On 3 June 2019, it was confirmed that the role had been recast with actor Clay Milner Russell now in the role. Hollyoaks actor Billy Price revealed in 2021 that he auditioned for the role, and made it "quite far" into the audition process. He explained that excluding him, there were three other actors in the running for the role. Bobby returns in episode 5937, originally broadcast on 13 June 2019, after being released from prison and is greeted by his grandmother, Kathy Beale (Gillian Taylforth). The show's executive producer, Jon Sen, expressed his excitement at the casting, commenting, "Clay's an exciting new talent with a charisma and an intensity that injects a new energy into the fascinating character of Bobby Beale". He added that Bobby's return would have repercussions for other characters.
