EastEnders first look at comebacks after unexpected tragedy in 67 pictures

With Martin’s funeral days away, Sharon can’t help but reminisce about the much-missed market trader (Picture: BBC)

Luckily, Albie is on hand to help her with a Mother’s Day gift (Picture: BBC)

Phil’s whereabouts has sparked concern (Picture: BBC)

Nigel mistakenly claimed that Phil was missing – but it turns out that his confusion was due to his dementia (Picture: BBC)

Nigel is grateful as Phil covers for him (Picture: BBC)

Kathy and Denise pop over for a visit – and spirits are high (Picture: BBC)

With his feelings for Sharon on his mind, Phil decides it’s time to tell her how he truly feels (Picture: BBC)

How will Sharon take the news? (Picture: BBC)

Avani continues to struggle following her ordeal the previous week (Picture: BBC)

Lily is on hand to help (Picture: BBC)

But soon, the girls are planning to smoke weed (Picture: BBC)

Will they follow through? (Picture: BBC)

While processing Phil’s confession, Sharon receives another huge shock (Picture: BBC)

Vicki Fowler has arrived in Walford – and she’s not alone, having brought new partner Ross and stepson Joel with her (Picture: BBC)

Sharon is overwhelmed, wasting little time in offering her half sister a hug (Picture: BBC)

Vicki is back for Martin’s funeral (Picture: BBC)

Sharon properly introduces Vicki to Zack (Picture: BBC)

Vicki and Sharon catch up over a cuppa (Picture: BBC)

It’s an emotional time for them (Picture: BBC)

The pair reminisce about Martin (Picture: BBC)

Vicki also shares some news, revealing she and Spencer have separated (Picture: BBC)

The chat moves to the kitchen as the sisters have a lot to discuss (Picture: BBC)

Alfie wastes little time in reconnecting with Vicki, but will the truth about Spencer come to light? (Picture: BBC)

Joel checks out his new stomping ground, taking a stroll down Bridge Street (Picture: BBC)

It’s not long before he makes a friend, introducing himself to Tommy (Picture: BBC)

The newcomer stops outside Martin’s stall, which is filled with special memories of the market trader (Picture: BBC)

Avani bumps into Joel (Picture: BBC)

The teens get to know one another (Picture: BBC)

Having annoyed Lauren by searching for missing Cindy, Peter gets down on one knee (Picture: BBC)

Lauren is totally taken aback as he pops the question (Picture: BBC)

Peter is devastated as she declines his proposal (Picture: BBC)

Vicki shows Ross around the place she used to call home (Picture: BBC)

With money woes aplenty, Ross is keen for Ian’s help (Picture: BBC)

Reeling from Lauren’s declination, Peter wants to know the reason why (Picture: BBC)

Can Lauren provide the clarity he craves? (Picture: BBC)

Ross makes his way to the Prince Albert, where he speaks to Felix (Picture: BBC)

Peter arrives for a drink and promptly introduces himself to Ross (Picture: BBC)

Ross makes the connection and shakes his hand (Picture: BBC)

Bianca is conflicted after a journalist offers her the chance to do an interview about Reiss (Picture: BBC)

Sonia is still finding life tough in the wake of Reiss’ reign of terror – not to mention Martin’s death, which has taken it’s toll (Picture: BBC)

Bianca is determined to support her sister (Picture: BBC)

Sonia makes it quite clear that she’s not keen on the prospect of this interview (Picture: BBC)

Their conversation is interrupted by an unexpected arrival (Picture: BBC)

Bex has returned home for Martin’s funeral (Picture: BBC)

Sonia is overcome with emotion upon seeing her daughter (Picture: BBC)

The mother and daughter duo embrace, united in their grief (Picture: BBC)

An emotional moment ensues between the two (Picture: BBC)

Bianca, meanwhile, continues to contemplate whether or not she should do the interview (Picture: BBC)

Bex officially meets her sister Julia (Picture: BBC)

The heartwarming meeting is overshadowed by the tragedy of Martin’s death (Picture: BBC)

Bex requests that her mum accompany her to say goodbye to Martin – but Sonia isn’t feeling up to it (Picture: BBC)

Joel hangs out with Lily (Picture: BBC)

Tommy crosses paths with the two (Picture: BBC)

He gets some chips with Joel (Picture: BBC)

Lily speaks to Tommy (Picture: BBC)

The two seem in good spirits after their chat (Picture: BBC)

Left with food for thought, Tommy has a decision to make (Picture: BBC)

He takes out his phone – but what is he up to? (Picture: BBC)

Joel introduces himself to Amy (Picture: BBC)

They get along well, by the looks of things (Picture: BBC)

Is this the beginning of another friendship for Joel? (Picture: BBC)

Tommy’s friendship with the newcomer is certainly flourishing (Picture: BBC)

In fact, it’s going so well that he’s deleted his AI chatbot (Picture: BBC)

Alfie has reservations about Tommy’s new mate – but will this spill into the young lad’s interactions with Joel? (Picture: BBC)

Bianca and Kat enjoy a catch up in the cafe (Picture: BBC)

It’s just like old times as they laugh – enjoying one another’s company (Picture: BBC)

Bex catches up with Sharon on the night before Martin’s funeral (Picture: BBC)

Emotions run high in a dramatic week for Walford, as EastEnders welcomes back a number of former faces, who stage their comeback in honour of the legendary Martin Fowler (James Bye).

Martin, as viewers will recall, met a tragic end during the BBC One soap’s 40th anniversary after he perished in the wake of the Queen Vic explosion – just hours after confessing his love for Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner).

The subsequent weeks have seen Walford in mourning, with the fruit and veg market trader considered a staple of the community.

Attention turns to his funeral next week as the sad day looms and it brings Vicki Fowler – now played by Alice Haig – home for the first time in almost two decades.

Vicki arrives back with new partner Ross – played by The Bill and Holby City’s Alex Walkinshaw – and his son Joel(Max Murray), and her comeback gets quite the response. Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean), for one, is elated to see her half-sister, who confirms she’s separated from Spencer Moon.

But Vicki isn’t the only close relative of Martin’s back to say goodbye as Bex (Jasmine Armfield) stages her return later in the week, hugging mum Sonia (Natalie Cassidy) tightly.

Bex asks Sonia to accompany her to the undertakers to say goodbye to her dad – but Sonia struggles with the prospect of doing so.

Will she be able to say goodbye to her first love?

Elsewhere, Sharon is left worried when Nigel Bates (Paul Bradley) informs her that Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden) has gone missing. Phil, however, returns home soon afterwards and is confused as to why everyone was worried about his whereabouts.

Realising that Nigel’s dementia played a role in his belief that his friend was missing, Phil covers, offering a simple explanation for where he was.

In emotional scenes, Phil admits his feelings for Sharon. The question is: will she feel the same?

Peter Beale (Thomas Law), meanwhile, receives criticism from Lauren Branning (Jacqueline Jossa), who remains concerned about missing Cindy Beale – who has gone AWOL. In a bid to make things right, Peter pops the question at Beale’s Eels. Lauren, however, says she cannot accept!