It appears that Lisa Marie Turtle will be returning to Bayside after all.
It was recently announced that Lark Voorhies, who is most noted for her role as the teen fashion queen in “Saved By the Bell,” will be back to reprise her role in the television sitcom, Entertainment Weekly first reported.
“When the show picks up with Lisa, she is thriving with a successful career in fashion,” streaming platform Peacock teased to the media outlet. The 46-year-old starred as Lisa Turtle since the show’s start in 1988, when it was called “Good Morning, Miss Bliss,” and stayed on through all four seasons following the show’s name change from 1989 to 1992.
Earlier this year, Voorhies expressed her sadness after she initially wasn’t invited back for the sitcom’s reboot. During an interview with Dr. Oz, which aired on Wednesday, Feb. 19, the actress opened up about she felt when she wasn’t asked to return.
“I have to admit I feel a bit slighted and hurt when I was not invited to be part of the ‘Saved by the Bell’ reunion as well as other cast members events, yet, of course, I also realized that having this puzzling disorder may have placed a major part in that factual decision,” the actress, who was previously diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder said. She added, “With that in mind, I am truly thankful for having had the chance to work on a show that has been so successful.”
The former teen sensation suffers from a slew of mental health issues. Voorhies’ mother, Tricia Holloway, told People magazine in 2012 that her daughter had bipolar disorder, but the actress denied her mother’s claims. Holloway maintained that any strange behavior that her daughter exhibited was due to the depression she suffered after her divorce from her actor husband, Miquel Coleman, in 2004.
Still, fans were excited to hear of the star’s return to the show, but it wasn’t without caution to her health. “I just hope she is still getting therapy… Hollywood is a serious trigger… I’m happy she will reprise Lisa but I don’t want it to be at the expense of her mental health,” one user on Twitter wrote.
Another commented, “YES!!! OK I’m definitely watching now. So glad she’s included in the remake.”
“THIS IS SO AWESOME GOD BLESS HER IM SO ELATED THAT SHES DOING WELL!” a third person wrote.
The actress will be joining some of her original cast mates, including Mark-Paul Gosselaar (Zack Morris), Tiffani Thiessen (Kelly Kapowski), Mario Lopez (A.C. Slater), and Elizabeth Berkley (Jessie Spano). “Saved by the Bell” will debut on Peacock streaming platforms on Nov. 25.
