Kacey Ainsworth has ruled out Little Mo returning for Zoe Slater’s exit, cutting off a rumour that had spread around EastEnders viewers. On Wednesday 19 August, she used Instagram to say the talk was “FAKE NEWS” after her phone started buzzing hard enough to catch her attention straight after a recording session.
The clearest line came in her own words: “This is not a conversation I have had with the powers that be.” Ainsworth also wrote, “I came out of my recording and my phone was on fire – #slaters you’ve already got @therobkazinsky c’mon don’t be greedy,” making it plain that the chatter had outrun any real plan.
Ainsworth on Instagram
2000 to 2006 is the span that still matters here, because that is when Ainsworth played Little Mo on EastEnders. More than 20 years later, the character remains strong enough to fuel exit speculation around Zoe Slater, which is why a single post could shut down a story that had moved fast enough to look settled.
The post also drew a line under one of the fan theories attached to Michelle Ryan’s departure later this year. Viewers had linked Little Mo to a possible funeral storyline, but Ainsworth’s wording closed the door on that path before it could harden into expectation.
Zoe Slater’s exit talk
July is when the speculation had already been pushed further by reporting that Zoe’s departure had been filmed and that the character would meet a tragic fate. Against that backdrop, Ainsworth’s response does more than deny a return; it removes one of the few legacy-character routes viewers had imagined for the exit.
That leaves the story where soap exits often end up: with one confirmed departure and a lot of chatter around how it will play out. For EastEnders, the practical takeaway is simple — Little Mo is out of the equation, and the remaining question is whether Zoe Slater’s exit lands as a funeral or some other dramatic turn.
What viewers know now
We can confirm Zoe Slater will be departing EastEnders later this year. We wish Michelle Ryan all the best for the future. However, we never comment on future storylines as we don’t want to spoil it for the viewers.
