Loose Women panellist mused over her return to the BBC soap EastEnders, where she played Annie Palmer from 1997 until 1999, after the BBC rubbished reports of the soap being axed

Loose Women star Nadia Sawalha has teased a possible return to BBC soap Eastenders – 24 years after leaving Walford.

From 1997 to 1999, the 58-year-old presenter starred as businesswoman Annie Palmer but, earlier this year, revealed she quit over “rubbish” storylines.

However, with the soaps recent storylines putting viewers into a spin from Lola Pearce’s tragic death to the return of Cindy Beale – Nadia might be swayed to head back to Albert Square as Annie.

On Friday’s episode, Kaye Adams asked Nadia if she would consider returning to the show, to which she responded: “If I thought I was going to have huge fun I would.

“You know I’d go back for a few weeks and then I would have fun but I’d have to know that I was having fun.”

Nadia Sawalha teased a possible return to EastEnders ( 
Image:
ITV)
It comes after the BBC rubbished claims over a possible axe of the soap after it was reported the show’s viewings figures had apparently taken a “nosedive”.

It was recently claimed that fans have been “switching off” due to its storylines as the BBC programme “struggles to bring in a million viewers”.

But, official viewing figures show that almost 18 million viewers have streamed the hit show in the last two weeks.

The BBC released a statement reading: “EastEnders episodes are made live to the audience at 6am every morning on BBC iPlayer giving the audience the choice to watch when and where they choose, so when episodes are moved to a different day, or channel, due to a live sporting event it is no surprise that this is reflected in the regular overnight audience.

Nadia played Annie Palmer on the soap ( 
Image:
BBC)

Cindy Beale is making a return to Walford ( 
Image:
BBC)
“Over the last two weeks, EastEnders has been streamed almost 18 million times on BBC iPlayer and remains one of iPlayer’s most popular programmes.”

On Friday afternoon, Loose Women’s Kaye Adams discussed the possibility of the end of a soap era with her co-stars.

Panellist Kaye Adams said: “One paper said today it could be the end of ‘Enders. Apparently, fans of the iconic TV show are turning off.

“We could be watching its final years, which is a little bit drastic because it’s hugely popular.”

The last year has seen a number of gripping storylines from Mick Carter’s emotional exit from the soap over Christmas to Lola Pearce’s tragic death.

The upcoming Christmas storyline has had fans talking too. A special flash-forward episode teased a death of a male Walford resident in February, with the identity of the deceased and the details around the death remaining a mystery.

The flash-forward episode teased a killing over the festive period as six iconic characters were seen towering over a body in The Queen Vic.

On Christmas Day, it has been revealed one male character will be killed off in dramatic scenes – but viewers will have to wait and see who is set to die.