Patsy Palmer is spotted near the EastEnders set as she sparks rumours she is set to return to the…

Patsy Palmer has sparked speculation she may be returning to Albert Square again after she was pictured near the EastEnders set this week.

The actress, 52, who is known for playing Bianca Jackson on the long-running soap, made a brief appearance on the show earlier this year.

However, these new pictures suggest she may be returning for a longer stint ahead of the soap’s 40th anniversary next year.

It’s unlikely that Patsy would return in a permanent capacity after admitting she would never live in the UK again and leave her ‘dream’ Malibu life.

The soap star was spotted looking fresh-faced as she left a hotel in London near Elstree Studios where the programme is filmed.

Patsy was wearing a white tank top with a pair of loose linen trousers, with a black jumper wrapped around her shoulders.

Patsy recently reprised her role as Bianca for a short period for her on-screen daughter Shona McGarty‘s exit from the show.

Bianca followed her daughter Whitney [Shona] back to Walford, however Whitney soon decided to up sticks and move away.

Bianca remained in the Square with her sister Sonia and her partner Reiss but after clashing with them she decided to leave again.

During emotional scenes ahead of her exit, she confessed to Kat Slater [Jessie Wallace] that she had been dealing with depression.

Viewers watched Bianca get behind the wheel of her van drunk, after vowing to create a life for herself somewhere else.

Before her exit, Bianca told Reiss she knew he had stolen money from his comatosed wife Debbie to fund his IVF treatment with Sonia.

Since then, Reiss has murdered Debbie and Sonia is nonthewiser that she is expecting a baby with a killer.

So Bianca may be back to expose Reiss or hopefully not become his next victim.

Other stars set to return for the anniversary include David Wicks [Michael French[] and Chrissie Watts [Tracy-Ann Oberman].

Boss Chris Clenshaw told The Sun: ‘As we head towards our 40th year, I think the nostalgic element means a lot.

‘Into the autumn and the end of the year, we’ve got quite a few treats coming up.’

Asked if that meant a return for some favourite characters, Chris replied: ‘Maybe. It all depends on the story and where the characters are.

‘But it has to come from character, it has to come from story.’

Last year, Pasty  admitted she would ‘never live in the UK again’ as she lives out her ‘dream life’ in Malibu.

Patsy, who moved to the US with her husband Richard Merkell in 2014, said that ‘pinches herself every morning.’

Speaking to DJ Lorcan and DJ YUKI on their podcast Shuffle Skip Repeat on Wednesday, the actress opened up about her life by the ocean.

Patsy said: ‘It’s beautiful we live in our own little bubble, Malibu is it’s own little place, we very much keep ourselves to ourselves and we have a lot of English friends.

‘I pinch myself every morning when I wake up and see the ocean it’s like a dream. But I’ve created that.’

She continued: ‘I don’t think I would live in England again. I would like to experience something else in life but I’m not too sure if I will.

‘I’m very happy and grateful for where I am so I’m not going anywhere fast. I don’t know what that might look like. It just depends on life and where it goes. I just think do what makes you happy.’

Recalling a fun night out in Malibu, she exclaimed: ‘I met all my idols in one night. I was the only one dancing, and then I got a tip on the shoulder and it was Pharrell Williams.

‘He asked if I wanted to dance with him. I got to meet Mary J Blige and Dr Dre that night as well. It was amazing, I’m just so grateful.’

Patsy has been living in the States with her children and husband Richard, after they relocated in 2014 when her time on EastEnders came to an end.

The actress has since turned her attention to her career as a DJ, often travelling to Los Angeles, where she has performed at local venue Sunset at EDITION.

Patsy has also found a new passion as she launched her new wellness page on Instagram, Good and Proper, last year.

The actress – who is referred to as her real name Julie in the States – was catapulted into the spotlight as Bianca on the popular BBC soap in 1993.

She quit the show in 1999, returned in 2008 and left the series again six years later before moving to Malibu with her family where she practises a life of wellbeing.

Patsy has spoken before about how meditation has helped her handle her struggles with mental health.

During her rise to fame, the Bethnal Green native experimented with drugs and alcohol, but later overcame her substance abuse with therapy.

She told The Sun’s Fabulous Magazine at the start of the year: ‘It feels so foreign now, I’m so far removed from it… I couldn’t even do yoga when I was in my 20s because I couldn’t sit still.

‘Right now is the happiest I’ve ever been. I’m always in the now and it’s the only place I want to be.’

Patsy Palmer has sparked speculation she may be returning to Albert Square again after she was pictured near the EastEnders set this week. The actress, 52, who is known for playing Bianca Jackson on the long-running soap, made a brief appearance on the show earlier this year. However, these new pictures suggest she may be returning for a longer…