Empson took maternity leave in October 2013 and after appearing several times during her break via webcam, Kim returned to Albert Square on 30 December 2014.

In later storylines, Kim suffers a miscarriage, has to cope with becoming a single mother to her and Vincent Hubbard's (Richard Blackwood) children, Pearl and Mica, following Vincent's mysterious disappearance, has a relationship with Howie Danes (Delroy Atkinson), becomes a social media influencer, and develops post-traumatic stress disorder from a car accident with her and Howie's teenage son Denzel (Jaden Ladega).

Kim is often shown in a comedic light and as a result, Empson earned a nomination for "Best Comedy Performance" at the 2011 British Soap Awards.

Ruth Deller from entertainment website Lowculture praised the character during her guest appearance in 2009 and later said Kim is a "big, ballsy, whirlwind", who provides some light relief to the show.

Daniel Maier from The Guardian has criticised Kim's B&B venture, calling it a "holding pen for characters who are 'between homes' within Albert Square's hermetically sealed biosphere."

During her visit, Kim's partner, Dexter Mulholland (Robbie Gee), makes a pass at her niece, Chelsea Fox (Tiana Benjamin), but she chooses to forgive him.

When Dexter buys Kim out of their restaurant business, she purchases the house next door to Denise's and opens a bed and breakfast, called "Kimberley's Palace".

However, Patrick find CCTV footage of a drunken Kim entering the local shop, the Minute Mart, late at night and taking alcohol.

After Yusef sets the B&B on fire, Kim, Patrick and Denise are left homeless, so they move in with brothers Anthony (Matt Lapinskas) and Tyler Moon (Tony Discipline) and borrow clothes from friends.

After the insurance company refuse to pay for the damage, Patrick decides to retire and offers Kim and Denise the Minute Mart.

When Zainab Masood (Nina Wadia) inherits all of Yusef's money, she gives it to Kim and Denise but is unhappy when they start spending it frivolously.

She briefly falls out with Denise when she insults Kim's failed marriage, and leaves a voicemail and a text message for Vincent, informing him that he is a father.

Pearl develops an infection and is ill in hospital for several months, and when she brings her daughter home, Kim finds Vincent waiting for her.

She provides him with a false alibi for the assault on a drug dealer and key witness at Dot Branning's (June Brown) trial, and later discovers from his foster sister Donna Yates (Lisa Hammond) that he did this for Ronnie Mitchell (Samantha Womack), a former girlfriend of his.

When Kush Kazemi (Davood Ghadami) suffers a cardiac arrest, Kim assists Sonia Fowler (Natalie Cassidy), who performs CPR.

Kim is interviewed by a local radio station and plans to use the opportunity to advertise The Albert, but changes her mind after seeing Ian, who has lost his son and business in a fire.

[11][12] In December 2009, executive producer Diederick Santer was asked by entertainment website Digital Spy if there were plans for Kim and Dexter to return.

[15] With the announcement of Kim's permanent return to Albert Square, the character was described as "viscous and bubbly" on the outside, but hiding vulnerability and low self-esteem by Kris Green of Digital Spy.

"[16] It continues to read: "With dress sense louder than Bianca Jackson's brood and an unsuitable boyfriend in toe, you will definitely know when Kim Fox enters the building!

She might look like a long in the tooth ghetto princess, but scratch beneath the surface and you will find a sharp, family-orientated person with a big heart.

But Kim knows love does exist, she has seen in magazines!While speaking to the Press Association, Empson said she felt good about bringing humour to EastEnders through her character.

"[20] In September 2010, Empson teased that Kim would stir things up with her kiss with Ricky Butcher (Sid Owen): "Well put it this way, all the men are in my eyesight.

"[21] Empson revealed in December 2011 that both Kim and Denise will stand up to Phil Mitchell after they receive incriminating evidence about him on Christmas Day.

[24] Despite still being on a break, Empson featured as Kim for a special webcam appearance in December 2019, talking to her family at Christmas dinner.

The team focus on her adventures (and mishaps) as she strives to raise her small business from the ashes of disaster, catapulting her into the realm of the Alan Sugars and Richard Bransons of this world.

Empson worked with the EastEnders web team to create the series, and they wanted it to be shorter than she did, so her scripts were edited but all her jokes were kept.

She's a much more interesting prospect than yet another new Mitchell/Branning/Slater/etc, though I'd fear for her if she was made a permanent fixture and had to complete the obligatory Phil Mitchell shagging initiation ritual.

Kim Fox is one such character—a big, ballsy, whirlwind, she brings a sense of fabulousness to all her scenes and works well as the kind of character that can sympathise with those going through the usual Walford misery whilst encouraging them to embrace their inner fag/hag.

[46] Lucy Mangan of The Guardian said that Kim "walks and talks like an actual warm, funny, normal person", adding that she "has dropped into Walford like manna-with-comedy-chops from heaven".

Because eventually the dank, fetid air of Walford will poison her lungs and the cold, clammy hand of 'Enders-doom will lay itself upon her soul and quieten it forever.