Actress Vicki Michelle has joined the cast of EastEnders as Rocky Cotton’s wife.
The former ‘Allo ‘Allo! star, 72, will take on the role of “brash” and “glamorous” Jo Cotton for a short stint in the long-running BBC soap.
Rocky is the son of Charlie Cotton, the bigamist husband of late chain-smoking laundrette worker Dot Branning, and half brother of her children Nick and Andrew Cotton.
When Rocky, played by Brian Conley, first came to Albert Square he called himself Terry Cant and little is known about his past.
He married Jo 25 years ago.
Michelle said: “I’m so excited to be in EastEnders and everyone has been so lovely.
“Jo Cotton is a great character and it is such a great story. I can’t wait for the audience to meet her.”
Michelle played waitress Yvette Carte-Blanche in ‘Allo ‘Allo!, a popular 1980s BBC comedy which ran for nine series, ending in 1992, and briefly returned for a special in 2007.
Set in Nazi-occupied France during the Second World War, Yvette was the mistress of cafe owner and resistance volunteer Rene Artois, played by Gorden Kaye, who died in 2017 at the age of 77.
Michelle also starred in ITV’s village soap Emmerdale and was a contestant on I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here in 2014.
Chris Clenshaw, executive producer, said: “We’re thrilled to welcome the immensely talented Vicki to the EastEnders family, as she brings to life the character of Jo Cotton.
“Vicki is the perfect fit to take on the elusive character of Rocky’s wife that we know very little about.
“Brash, quick-witted, and extremely glamorous, Jo is akin to her long-lost husband, Rocky, and as you would expect she is immediately thrown into the heart of the drama when she arrives in Walford.”
Michelle, who has started filming for EastEnders, will appear on screen in two episodes next month on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.