EastEnders fan favourite set for return nearly 20 years after ‘death’

EastEnders character Jake Moon was seemingly killed off back in 2006, but viewers were stunned to learn he was still alive in 2024. The character is now returning “in search for answers”.

The BBC has confirmed that Joel Beckett, who made a brief appearance in September 2024, is coming back for a “short stint” that will see Shane Richie’s Alfie Moon come face-to-face with his cousin for the first time in 20 years.

“It was really lovely to step back onto the Square after all this time and revisit Jake,” Beckett, 52, said of his return to Albert Square.

“Being back working alongside familiar faces, as well as some brilliant new ones, was a real joy and it was good to know that Jake had been out there, alive and well.”

Beckett said that Jake returns “carrying plenty of unanswered questions and the storyline takes him in some unexpected directions with real twists and turns”.

“I’m excited for people to see what he’s been up to,” he added.

An EastEnders spokesman said: “Jake returns in search of answers about what really happened at Christmas, but he gets more than he had bargained for when he learns a different version of events that leads him to question the woman he loves.

“With his conscience weighing heavy, and with multiple versions of events to contend with, only time will tell if Jake will do the right thing for not only himself, but for the sake of his family.”

EastEnders executive producer Ben Wadey said: “I’m delighted to welcome Joel Beckett back to the role of Jake Moon and EastEnders for this storyline.

“Jake’s return will be a shock for many, but the biggest shocks of all will surround Jake and what he discovers about Christmas…”

Jake Moon joined the soap alongside his younger brother Danny Moon (Jake Maskall) in 2004, and chose to leave in 2006. While his fate was left unclear at the time, many viewers believed he had been killed off screen after it was mistakenly believed Johnny Allen (Billy Murray) had put a hit on him.

Additional reporting by Agencies