Michelle Claire Ryan is anEnglish actress, best known for her role as Zoe Slater on the BBC1 soap operaEastEnders. Born and raised in London, Michelle Claire Ryan expressed anaffinity for acting while still in grade school. A few years later, Michellebegan auditioning for local television shows and film shoots. Her hard workpaidoff in 2000 after she was added to the cast of the long-running UK-basedsoap opera EastEnders.
In 2005 she announced thatshe was leaving EastEnders as she wanted to concentrate on modelling and go onto establish herself as a movie actress. Her latest role was in the Britishtelevision show Marple, which screened in February 2006. According to the Britishnewspaper The Sun, Michelle auditioned to replace Billie Piper as the Doctor'scompanion in Doctor Who; however Freema Agyeman was ultimately chosen for therole. Michelle is currently filming Jekyll for BBC, a modern day version of Dr.Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, starring James Nesbitt.