Linda Carter (Kellie Bright) was back in Walford during tonight’s EastEnders – but she wasn’t a happy woman.
The beloved character has been away from her home with children Annie and Ollie on a cruise.
After a difficult few years that saw dramatic events including Mick Carter disappearing at sea, and Linda struggle with her alcoholism again, she decided to sell the Queen Vic to Kat Slater (Jessie Wallace), and enjoy a break from Albert Square.
While she’s been away, Linda’s mum Elaine Peacock (Harriet Thorpe) has been busy renovating a number of flats to turn them into a boutique hotel.
It was the opening of Peacock Palace in this evening’s instalment, but the lavish ceremony was interrupted by the return of Linda.
The look on Linda’s face as she stood within a crowd of residents confirmed that she had been kept in the dark about her mum’s idea of their next adventure together.
Inside, Linda railed at Elaine for setting up a hotel that serves alcohol – due to the fact she sold the pub to get away from booze. Linda was under the impression they’d be running a small B&B – the bright colours hitting her eyes wherever she looked left her very unimpressed.
Linda also told her mum to get the sign above the door changed, proudly stating that she still wants to be called a Carter.
It seems Linda has a lot on her plate already – and she’s only been back five minutes!
Things are going to get even more complicated for Linda as the week continues, as she comes face to face with Max Branning (Jake Wood) again.
Elsewhere, it was revealed recently that multi-award winning TV star Ronni Ancona, who has starred in Last Tango In Halifax and Skins, will play the role of Bea in the soap, who comes face-to-face with Linda while at a high school reunion in the New Year.
And it swiftly becomes apparent that Linda and Bea have very different recollections of the time they were in each other’s lives.
Can’t wait for the next twist?
Hi, I’m Calli Kitson, Soaps reporter at Metro. I cover Emmerdale, EastEnders, Corrie and more.
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Bea subsequently settles in to Walford and it’s not long before she finds herself at the heart of the drama.
While little is currently known about her backstory, let’s just say that Bea is a force to be reckoned with – and she leaves a lasting impression on all those who cross her path.
This stint marks star Ronni’s first in Albert Square, though she is no stranger to the world of Walford and the icons who dwell there, having impersonated EastEnders legends Peggy Mitchell, Kat Slater and Sharon Watts in BAFTA-winning show The Big Impression.
