Tamzin Outhwaite decided to return to 'EastEnders' after a foot injury caused her to rethink her stage career.

Tamzin Outhwaite

Tamzin Outhwaite

The 46-year-old actress revealed earlier this week that she is set to rejoin the BBC soap as Melanie Owen in 2018, nearly 16 years after she last appeared as the character.

And now, the star has revealed her decision came after she was forced to pull out of the West End show 'Stepping Out' - in which she starred alongside Amanda Holden - when she suffered a stress fracture on her metatarsal during rehearsals.

She said: "[Healing it is] a long process. I'll be doing more TV than theatre now. I've just done a couple of years of theatre, which I love, but now it's time to do some telly. Sometimes I think someone's looking after you up there. That's exactly what I need to do."

Tamzin - who has daughters Florence, nine, and Marnie, five, with her former partner Tom Ellis - also admits the long working hours of a stage actress had begun to take their toll on her when she first started her theatre career, and says she's now more picky with her jobs so she can focus more on her brood.

Speaking to the Daily Mirror newspaper, she added: "I spent a year on 'Sweet Charity' the musical, but Flo was teething. She would be up every night and I was doing eight shows a week. I thought, maybe I can't do this any more.

"The last few years have been short of jobs, and a lot more free time. The slowing down has been quite gradual.

"My priorities have changed. Now I'm OK saying 'No'. If I audition for things and don't get them, there's two beautiful faces looking at me and I'm home."

Meanwhile, Tamzin recently said she was "honoured" to be returning to Albert Square next year.

She said: "When I got the call from John Yorke, the show's creative director, I just couldn't refuse. John created Mel's most memorable storylines so it is an honour he has asked me to return.

"'EastEnders' is in my DNA and I always knew deep down that someday I would revisit Mel - she is a strong, independent woman with lots more stories to tell. To be stepping back into the character's shoes nearly 20 years after I first stated feels perfect."

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