EastEnders icon Jo Joyner responds to calls for Tanya Cross return amid Branning reunions

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Jo Joyner has spoken about the possibility of returning to EastEnders as Tanya Cross, the mother of Lauren (Jacqueline Jossa) and Oscar Branning (Pierre Moullier).

Now that Jake Wood has returned as Max, Tanya is the final member of the Branning family to reappear – a fact Love Island’s Amy Hart playfully mentioned to the actress during a conversation on her Mum’s Club podcast.

After a fan questioned if Joyner might return to the show *EastEnders*, Joyner recounted a recent funny moment: Jake Wood sent a photo from the set, and Joyner was surprised by how much Oscar, his son, had grown.

“I said ‘do they know he’s the Hobbit?'”

Replying to the question on playing Tanya again, she added: “Erm no, not this year.

“Never say never but I have got a lot on this year, so no.”

Tanya disappeared in 2018, leaving before she could attend her daughter Abi’s (Lorna Fitzgerald) funeral at the church.

“We’ve just given you Max and Zoe!”

He complimented Joyner, adding that she’s fantastic. He also highlighted the strength of the entire cast, saying they delivered brilliant performances and deserved compelling storylines.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem like Tanya will be returning to the show in the near future, but it’s not completely impossible.

Good news for fans! Joyner will reprise her role as Luella Shakespeare in the fifth season of Shakespeare and Hathaway: Private Investigators, returning this month with Mark Benton.

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2025-09-15 16:04