When the new DI Ray series premiered earlier this week, EastEnders viewers recognized a familiar face.
In Sunday’s episode of the ITV police drama, which also stars Bend It Like Beckham and ER actress Parminder Nagra, former Walford legend Annette Badland made an appearance.
Fans of soap operas are most familiar with Annette as the evil Aunt Babe Smith from EastEnders.
Presented as an extended family member of the Carters, she wreaked havoc on her relatives while she lived on Albert Square from 2014 to 2017.
She was revealed as a baby farmer in her storylines, and she also urged Abi Branning to fabricate a pregnancy and try to rob the Queen Vic after abandoning her sister Sylvie to perish.
After being shunned by her family, Aunt Babe was last heard cursing The Vic and was never seen again.
Since leaving Walford, Annette has starred in a number of different television programs, including as Ted Lasso, Plebs, Big Boys, and Midsomer Murders.
She most recently appeared on film as Liz, a pawn shop employee who was questioned over the disappearance of her boss in DI Ray.
Omg it’s aunt babe from Eastenders
— Olivia (@Olivia270291) October 20, 2024
Brilliant actress #DIRay
“Oh my god, it’s Eastenders auntie babe.” One spectator said on X (previously Twitter): “Beautiful actress.”
“To be honest, Annette deserves to be made a Dame,” another person commented.
Annette also appeared in the third season of Heartstopper, a Netflix series about LGBTQ+ coming-of-age, earlier this month.
However, Lucy Speed, another EastEnder, also made an appearance as Susan Denvers, so she wasn’t the only familiar face for soap fans.
Between 1994 and 2004, Lucy portrayed Natalie Evans in the BBC soap opera during two spells.
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