's exit scenes will premiere on E4 tonight (August 21) as Sandy shocks her wayward sons by telling them she needs some time away from them and has decided to leave.

Eldest son Joe (Ayden Callaghan) has just been released from prison, while brother Freddie (Charlie Clapham) was revealed as the murderer of Sandy's villainous husband Fraser Black. Sandy is also mum to long-standing Hollyoaks character Darren Osborne.

Gillian announced her decision to leave Hollyoaks in March, revealing that she wanted to spend more time with her real-life family.

She said: "I have loved the role of Sandy Roscoe playing mum to six gorgeous boys, all of whom I will miss desperately, but the time is right for me to spend more time with my own family.

"It has been enormous fun and hugely rewarding to be part of settling in a new Hollyoaks family and it fills me with pride that they have so quickly been taken to viewers' hearts.

"I am really happy that I will still be able to pop back to check on the Roscoe boys, but it's now time for them to fend for themselves."

Hollyoaks boss Bryan Kirkwood has confirmed Sandy will make guest appearances whenever her sons need her support in the future.

Meanwhile, Ayden told All About Soap: "We're really sad to see her go. Gilly is such a warm, funny woman, and it's a pleasure to be around her. I'm sad to see her go on a personal and professional level."

Sandy's exit will premiere on E4 and screen on Channel 4 tomorrow (August 22) at 6.30pm.

Hollyoaks' Sandy Roscoe could be killed off by her own son, when their plot to murder Fraser Black goes horribly wrong.

Gillian Taylforth recently announced her plans to quit the Channel 4 soap after a year playing nurse and mother of five sons Sandy, so she can spend more time with her real family.

Now Hollyoaks plot spoilers have revealed Sandy's eldest son Joe Roscoe (Ayden Callaghan) is set to team up with Fraser Black's daughter Grace and her partner Trevor Royle to try and kill off gangster Fraser.

Grace reveals Fraser (Jesse Birdsall) will be travelling to an emergency services ball in a limo, which mechanic Joe can tamper with so that Fraser will be gassed to death during his journey. But ruthless Grace (Tamara Wall) secretly knows Joe's mum Sandy will be travelling in the limo too, as Fraser's date.

After Joe hands the limo keys to the designated chauffeur and runs through the plan, the car arrives in the village to pick Sandy and Fraser up. When he gets home Joe is horrified when he discovers his mum is with Fraser. Viewers must wait to find out if there is time for Joe to stop it.

The Hollyoaks drama will screen on Thursday, April 17 and Friday, April 18 on Channel 4.

– Press Association

Hollyoaks is set to wave goodbye to Gillian Taylforth after a year as Sandy Roscoe. The ex-EastEnders star has been in the Channel 4 soap for just under a year, but has decided to leave to spend more time with her family.

Gillian's character Sandy is the mum of six boys in the show and said producers would leave the door open for her to return to visit them every now and then after she exits in the summer.

"I have loved the role of Sandy Roscoe playing mum to six gorgeous boys, all of whom I will miss desperately, but the time is right for me to spend more time with my own family," She told Digital Spy: "It's been enormous fun and hugely rewarding to be part of settling in a new Hollyoaks family and it fills me with pride that they have so quickly been taken to viewers' hearts.

"I am really happy that I will still be able to pop back to check on the Roscoe boys but it's now time for them to fend for themselves!"

During Gillian's time in Hollyoaks, Sandy has had a fling with Dodger Savage (Danny Mac), married gangster Fraser Black (Jesse Birdsall) and been revealed as Darren Osborne's (Ashley Taylor Dawson) real mum.

Footballers' Wives star Jesse Birdsall is to reunite with his wife from the ITV series, Gillian Taylforth, in Hollyoaks.

Jesse played football manager Roger Webb in the soapy ITV drama, who was married to Gillian's character Jackie. Now Jesse has been signed up by Hollyoaks producers to play the love interest of Sandy Roscoe, played by Gillian, according to The Sun.

Jesse also played Costa del Sol bad boy Marcus Tandy in the BBC soap flop Eldorado, which ran for just one year until 1993, and he also appeared in a couple of episodes of EastEnders in 2012.

Sandy's son Joe (Ayden Callaghan) sets up Jesse's character Fraser Black with his mum to try to tempt her away from Dodger Savage (Danny Mac) and towards someone her own age.

A source said: "Fraser's arrival will really shake things up.

"Sandy's boys are unhappy about her relationship with Dodger and Fraser appears to be the perfect answer - at first."

Gillian Taylforth has revealed that her new role in Hollyoaks is more glamorous than her previous soap turn as EastEnders' Kathy Beale.

The actress, who appeared in Albert Square as downtrodden Kathy for 15 years, has now joined the cast of the Channel 4 soap as Sandy Roscoe, a single mum of five boys.

And she said that while the character didn't compare to some of the younger, prettier Hollyoaks cast members the role was far removed from her Enders persona.

"Sandy's not as glamorous as most Hollyoaks girls believe me," Gillian said. "She's a bit more glamorous than Kathy Beale.

"But I don't think she'll be turning the heads of any of the young men in there. I shouldn't think so - if she did even for a bit of fun, which she may need after a hard day's work, the boys would put paid to that anyway. They're very protective of their mum."

The actress added that while Sandy made every effort to look nice she was not in competition with the soap's other female characters.

"These girls, if you think they look good on screen you want to see them in real life, they're even better," she admitted.

"Sandy's not an old fuddy duddy by any means, she's got some nice clothes and keeps herself presentable, because she still wants to be one of the girls and she likes going out and enjoying herself.

Gillian added: "It's quite another thing to keep up with on this show, believe me."

Here's the first look at Hollyoaks' new family the Roscoes, who are destined to cause trouble in the village.

The new family features five boys and will be headed up by matriarch Sandy Roscoe, played by Gillian Taylforth. The Roscoe clan will debut on Hollyoaks on Channel 4 on Thursday, May 23.

Viewers have already seen young twin, trouble-maker Robbie Roscoe make his mark on the village, causing trouble at his college, while older brother Freddie has also made an appearance in Hollyoaks, flirting with Maxine. But it’s not until later in May when all five brothers will be reunited.

Single mum Sandy has a tough task, holding down her own job as a district nurse, while trying to keep control of her five sons and ensuring they keep the family business, Roscoe’s Motor Maintenance, running.

Gillian, who played Kathy Beale in EastEnders for 15 years, said: “Everyone at Hollyoaks has made all the Roscoe family members feel very welcome and I am really looking forward to the viewers seeing us all on screen for the first time, there is never a dull moment when the Roscoes are around!”