Wallace did not appear in the show between November 2004 and May 2005 following a period of maternity leave, and Kat later left the soap on 25 December 2005. Wallace reprised the role in 2010 and Kat returned on 17 September, before taking leave from the soap again between January and June 2012. The character departed the soap again in May 2015, returning briefly between December 2015 and January 2016. Wallace reprised her role as Kat in the six-part spin-off series "" in 2017. Following the confirmation that "Redwater" would not return for a second series, it was announced that Kat would return to "EastEnders"; she returned on 22 March 2018. On 26 January 2020, Wallace was suspended from the soap for two months due to her off-screen behaviour; she ultimately returned to work when production of the series resumed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Kat departed on 23 March 2020 and returned on 7 September 2020.