Gemma Bissix thinks her 'EastEnders' return "didn't work" because her character changed so much.
Gemma Bissix
The soap star - who originally joined as Claire Tyler in 1993 when she was just nine years old - returned to Albert Square in 2008 after a decade away from the BBC soap, but her alter-ego underwent a big transformation from a "sweet little girl" to a "money-grabbing minx".
She told RadioTimes.com: "I enjoyed going back to 'EastEnders' and had fun, but maybe the reason it didn't work and I didn't stay that long is because you can't be so heightened or as 'out of the box' as a character, you have to be quite realistic.
"Most characters who stay around are settled and a bit more normal!
"I think it would've been good to explore her background a bit and found out what happened to her and Nigel since they'd left."
When Claire left Albert Square in 1998, the character went to Scotland with stepfather Nigel Bates (Paul Bradley) two years after her mum Debbie (Nicola Duffett) died in a car crash.
The character eventually returned after actress Gemma made waves as Clare Devine on 'Hollyoaks' between 2006 and 2007 - a part she has since reprised over the years - but she wasn't what audiences remembered.
The 36-year-old star laughed: "When I left [Claire] was this sweet little girl making Nigel cups of tea, all of a sudden she was a money-grabbing minx!
"She tries to fleece rich men after and seemed to love a red-head - Sean Slater, Max Branning, Bradley Branning.
"In one scene I had to drop my towel in front of Ian Beale to try and seduce him! Adam Woodyatt didn't know where to look, the last time he'd seen my I was about 13! Claire was very raunchy the second time around."
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