Louisa Lytton stopped watching 'EastEnders' after she quit the soap.
Louisa Lytton as Ruby Allen
The 29-year-old actress has reprised her role as Ruby Allen on the BBC One soap after 12 years away, and she has admitted she's had to binge-watch the programme to catch up on storylines because she refused to tune in after she left.
Speaking to the Metro.co.uk, she said: "I hadn't really watched it. When I left at such a young age, it was a weird feeling like breaking up with a boyfriend and having to see them again. It left a weird, heavy feeling in my stomach. Obviously when I got the call I started watching again to know who everybody was."
And bosses aren't easing her in gently as her first storyline back will see her alter-ego raped as 'EastEnders' look to cover the subject of consent.
She said recently: "Ruby goes on a night out and gets raped in the first few weeks of her return, so I've gone back for quite a massive storyline.
"But initially it's to see her old mate Stacey, who she casually hasn't seen for 12 years and thinks she'll throw a text at.
"It's very important. 'EastEnders' has such a diverse audience. They've just covered the massive knife crime storyline, and this is more of a consent storyline, showing that it's not really a grey area.
"I'm working with Rape Crisis, I'm pretty much in contact with them every day. They oversee every script. They've been brilliant. I think it will really split the audience, their views on consent and what happens to her."
However, although she's had no issues slotting back into the cast and has a juicy storyline lined up, Louisa never expected to make a return to the show.
She explained: "It's been 12 years and it's something I never really thought I would go back and do. It's interesting to see what she's become, who she's become and what's going to happen next with her. Just to see where her life goes.
"I played that Kaiser Chiefs track at home a few times and then I was back."
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