Chrissie Watts (Tracy-Ann Oberman) has staged a shocking return to EastEnders as Zoe Slater’s (Michelle Ryan) stalker has finally been unmasked.
‘We’re going to give her a Christmas she’ll never forget’, said the former Queen Vic landlady with a glance that means business as her status as the mastermind behind Zoe’s torment was confirmed in tense scenes.
Zoe, as viewers know, has been terrified for months, with series of disturbing incidents having been carried out by a secret nemesis, who vowed revenge.
Speculation was rife in Walford as to who could be behind the scheme, with fingers pointed aplenty, but Zoe hasn’t even considered the possibility that Chrissie, who served two decades in prison for murder, could be the culprit.
As long-time fans will recall, Zoe believed that she was to blame for the death of Den Watts (Leslie Grantham), who was killed off in 2005, when in fact it was Chrissie who delivered the final blow.
Both Zoe and fellow culprit Sam Mitchell (Kim Medcalf) suffered greatly at the time of the ordeal, though Chrissie was ultimately the one who paid the biggest price when she was locked away for 20 years.
The character was released from prison last year and even managed to put to bed her feud with Sharon (Letitia Dean), before jetting out of Walford for what was thought to be the last time when she reunited with former flame Jake.
But word of Zoe’s return to the Square has reached Chrissie and, with some assistance from Jasmine (Indeyarna Donaldson-Holness) – Zoe’s secret daughter – she is on a mission for revenge.
‘I think that Chrissie has always felt that’s it’s very unfair she spent 20 years in prison and has never really been able to move on from the trauma of Dirty Den and living in Walford,’ said Tracy-Ann Oberman of her character’s motivations.
‘When the opportunity came up to have something over Zoe Slater, who she has always found to be an irritating little girl, she jumped at the opportunity. She clearly has time on her hands!
‘Also, Chrissie, whilst being very hard and tough, has a strong sense of justice, and in her mind, Zoe never really paid for Den’s murder, and the part she played in destroying the Watts family.
‘What started off as a game for Chrissie, has ended up becoming a little bit of an obsession, and finding this gorgeous daughter, who was also hurt by Zoe, seemed like too good of an opportunity to miss.
Don't miss a Soaps scoop! Add us as a Preferred Source
As a loyal Metro Soaps reader, we want to make sure you never miss our articles when searching for stories. We have all the latest soaps news, spoilers, videos, and interviews, with a vibrant community of highly engaged readers.
Click here and tick Metro.co.uk to ensure you see stories from us first in Google Search.
‘Also, I do think she is genuinely very fond of Jasmine. She’s like the daughter she never had, and I think she wants to empower Jasmine to also get revenge on the woman who abandoned her. Chrissie thinks Zoe needs to take responsibility, and that’s her motivation.’
What happens next remains to be seen but if there’s one thing we know about EastEnders at Christmas it’s that it rarely disappoints, so viewers can expect some big scenes in store.
Tracy-Ann said that she enjoyed her stint last year so much that when EastEnders boss Ben Wadey asked her to ‘pop back for Christmas’ she ‘couldn’t say no’.
‘Chrissie is in my DNA,’ she said. ‘She is such a great character, so, I love the idea of her returning at Christmas to create havoc.’
The Doctor Who star had nothing but praise for Ben and the team at EastEnders. ‘They are so respectful about the characters and the actors that originated them,’ she added. ‘So, we had a long discussion about why Chrissie would actually come back to the Square, and what her motivations were and are. Who wouldn’t want to be part of the storyline on Christmas Day in Albert Square, particularly when it’s Chrissie!’
While Chrissie’s unexpected comeback will likely be enough to excite longtime fans, this stint will also mark the first time that we’ll see her reunited with Zoe and Sam.
All three characters have appeared at one stage or another over the past two years – with stars Tracy-Ann, Michelle and Kim having reprised their roles – but the trio haven’t actually crossed paths on-screen in over 20 years, meaning that this inevitable reunion will be one to watch.
‘The other absolute joy of coming back to EastEnders on Christmas Day was the opportunity to work with Jessie, Michelle and Kim,’ exclaimed Tracy-Ann. ‘I spent so much time with them in my short but powerful stint on EastEnders. Being back in The Queen Vic with Michelle and Kim was really emotional.
‘We kept hugging each other and discussing how a lifetime had passed since we were last together, and there was so much to catch up on, including sharing photos of children, and talking about how our lives had evolved over the last 20 years. It’s been a really amazing experience.’
EastEnders airs Mondays to Thursdays at 7:30pm on BBC One or stream from 6am on BBC iPlayer.
If you’ve got a soap or TV story, video or pictures get in touch by emailing us [email protected] – we’d love to hear from you.
Join the community by leaving a comment below and stay updated on all things soaps on our homepage.
