The soap favourite, 41, who played Zoe Slater in the BBC show, remembered the beloved actor, who starred as doting father and taxi driver Charlie Slater.
The BBC soap's first festive episode aired on Thursday night and revealed a huge bombshell for Zoe Slater, who discovered that both of her children survived birth and were still alive.
Having teamed up with Zoe's scorned, secret daughter Jasmine, the villain has done everything within their power to frighten Zoe in preparation for Christmas Day.
Viewers of the long-running BBC soap were left stunned as the mother and daughter duo stood in the exact same spot where Kat declared she was her mother.
20 years after her exit from Albert Square, Michelle has now made a shock return as Zoe Slater , with the actress hinting her character is 'a mess' as she reunites with her estranged mother Kat.
The actress, best known for her iconic 'You ain't my muvva!' moment, made her first appearance in Monday's episode, after her return was kept under wraps.
MailOnline can reveal that, despite multiple attempts from bosses to bring her back to Eastenders over the years, Michelle Ryan, 40, has refused - turning them down every time they've asked.