EastEnders is playing a blinder with huge returns – it’s not just nostalgia EastEnders
picture shows David Wicks, Cindy and Jane Beale and Bianca Jackson Just a few of the familiar
faces! (Picture: Metro.co.uk/BBC) David Wicks. David. Wicks. Another in a long-line of
announced EastEnders returns had me picking my jaw off the floor once more when the email landed in my inbox. You’d think I’d be used to it by now. The familiar names of the EastEnders press team, clearly working overtime at the minute to keep up with all of this, herald exciting announcement after announcement – and have done for the past year and beyond. And on many of these occasions, these messages contain the name and picture of a soap legend we thought we’d never see again. For me, David is the cream of the crop given he is one of my favourite soap characters of all time. But, then again, who knows who else will come out of the woodwork – as it seems show producer Chris Clenshaw either has the perfect tone and vision for his beloved show that easily attracts these big names, or he has powers of the mind that would make a hypnotist writhe in envy.
One of the biggest praises I (and many others) have had since the beginning of his tenure a couple of years back is his attention to detail, continuity and community. So bringing back a familiar face is more than a headline or a ratings grab. Running up to the 40th anniversary of the groundbreaking show still watched by millions, tapping into the history of EastEnders is an easy win, and much more important than doubters give credit for. Michael French as David Wicks in front of the Queen Vic in an EastEnders promo picture David. Actual. Wicks. (Picture: BBC) Is it nostalgia porn? Well, maybe to an extent, there is an element of that – it would be mad if the team weren’t sitting waiting for the embargoes to lift and seeing the cheers and excitement of fans reacting to the news dropping. But there’s much more to it than that. These characters are part of the show’s fabric and have a lot of links remaining to the community still central in the modern era.
These days, we see far more recognition and recollection of previous storylines and events in the show and that’s what viewers long for. A soap is a continuing drama and should never be just a series of unconnected events. With the fantastic return of Jane Beale, soap’s longest ever running storyline continues – who’d have thought when Lucy Beale’s body was found that the ripples would still be felt 10 years later and beyond? Cindy Beale stands beside Jane Beale in EastEnders promo shot Cindy v Jane was soap gold because of the history that preceded it (Picture: BBC) Cindy Beale (Michelle Collins) – possibly the most shocking recent returns of them all – confronting Jane (Laurie Brett), a woman she shares so much Walford lore with but has never met, is the kind of material that other TV shows can only dream of. In an explosive, passionately written, tension filled and camply glorious episode, decades of angst was laid out in a Pat v Peggy-esque showdown by these two Beale titans. Jane properly called out for dumping Lucy’s body on the moors?
About time! Cindy reminded that she wasn’t there for the kids Jane brought up? Preach it! Cindy discovering for the first time that her son Steven caused Jane to become infertile? A stunning moment. And Ian being accused of being on drugs because he thought this impromptu dinner party would ever go any other way? Understandable. No drama but a soap could line everything up in a way to create something so special for invested fans – both newcomers and 40-year-long stalwarts. It’s not a vibe that can be manufactured by any other genre. Sure, we can tap into the histories of well written characters in an instant. But it’s impossible to have that full experience of who they are and our connections to them unless we have been there by their side throughout the journey. Jane and Cindy’s returns have been juggernaut vehicles for this, and one of the pay-offs of many played out this week. Yolande and Patrick return to EastEnders The powerful dynamic of the Truemans is something we never expected to revisit (Picture: BBC) Bringing back Angela Wynter as Yolande Trueman before thrusting her into one of 2024’s biggest stories has been another stroke of genius. It’s proof that a returning character needn’t be a scandalous assassin hiring marriage-wrecker, or someone who conceals bodies.
Yolande is an every-woman type of character – packed with morals, that EastEnders fierceness and spades of love and warmth. As Cindy’s return brought Ian back to us, so did Yolande’s comeback for Patrick Trueman (the sublime Rudolph Walker) who has been consequently thrust into the foreground, including as part of a two-hander that packed one of the biggest punches of the year. Even when the returns aren’t the main focus of the storyline, they still provide that level of continuity that a soap fan craves. Bianca fumes at Whitney in the Queen Vic as Lauren watches on in EastEnders It was like Bianca had never been away (Picture: BBC) Lucas looks at Denise as she visits him in prison in EastEnders Of course Lucas would be at the forefront of Denise’s mind after being involved in a murder (Picture: BBC) Bianca Jackson (Patsy Palmer) playing a part in Whitney Dean’s (Shona McGarty) final storyline was a must. Denise Fox (Diane Parish) being drawn back into the mind of Lucas Johnson (Don Gilet) while covering up a murder made absolute sense.
Ryan Molloy putting in an appearance after Lily gave birth at the age of 12 was essential. And seeing key families such as the Beales packed out again by the likes of Lauren and Peter, and the Slaters welcoming home Big Mo, sets them in a good place for their inevitable central involvement in the stories around the 40th. As for David Wicks? Well, if I was excited to see Cindy and Jane finally have a showdown, I am not going to be able to contain myself when Michelle Collins and Michael French are sharing the screen again. If this is what EastEnders is feeding us with in 2024, who knows what the 40th is going to throw our way? Whether there are further old faces coming back or not (Shirley Carter, when? Pat’s ghost making a second appearance maybe?), the treatment of the show’s history right now fills me with confidence and thrill, not just for the 40th but also for the years which follow. Soap history is an absolute treasure trove and EastEnders has well and truly opened Pandora’s Box on it – and it’s us fans who are reaping the benefits. Do you have a story you’d like to share?
