High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Jean Elaine Slater is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Gillian Wright. She appeared in December 2004 briefly and in December 2005. She returned as a recurring character in June 2006 and returned again as a regular character from November 2006. She departed from the series on 13 January 2011 and returned on 29 March 2011.