Vicki Michelle hints at EastEnders return a year after Jo Cotton’s and Brian Conley’s soap exits that changed storylines
I’M A CELEB’S Vicki Michelle has hinted at an EastEnders return a year after she and costar Brian Conley exited the soap.
Comedian Brian played Tom, aka ‘Rocky’ Cotton, but when he wanted to leave, scriptwriters had to change the storyline — effectively writing out his wife, Jo Cotton, played by Vicki.
Speaking to The Sun on behalf of Slotcalendar, she said: “I think the storyline changed because Brian [Conley] wanted to leave, you know, so I don’t think he was going to leave at the beginning.
“And then I think there was some, I don’t know, something else came up.
“And so he decided to do that instead. So the storyline probably would have gone on, but I still think she’s a good character, and you’ve still got that thing between her and Gilly.
“So I think, you know, they can bring you back if you’re a good character. She could come back.”
Rocky is Charlie and Dot Cotton’s son, Sonia’s father, and Jo Cotton’s (Michelle’s) husband.
Jo appears dramatically as Rocky’s long-suffering wife of 25 years, whom he never talks about referring to as his once fiance.
Still, when Kathy Beale begins planning their wedding, he reveals to Sonia Fowler that he is already married.
Riess Colewell and Tom track her down with the intent that Rocky divorce her. Tom comes clean to Kathy, who calls the whole thing off.
Freddie Slater finds her unbeknownst, and she turns up on Kathy’s doorstep.
Rocky left the soap dramatically after his character was arrested and sentenced to ten years in prison for an insurance scam.
Brian is a well-known comedian, singer, and actor.
He hosts The Brian Conley Show and has presented the Royal Variety Performance on eight occasions.
As well as Eastenders‘ he has starred in Time After Time and The Grimleys.
He also has had an illustrious West End career, playing the lead role in Me and My Girl, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Hairspray, Oliver, The Musi Man, Barnum and Jolson – for which he was nominated for a Laurence Olivier award.
As a musician, he has released five albums.
Before Eastenders, Vicki was Yvette Carte Blanc in Allo Allo! and was Patricia Foster in Emmerdale.
In 2014 she appeared on I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here.