03-07-2025
EastEnders favourite joins rival soap – 20 years after being brutally killed off
Henna Sharma, TV Reporter
Published: Invalid Date,
EASTENDERS favourite makes shock return to soap world - 20 years after brutal exit.
A much-loved EastEnders star is back on our screens - but this time, they're shaking things up in Summer Bay, Australia.
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Hannah Waterman made her Walford debut back in 2000 as Laura Beale.
She was best known as Ian Beale's (Adam Woodyatt) third wife.
But, she was brutally killed off four years later when she went to answer the door and tripped over a toy before falling down the stairs and dying.
Chaos followed as Janine Butcher (Charlie Brooks) found herself accused of murdering Laura - after a damning receipt turned up in Laura's flat following one of their explosive rows.
The gripping death plot had fans hooked and went down as one of the most unforgettable moments in EastEnders history.
Since her exit, Hannah has appeared in episodes of Doctors, The Bill, New Tricks and Holby City.
She swapped the UK for Australia over adecade ago and made waves starring in Aussie dramas.
Now based in Sydney, Hannah's credits include the Aussie-Indonesian hit Bali 2002.
But, her new gig on Home and Away marks a proper return to the soap scene.
This year, the iconic Aussie soap celebrated a whopping 35 years on air, with special reruns on a dedicated channel to mark the milestone.
Forgotten soap star shows off huge £27million LA mansion after quitting fame and marrying a multimillionaire
Home and Away first hit screens on January 17, 1988.
Channel 5 snapped up the rights in 2000 - and they've been pumping out fresh episodes ever since.
A source said: 'Hannah moved to Australia years ago for a new life but she's still acting.
'She loved dipping her toes back into the world of soap briefly and who knows it could mean she finds her way back more permanently.'
Forgotten soap storylines
The nation's soaps have had many gripping storylines play out over the years. However, some plots proved to be far less memorable. Here are some forgotten stories from Weatherfield, Walford and more...
Coronation Street
Ken and Audrey's romance (2015): After the death of wife Deirdre (Anne Kirkbride), Coronation Street original Ken Barlow (William Roache) started to move on in his life. He started to develop a spark with old friend Audrey (Sue Nicholls), with then-Corrie boss saying it would be like "Ross and Rachel". In the end, nothing ever came of it and the two remained platonic pals.
Beth's bigamy (2016): Despite being happily married to Kirk (Andrew Whyment), a troubling secret came to light about Beth Tinker (Lisa George). It transpired that she had never divorced from her first husband, Darryl (Paul Loughran), father of her son Craig (Colson Smith). Although Craig and Kirk were shocked - and Beth was arrested - the storyline didn't didn't go much further.
EastEnders
Kat Slater's secret son (2017): Capitalising on the popularity of Kat (Jessie Wallace) and Alfie (Shane Richie), the two received a spin-off back in 2017. Titled 'Redwater', it saw the two travel to Ireland where they met long-lost son Luke, now called Dermott Dolan, played by Oisín Stack. Despite the high-tension events during Redwater, Kat seems to have put the experience behind her as Dermott's not been mentioned since.
Alfie's brain tumour (2015): Having learned in 2015 that he had a brain tumour, Alfie kept the news from Kat until their trip to Ireland. At the time, actor Shane Ritchie revealed fans would see a change in Alfie as he battled the illness. It would appear that at some point after leaving the Square, was told the tumour was non-malignant. By the time Alfie returned in 2022, fans were left confused over what had happened to the storyline.
Kathy and Buster's affair (2016): In 2016, Walford legend Kathy Beale (Gillian Taylforth) fell into the arms of convict Buster Briggs, played by Karl Howman. Buster was the long-time lover of Shirley Carter (Linda Henry) and fathered both her sons - Mick (Danny Dyer) and Dean (Matt Di Angelo). When Buster left, he begged Kathy to join him, but she refused for the sake of her family. Meanwhile Buster didn't even stop to say goodbye to Shirley before exiting with a broken heart. Fans expected a showdown between the two women, but this never came to pass.
Emmerdale
Jacob's OCD (2016): After his dad, David (Matthew Wolfenden), was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 2016, Jacob (Joe-Warren Plant) developed Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). This manifested in the form of cleaning. Jacob's OCD made a brief return one year on, after David had another scare after finding a lump. Jacob frantically searched the bins for a 'lucky coin' that had accidentally been thrown away. Despite stressful situations - such as being groomed by his teacher Maya, losing his fiancee Leanna to a serial killer, dealing with mum Leyla's drug addiction, and surviving a stabbing - the condition doesn't appear to have returned.
Marlon and Charity's fling (2003): Few fans would likely remember few will remember the one-night stand between Charity (Emma Atkins) and Marlon (Mark Charnock) in 2003. The pair slept together when Charity was staying with Marlon while still under suspicion for husband Chris's supposed "murder".
Hollyoaks
Alex Browning's revenge plot (2014): Fans expected a confrontation when Dr Browning's son Alex (Ojan Genc) mer stepmum Mercedes McQueen (Jennifer Metcalfe). After all, Mercedes, with Cindy Cunningham (Stephanie Waring) and Lindsey Butterfield (Sophie Austin) had murdered Alex's dad, double-murderer Dr Paul Browning, after he kidnapped and attacked his new wife. In fact, the soap teased Alex would seek revenge for his father's death upon arriving. However, he instead gave Cindy's son Hilton (his half-brother) a life-saving transplant, became his godfather, and leaving the village soon after.
The new role comes three years after Hannah tied the knot to former The Bill star husband Huw Higginson.
Huw is most notable for his ten-year role in The Bill as PC George Garfield.
Huw posted a celebratory shot showing their special day in October 2022 as they posed with their son Jack, 11, on a boat in Sydney.
The Bill actor gushed in his caption: "Got married to my love yesterday. We had the best of days."
Hannah can be seen gazing lovingly at her spouse as they celebrated their special day.
She wore a patterned, long-sleeve blue frock - perhaps as her something blue - complete with gold strappy sandals and a navy pashmina.
She clutched a bouquet of cream flowers and accessorised with a pair of sunglasses.
The happy couple made the move to Australia in 2014.
It came after Hannah married fellow EastEnders star Ricky Groves in 2006.
But, the pair separated in 2010 and divorced in 2014.
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