'I'm worried but ready to go back'

As Jacqueline Jossa returns to her role on EastEnders, she's excited but concerned she will "ruin" the soap

- Kenzi Devine

After a five-year hiatus, Jacqueline Jossa has opened up about her fears over going back to work as her character Lauren Branning makes a shock return to Albert Square.

The 30-year-old recently revealed that she’s set to reprise her long-standing role on East Enders after Lauren’s dramatic departure back in 2018. And while she can’t wait to get going, Jacqueline has said that she’s worried about her arrival having a negative effect on the show’s story lines.

“I think [East Enders] has been so good recently, I’m actually worried to come back and ruin it. It’s been so good, I’ve absolutely loved watching it!” she told fans on a recent Insta Live, also teasing that Lauren will be back to “cause trouble”.

Jacqueline – who is married to 32-year-old ex-TOWIE star Dan Osborne – also admitted that family life “will be harder”.

The couple are parents to two daughters, eight-year-old Ella and Mia, five. With Jacqueline having focused on motherhood since last appearing on the soap, they’re all preparing for a shift in the family dynamic when she returns to acting full-time.