Popular German soap Unter uns is set to bring back one of its most iconic characters for its 30th anniversary – despite the character and actress having been dead for 18 years.

Unter uns first aired on November 28, 1994 and featured actress Christiane Maybach as Margot Weigel – the owner of Schillerallee 10.

The character had a string of failed romances during her dramatic 11-year stint on the show, before dying unexpectedly during a visit to Australia in 2005.

In 2006, actress Christiane sadly died of cancer at age 74, and a special memorial episode of the soap was broadcast in her honour.

Next week, Unter uns is set to air another special episode in celebration of its 30th anniversary, and it will feature the iconic Margot.

When Margot appears to great-granddaughter Cecilia Weigel (Carina Koller) in a dream, she gives her the task of following in her footsteps.

Though Cecilia is sceptical when she wakes up, she decides to accept Margot’s task, and ends up uncovering a well-kept secret of the Weigels that could rewrite family history.

In order to bring Margot back to life for the episode, Unter uns teamed up with AI voice company Respeecher.

In a statement on Facebook, the company said: ‘For the special anniversary plot, we revived the voice of Margot Weigel, one of the show’s iconic characters, allowing her to return to Schillerallee in a dream sequence.

‘Just like in our other projects, we ensured the highest ethical standards for AI voice synthesis.’

There is also an actress, Angela H. Fischer, embodying Margot, with AI technology being used to make her look like Christiane.

‘We have an actress, the lovely Angela, and Angela has Margot Weigel’s face glued onto her using artificial intelligence, however you want to call it, and yes, we’re filming that right now, and it’s very cool,’ Cecilia Weigel actress Carina Koller explained in a behind the scenes clip.

‘AI has many different sides of course, but I actually find the idea of ​​bringing back someone who has been there before very nice, especially because the actress herself – I unfortunately never got to meet her – but she was a very dazzling, eccentric person, just like her role, and we’re making her almost immortal by doing this,’ she added.

‘From what I’ve heard, she would have really liked that. I think she’s sitting up there and enjoying herself.’

MORE: Is this the moment the robot rebellion begins?

MORE: The utterly fascinating Nazi origins of one of the world’s most iconic drinks

MORE: Google AI has sinister message for ‘stain on universe’ student doing homework