of promoting a negative association between single mothers and prostitution. The character of Mary lasted in the show for three years, and was eventually written out of the series when Linda Davidson decided to leave in order pursue other acting roles. On-screen, Mary leaves Walford the way she arrives, running away from her parents. Mary and Lofty's return was confirmed by the BBC on 18 December. The characters return for the funeral of original character Doctor Legg (Leonard Fenton), who returned to the soap in 2018. Mary appears in one episode broadcast in 2019. Executive consultant John Yorke invited Davidson to reprise the role and described Mary as a "huge iconic characters, and a central part of the show's DNA". He added that he was excited to have the characters return for one episode where they play "small but incredibly important roles". Davidson expressed her delight at reprising the role and said she was "so thrilled, and very proud" to return to the soap. She commented, "EastEnders was my first proper family. It gave me stability and a fantastic foundation from which to build an incredible life." References External links EastEnders characters Fictional prostitutes Television characters introduced in 1985 Female characters in television Fictional erotic dancers