The EastEnders return fans have prayed for as show legend stages unexpected comeback
EastEnders spoilers follow for Tuesday’s (May 26) episode, which can now be streamed on BBC iPlayer. The episode in question will air at 7:30pm.
EastEnders fans, your prayers have been answered.
Without so much as a hint, the BBC One soap left audiences who watch new offerings early via iPlayer stunned with the unexpected and long-awaited return of the Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean).
The beloved show icon, a staple of the long-running serial drama for much of its four decades on air, was last seen on the Square in October, when she departed Walford just weeks after staging a comeback.
Fans have longed to see the former Queen Vic landlady back where she belongs, with some hopeful that she might waltz back into the Walford for sister Vicki Fowler’s (Alice Haig) wedding to Ross Marshall (Alex Walkinshaw) but the waitress dispelled such a theory last week when she said she’d told Sharon not to fork out for the flights.
But in an unexpected twist on Tuesday, Sharon set foot back in the Square – and it certainly softened the blow of having to say goodbye to Sam Mitchell (Kim Medcalf) and Grant Mitchell (Ross Kemp), who departed just seconds before.
Despite what Vicki had told her over the phone, Sharon was adamant that she ‘couldn’t miss’ her little sister walking down the aisle, with the siblings sharing a heartwarming reunion.
The question is: is she back for good? And, in addition to attending Vicki and Ross’ nuptials, just what will she get up to while frequenting Walford?
Grant may be gone but there’s plenty of her friends, neighbours and former flames still around – not to mention Zoe Slater (Michelle Ryan), who attempted to con her out of her cash with a cruel lie about her son also being Dennis Rickman’s (Nigel Harman).
Will Sharon be willing to forgive and forget? Or will the former foes be feuding once more?
We’ll just have to wait and see – but what a treat to have the queen of Albert Square back home.
Her comeback follows a string of surprise returns, with Whitney Dean (Shona McGarty) – who left two years ago – making an announced appearance on Monday.
Chrissie Watts (Tracy-Ann Oberman), who was revealed to be Jasmine Fisher’s (Indeyarna Donaldson-Holness) accomplice, similarly staged a number of shocking returns this year, while a ghostly Nish Panesar (Navin Chowdhry) also popped up at one point.
The superb comeback of Cora Cross (Ann Mitchell)and that unexpected appearance from Dr Nina Gupta (Hersha Verity) also proved popular with fans.