With Nasty Nick Cotton’s return imminent, Andrew Musgrove takes a look at the top five Walford returns!
5. Peggy Mitchell
Peggy has been in and out of the show so many times but her return to the soap in September 2013 showed just why the door will always be open for the Mitchell mariarch. Storming into hospital, straight off a flight from Portugal, to tell son Phil – who had just gone through the windscreen of a car – to get off his arse. Hard Love.
4. David Wicks
One of the original charmers returned to our screens for the first time in over 15 years, to see his dying ‘ma Pat one last time but there was an old adversary standing in his way: Derek Branning. In a rare show of force, David gave him a slap for good measure.
3.Phil Mitchell
The Mitchells just love leaving and returning. It’s their thing and one of the most memorable returns was that of Phil, on the run from the police. He gave Ian a nice face wash while on his travels.
2.Dirty Den
The original landlord of the Queen Vic was last seen falling into a canal after being shot by a bouquet of flowers. 14 years later, it turned out that Den had actually survived the shot in the back and he emerged out of the darkness to utter those famous words: ‘Hello Princess’.
1.Grant and Phil Mitchell
Those pesky Mitchells again, but if you’re a fan of Eastenders then you’ll remember this one. Billy stepping up to save Peggy from a hitman (it’s quite lively in Walford isn’t it?) “I’ll rip your bleeding head off…” superman Billy shouts… “Yeah, you and whose army?” … the thug returns with eloquent brilliance…doors open, footsteps, door slam shut… “Hello mum.” Cue utter mayhem.
