'Allo, 'Allo! actress Vicki Michelle is ditching her famous French accent to talk Cockney.

The star of the vintage BBC comedy has joined the tough soap EastEnders - and Sittingbourne fans had a sneak preview.

Vicki, 72, who played saucy suspender-clad Yvette Carte-Blanche in the 1980s farce set in Second World War France, is now coming bang up to date as comedian Brian Conley's on-screen wife Jo Cotton.

She has already filmed scenes in Albert Square.

Last Saturday she surprised a half-full Avenue Theatre by talking about the latest boost to her acting career.

The evening was the idea of Cllr Ken Rowles, a long-term friend, and her husband, the filmmaker Graham Fowler. Cllr Rowles (Lab, Roman) is one of the founders of the Swale Media Centre in Sittingbourne High Street.

He said: "Graham and I go back a long way. His father was production supervisor on the first film I ever produced in the 1970s.

"Vicki is also a great friend and is one of the patrons of the Swale Media Centre.

"The night was to celebrate 100 years of the BBC and also 40 years of 'Allo, 'Allo!

"We showed the first ever episode and then Vicki talked about how she got into acting, what it was like working with Gorden Kaye on 'Allo, 'Allo! and her new role in EastEnders."

Vicki's husband Graham was in the audience and the mayor of Swale Cllr Simon Clarke was also at the event.

Cllr Rowles added: "Vicki had the audience laughing constantly. Later she was joined on stage by her daughter, comedian and actress Louise Fowler, who shared tales from Vicki’s appearance in I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here."

Louise starred alongside former EastEnders actor Danny Dyer in the Ray Cooney comedy film Run For Your Wife.

Cllr Rowles said: "Vicki had already begun filming EastEnders and will initially appear in two episodes due to be screened this month. Hopefully, there will be more to follow. Barbara Windsor only joined for a couple of weeks and stayed for eight years."

He added: "We all had a wonderful evening of laughter and memories. It was a truly special occasion."

Producers have revealed that Vicki's EastEnders character married Tom 'Rocky' Cotton more than 25 years ago but her arrival in Walford could spell trouble for the car dealer who is currently engaged to Kathy Beale.

Vicki said: "I'm so excited to be in EastEnders. Everyone has been so lovely.

"Jo Cotton is a great character. It is such a great story. I can’t wait for the audience to meet her."