Jacqueline Jossa is said to have turned down an ‘EastEnders’ return.
The former Walford favourite – who played Lauren Branning on the BBC One soap from 2010 to 2018 – was reportedly the subject of an approach from the show’s bosses four months ago, ahead of her successful ‘I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here’ stint, but she is said to have decided against heading back to Albert Square.
A pal told The Sun Online: "Jacqueline had a few conversations with bosses about a big return four months before she entered the jungle.
"After weighing up her options she just felt the money wasn’t enough compared to what she could earn elsewhere."
She is said to be keen to try her hand at other projects after leaving the soap in February 2018.
The pal added: "She loves ‘EastEnders’ and thoroughly enjoyed her time on the show but Jacqueline is a very talented young woman and not just when it comes to acting.
"There are lots of strings to her bow and there’s lots of things she wants to try, which she can’t do when she’s on ‘EastEnders’."
It’s said Jacqueline could make around £1 million next year from various fashion deals and Instagram posts after she won the latest ‘I’m A Celebrity’ series on Sunday (08.12.19).
Just a month before she bowed out the soap, the star admitted she was glad the door was being left open for a potential return one day, but she was keen to try out other things.
Speaking exclusively to BANG Showbiz, she said: "That’s the hardest part to be honest with you – leaving the character and my friends. Yeah I can go back, that is an option but I would like to go into some other things. I’d love to do definitely some more drama, I wouldn’t say no to a film, maybe even some theatre."