EastEnders star Michelle Collins raked in staggering SIX figure sum for soap return as her salary is revealed
As well as playing the Walford villain,
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TV star Michelle has rolled in the cash after reprising her role as Ian Beale's ex
Credit: BBC
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The soap star's business is booming again since she returned to the TV role
Credit: Getty
It takes in cash from her telly work and its bottom line has been swelled by money from her lucrative EastEnders contract.
The business was down to £20,000 just before she inked her new deal.
But figures sent to Companies House and published this week for the 12 months to March this year show cash reserves of almost £200,000.
And she has a Corporation Tax bill of £69,694 – meaning her earnings were around five times that sum.
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Even though Michelle was thrilled when the show's former executive producer Chris Clenshaw asked her to come back to Albert Square, the star wasn't sure how Cindy would be received by viewers.
Speaking at the TRIC Awards at Grosvenor House in London, Michelle said: "I didn't know if people would be happy that she was back. I really didn't know, you have to
take that
risk!
"But, I think she's gone down quite well."
Cindy - who is the former wife of Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt) and the ex-wife of George Knight (Colin Salmon) - has caused a lot of drama since her return, such as having an affair with George's son Junior (Micah Balfour).
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But Michelle thinks Cindy's bad behaviour has gone down well with EastEnders' viewers.
She said: "I think people are liking her.
Cindy Beale leaves Walford in shock EastEnders moment - but she vows revenge
"People don't want to see
nice
Cindy. She was nice for a while, and they don't want to see nice Cindy - I promise you, they don't!
"Sometimes I'll pick up the scripts, and I'll go, 'Oh no, you can't. Really? Having an affair with his son? No, it'll be fine, people love her.'"
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The actress first joined
She returned in 1992 for six years before taking a longer break.
The 63-year-old thrilled fans with a shock comeback to the BBC soap after a 25-year hiatus in 2023.
It was revealed that Ian Beale's ex did not actually die during childbirth in prison and was instead put into witness protection under a new identity - Rose Sawyer - for decades.
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The
a one woman show at the
Edinburgh
festival, called Motorhome Marilyn
-
a play about a
Marilyn Monroe
impersonator
.
EastEnders bosses have let her have a month off, but Michelle has kept tight-lipped about how writers will create Cindy's exit storyline.
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Michelle as super-villain Cindy Beale on EastEnders
Credit: BBC
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Actress Michelle made a welcome return to Walford in 2023
Credit: Getty
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EastEnders exits 2025
These much-loved (and hated) faces have left Walford this year so far...
Nish Panesar
- Navin Chowdhry
Reiss Colwell
- Jonny Freeman
Martin Fowler
- James Bye
Ruby Allen
- Louisa Lytton
Bianca Jackson
- Patsy Palmer
Sonia Fowler
- Natalie Cassidy
Stacey Slater
- Lacey Turner
Bernie Taylor
- Clair Norris
Felix Baker
- Matthew James Morrison
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