EastEnders fans spotted a familiar face as the new series of DI Ray kicked off earlier this week.

Former Walford icon Annette Badland popped up in Sunday’s episode of the ITV detective drama, which stars Bend It Like Beckham and ER actress Parminder Nagra.

Annette is best known to soap fans as EastEnders’ villainous Aunt Babe Smith.

Introduced as an extended member of the Carter family, she caused chaos for her relatives during her stint on Albert Square between 2014 and 2017.Her storylines saw her exposed as a baby farmer, encourage Abi Branning to lie about being pregnant, and attempt to steal from the Queen Vic after leaving sister Sylvie to die.

Aunt Babe was last seen cursing The Vic after being disowned by her family, never to be seen again.

Annette, meanwhile, has starred in several other shows since leaving Walford, including Midsomer Murders, Big Boys, Plebs and Ted Lasso.

Her most recent on-screen role in DI Ray sees her play a pawn shop worker called Liz, who was questioned about the disappearance of her boss.

‘Omg it’s aunt babe from Eastenders. Brilliant actress,’ one viewer posted on X (formerly Twitter).

Another said: ‘Honestly Annette deserves to become a Dame.’

She wasn’t the only recognisable face for soap fans, however, with fellow EastEnder Lucy Speed also making an appearance as Susan Denvers.

Lucy played Natalie Evans for two stints in the BBC soap between 1994 and 2004.