Actress Patsy Palmer was born in Bethnal Green, east London

The 35-year-old actress, who first joined the soap in 1993, will begin filming in January and return to screens in March.

Bianca, a single mother and struggling to survive, comes back to Albert Square to live with her grandmother Pat Evans.

She was best known for her stormy relationship with Ricky Butcher, with whom she had a son called Liam.

'Next chapter'

The couple appeared together again in a one-off episode in 2002, in which Bianca turned her back on Ricky to start a new life in Manchester.

Palmer's character returns to Albert Square with her love life in disarray and other children said to be fathered by different men.

Bianca left Walford in 1999 after an affair with her mother's partner Dan

The actress said that she is "really excited about rejoining the cast and working with old friends again".

"I can't wait to explore what Bianca has been doing with her life and seeing what she is going to get up to next," she added.

Diederick Santer, EastEnders' executive producer, said he was "delighted" to welcome Palmer back to the show.

"Millions grew up with her and, like the audience, I can't wait to see her back in the show. I'm really looking forward to the next chapter in her story."

Since leaving the series in 1999, Palmer appeared in detective series McCready and Daughter and on the West End stage.