Longest gaps between appearances

The following is a list of all EastEnders characters who have had the most extended gaps in their appearances as of 31st January 2019. It only includes appearances within the main show and not the spin-off episodes.

The list is sorted by default in the order of time between first last appearance and the return appearance of a character in years, months and days. An example is Colin Russell who first departed the show in 1989 and returned in 2016 therefore his absence is 27 years, six months and 16 days which lands him at the top of the list.

Various actors/actresses have played characters, therefore, the person who performed the role most recently is only listed.