Letitia Dean showed off her glamorous new look as her character Sharon Watts made a dramatic return to EastEnders in Tuesday's episode.

Having been absent from the BBC soap since October 2025, the actress made her long-awaited comeback, with the actress showing off her weight loss during the scenes.

Sharon is back in Albert Square just in time for her adoptive sister Vicki Fowler's (Alice Haig) wedding to Ross Marshall (Alex Walkinshaw).

Reacting to Letitia's return, viewers wrote on X: '#EastEnders Now we know Sharon is back - I'm even more excited for the fallout of Vicki and Zack's actions at the wedding tomorrow;

'She came when we needed her most. In Sharon we trust;'

'Yeah sharon is back but how long is she gonna be around this time;'

Back in September, Letitia showcased her incredible weight-loss in a dramatic trailer for the BBC soap. 

The actress who has played Sharon Watts since 1985, looked incredible in skin-tight trousers as her character returned to Albert Square.

In the trailer Sharon could be seen climbing from a taxi with son Albie before coming face-to-face with her father Den's killer Zoe Slater (Michelle Ryan) who had returned to Walford after almost two decades. 

Letitia wore her character's trademark black and teamed the trousers with a lace top and towering heels.

She has previously spoken about how she dropped two stone going from 10st 4lbs to 8st 3lbs and also dropping four dress sizes.

The soap star lost the weight in just one year by prioritising her health and wellbeing and cutting out junk food completely.

Over the last few years, Letitia has prioritised her health and well-being and has cut out one of her bad habits.

Letitia admitted she tried 'faddy diets' in the past which never worked but after ditching junk food she has now started to feel better.

Speaking to Closer in 2007, the soap star said: 'It was incredible. I found I had so much more energy than when I used to eat junk food.'

Now Letitia has made long-term changes and enjoys 'grilled skinless chicken' and 'lots of greens'.

She said: 'The main reason I wanted to do something about my figure was that I was so sick of extreme dieting and my weight yo-yoing.

'I just woke up one morning, and I'd had enough. For years and years - as long as I can remember - my weight had yo-yoed up and down. I'd go on fad diets like Atkins or I'd only eat eggs.'

Letitia noted that she did 'lose a stone in a couple of weeks on a yoyo diet' but admitted it is not sustainable and she quickly slipped back into her old ways.

Now, the BBC star revealed she sticks to a well-balanced diet, keeping to 1,300 calories a day, and compliments her healthy eating regime with exercises such as running and boxercise.

According to the NHS website, the recommended calorie intake, generally speaking, is around 2,000 calories per day for women and 2,500 calories per day for men.