It’s about time but Albert Square is finally set to see the villainous Janine Butcher return to EastEnders.
Actress Charlie Brooks was revealed to be returning to the BBC One soap opera earlier this year, with the character making her big comeback next month.
Last seen being found not guilty for the murder of husband Michael Moon in 2014, Janine was driven out of Walford by angry locals after trying to frame Alice Branning for her crime.
Janine departed London from St Pancras International but met a lottery-winning couple before she planned her journey to Paris to be reunited with daughter Scarlett.
While we wait and see what is next from Janine and look forward to answers about what exactly went wrong with her and Scarlett, we thought now would be a good time to look back on the most explosive comebacks in EastEnders history.
Den Watts (2003)
The original Walford bad boy, “Dirty Den” was one of the main characters of the London-set soap in the 1980s, well-known for his endless affair, feuds and criminal operations.
It all changed, however, when actor Leslie Grantham quit his role as the Queen Vic landlord in 1988 and the character was seemingly killed off in an artfully shot canal-side shooting in 1989 - with adopted daughter Sharon ( Letitia Dean ) even identifying his body off-screen.
It would not be until 14 years later that Den Watts returned to Albert Square in 2003, with Sharon getting the shock of her life when sister Vicki Fowler came to see her at the nightclub Angie’s Den with their dad in tow.
“Hello princess,” said Den in an iconic cliffhanger.
It was revealed that Den had faked his own death to escape the criminal organisation “The Firm” and soon set about setting up home in the Square again, clashing with biological son Dennis Rickman (Nigel Harman).
After another year of feuding, crime, and affairs, Den was finally killed off for good when he was murdered by scorned wife Chrissie Watts (Tracy-Ann Oberman).
Sharon Watts (2001)
Speaking of comebacks from the Watts family, Sharon had been a major figure on the Square for the first decade EastEnders had been on air but departed from the show in 1995.
Having been at the centre of a major love square with husband Grant Mitchell, his brother Phil and friend Kathy Beale, Sharon’s life in Walford came to a close as her love story with Grant came to a bitter end and she left for America.
It had been six years since her exit when mother-in-law Peggy Mitchell was horrified to meet the new owner of the Queen Vic pub in 2001.
“Hello Peggy, bet you thought you’d never see me again,” said a sultry Sharon from behind the bar.
And thus began the breathy blonde’s second stint on the Square until her exit in 2006 after the murder of husband Dennis.
Sharon would make another shock comeback in 2012 as a runaway bride, but this could never stop her camp classic return 11 years earlier.
Kathy Beale (2015)
Another shocking return from the dead had to be the not-publicised return of original cast member Kathy Beale, played by Gillian Taylforth.
The beloved character had not been seen since she left Walford in 2000 but was later killed off-screen in 2006 to facilitate the return of hers and Phil’s son Ben Mitchell from South Africa.
Supposedly being killed in a car crash, Ben and older half-brother Ian Beale mourned the loss of beloved mum Kathy.
However, for the live instalments to celebrate EastEnders’ 30th anniversary week, Phil met up with a mystery person opposite the O2 Arena.
To everyone’s shock, Kathy Beale stepped out of a black cab alive and well.
It later emerged that she had been bullied into faking her own death by abusive husband Gavin Sullivan (Paul Nicholas) but thankfully her loved ones managed to free her from his clutches.
Kathy has been back where she belongs on Albert Square ever since.
Stacey Slater (2014)
As one of the most popular characters in EastEnders history, fans were devastated when Lacey Turner announced she would be leaving behind the role of Stacey Slater in 2010.
The character was exposed as the killer of Archie Mitchell by nemesis Janine Butcher before then being framed for stabbing Janine in her own kitchen, prompting a suicidal Stacey to flee Walford for Mexico with help from cousin Kat Moon and former lover Max Branning.
We last saw Stacey flying over London with baby Lily in tow.
Viewers and Kat got a shock, however, when Stacey was spotted walking along a London street in 2014.
Later returning to Walford, Stacey revealed that she had started a new life for herself under a new name in husband with a boyfriend named Luke (Matt Willis).
However, not willing to run and hide anymore, Stacey confessed to killing rapist Archie and gave herself up to the police.
Thankfully, Stacey managed to be released on mental health grounds later in the year.
Sam Mitchell (2009)
This one was rather unique due to the fact the character had been cast, recast, then returned back to the original actor.
Last being seen played by actress Kim Medcalf, Samantha Mitchell fled Albert Square in 2004 for Brazil to escape charges for perverting the course of justice in the murder of Den Watts.
It would prove a shock for viewers and love rival Bianca Jackson (Patsy Palmer) in 2009, however, when Sam returned to Albert Square, played once again by original actress Danniella Westbrook who had previously played the role on and off from 1990 to 2000.
Sam said to Bianca in her first appearance: “Some things never change, do they, Bianca?”
Sam found herself having romances with ex-husband Ricky Butcher and Walford ladies’ man Jack Branning before being sent down for her crimes in early 2010.
The schemer would be released from prison later that year for a ‘Who’s the Daddy?’ storyline surrounding the paternity of son Ricky - later revealed to be Jack’s son.
Westbrook departed the soap again that year but later made a brief return for Peggy Mitchell’s final storyline in 2016.
James Willmott-Brown (2017)
In one of Kathy’s few major storylines since her 2015 return, it was revealed that the soap’s hidden big bad who had been pulling the strings of a vengeful Max Branning was actually the evil James Willmott-Brown (William Boyde).
Having originally appeared on the show from 1986 to 1989, Willmott-Brown had been the owner of Walford’s second pub The Dagmar and had been Kathy’s boss before raping her in a much-publicised storyline in 1988.
He was later sent to prison before making a brief return in 1992 to see Kathy.
His comeback in 2017 saw it revealed that Willmott-Brown was trying to literally destroy Albert Square with his company Weyland & Co. He received help from his children Luke and Fi Browning (Lisa Faulkner) and Josh Hemmings.
Willmott-Brown had a dramatic face-off with Kathy and he tried to start a new relationship with her but was rejected by a resolute Kathy.
He was betrayed by his daughter Fi who ruined his company in revenge for his behaviour.
Suffering from terminal liver cancer and having suffered a heart attack due to the shock of his daughter’s betrayal, the villain was finally left to die alone in the hospital.
A typical Walford festive season!
*EastEnders airs on BBC One on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.
