Veteran actress Patsy Kensit, known for her impressive career across film and television, has opened up about her time on EastEnders—a role she calls her “dream job”—and made it clear she would love the chance to stir up more drama in Walford.

Speaking candidly during her appearance on ITV’s Love Your Garden with Alan Titchmarsh, Patsy’s passion for her character Emma Harding was undeniable. As the legendary presenter listed off her glittering resume—The Great Gatsby, Bluebirds, and more—he noted how different EastEnders was from her past work. But before he could finish, Patsy’s face lit up. With unfiltered joy, she declared: “Oh my God, it was my dream job, I loved it, it was wonderful and brilliant.”

Alan, amused, responded: “You were a bit of a nasty piece of work, weren’t you?”

Grinning, Patsy leaned into the character’s flaws: “Yes, she was tricky and unreliable and a bit narcissistic… You get to say all the things you can’t really say in real life.” It was clear she adored every minute of playing someone so complex and chaotic.

But the real kicker came when a clip of her EastEnders scenes aired. Patsy, visibly emotional and nostalgic, hinted she wasn’t quite ready to close the chapter on Emma Harding. With a cheeky glint in her eye, she teased: “She needs to be there to cause some trouble.” Then, folding her hands together in a prayer-like gesture, she trailed off, leaving fans with a tantalizing sense of “what if?”

Patsy’s EastEnders journey began in January 2023, when her character, Emma Harding, entered the Square under intense emotional circumstances. As the estranged and mysterious mother of Lola Pearce (played by the late Danielle Harold), Emma’s arrival was anything but peaceful. She had been hunted down by Billy Mitchell and Phil Mitchell in the days leading up to Lola’s wedding to Jay Brown.

Emma’s reappearance brought a storm of old secrets, long-buried pain, and raw maternal guilt. Upon learning that she had a granddaughter, Lexi, Emma returned to Albert Square, hesitant to make herself known but deeply drawn to the daughter she abandoned and the granddaughter she never knew.

Initially watching from a distance, Emma eventually became involved in their lives in secret. She anonymously left money for Lola, confronted Lexi’s school bully, and tried to help without revealing who she was. But in soap fashion, secrets can never stay buried for long. When Billy discovered the truth, it all exploded into the open.

The story took a tragic and emotional turn when Emma revealed the dark reason behind her disappearance. She had endured horrific abuse at the hands of Lola’s father—accounts so shocking that Lola, at first skeptical, was eventually convinced after hearing Billy confirm the brutal truth and seeing the burn scars Emma still carried.

Mother and daughter attempted to rebuild the broken bridges, but their fragile relationship was rocked by devastating news: Lola’s terminal brain tumour. Emma stuck around to help, trying to be the mother she’d failed to be in the past. But just as their connection started to heal, Emma dropped another bombshell—she had accepted a job in America.

Lola, already fighting for her life, was furious. She felt abandoned all over again and declared that she never wanted to see Emma again. Tragically, they never reconciled before Lola’s death. Emma did, however, make a heartbreaking appearance at the funeral, entering quietly and saying her goodbye to the daughter she loved too late.

Now, with Patsy Kensit’s recent comments, fans are buzzing about the possibility of Emma Harding returning to Walford. And for good reason. Emma wasn’t a villain in the traditional sense, but a woman running from trauma, making flawed decisions, and trying to redeem herself. In the landscape of EastEnders, that kind of layered character is storytelling gold.

Could Emma return to support young Lexi, now grieving both her mother and the grandmother she barely knew? Could she stir the pot among the Mitchells, or clash with Jay over guardianship issues? Maybe she’s back with unfinished business—personal or professional—or to confront demons she left behind.

Given Kensit’s clear enthusiasm and her heartfelt praise for the cast and crew—calling the EastEnders set “like a family” and marveling at the talent delivering “pages and pages of dialogue” every day—it’s no stretch to imagine producers may already be plotting Emma’s fiery return.

For now, nothing is confirmed. But Patsy’s prayer hands and cryptic smile say more than words ever could. In the world of Walford, no one is ever truly gone. Emma Harding may yet rise again, bringing with her the kind of messy, emotional, high-stakes drama that only EastEnders can deliver.

So brace yourselves. Trouble might just be knocking on Albert Square’s door again—and her name is Emma.