Jacqueline Jossa made a surprise appearance on EastEnders on Thursday night as Lauren Branning, while Thomas Law also returned as Peter Beale.
The 30-year-old actress left fans completely stunned when she appeared on screen in the opening moments of the episode to visit the Beale family at their European home.
Alongside Jacqueline’s comeback, 30-year-old Thomas also returned as her former partner Peter. He was the fifth actor to take on the role before leaving the role in 2010 and being replaced by Ben Hardy, but has now reprized the role.
They weren’t the only familiar faces to appear on the soap opera this week, as Michelle Collins returned to her role as Cindy Beale, while Adam Woodyatt also returned as her long-suffering husband Ian Beale.
In her big gig, Jacqueline arrived at the Beale family home in Europe to visit Peter and their son Louie, but little did she know they were also living with Cindy and Ian.
Surprise! Jacqueline Jossa made a surprise return to EastEnders as Lauren Branning on Thursday night
Stunned by Jacqueline’s surprise return, fans took to Twitter to share the closely guarded secret, while also gushed about Thomas being cast as Peter again.
One person wrote: “Returning EastEnders to Thomas Law and Jacqueline Jossa is the best decision they’ve ever made!!”
Another said: “Oh hello Jacqueline Jossa,” while a third commented: “Jacqueline didn’t skip a moment.”
A fifth added: “I’m thrilled to see Thomas Law and Jacqueline Jossa back on screen.”
Jacqueline’s return comes after her one-off re-appearance on the BBC soap opera at Dot Cotton’s funeral. She recently denied rumors that she would be returning as Lauren, although her performance came as an even greater shock to fans.
In January, she had insisted: “I’ve just been inundated with nice people, but as I think I’ll be coming back to Eastenders full-time, I don’t know if anything was taken out of an interview or made up entirely, but either way.” I’m just ruling out all the rumors and stories.
“I’m not on my way back to the pitch all day, it’s not talks, I haven’t 100% confirmed a return.”
“Neither am I saying I would never return, if and when the time is right I would happily do so.”
In Thursday’s episode, Cindy’s backstory was also finally revealed, 26 years after she was reported to have died in prison during childbirth.
However, her death was unseen at the time of her departure in 1998, and on Thursday’s episode, all was not as it seemed.
Cindy made her epic return to the soap opera in the closing moments of Wednesday’s episode, when it was finally revealed that she was George Knight’s mysterious ex-wife, Rose.
And on Thursday’s episode, the big twist to why she’s still alive was finally revealed when she was spotted living in Europe with husband Ian Beale.
The episode began with Cindy and Ian playing with their grandson, Louie, before Peter appeared on screen and announced that someone had arrived.
In a panic he said, “Mom! She’s here, she’s five minutes away.’
Ian then told the alarmed Cindy to leave the property and go into hiding, confirming that whoever arrived had no idea that Cindy was still alive and well.
A car then pulled up outside the property and Lauren got out and made a surprise return to EastEnders as she greeted Peter and said she had decided to visit her son Louie earlier.
Then Cindy and Ian were seen strolling through a town center and chatting. Ian asked her why she had a photo of George Knight (Colin Salmon) in her purse.
During her 26-year absence, Cindy romanced George in Marbella under the name “Rose” and they went on to have two daughters – Anna (Molly Rainford) and Gina (Francesca Henry).
The Knight family made their grand entrance in Walford earlier this month after his new girlfriend Elaine Peacock invested money in her daughter Linda Carter’s pub.
And Ian seemed cognizant of Cindy’s romance with George and their two daughters, as he asked her: “Why are you carrying a photo of him in your bag?”
Cindy then revealed that George had called her the night before – in moments that aired on Wednesday’s episode – but that she hadn’t answered.
She then confessed she was devastated at not being able to see her daughters and hinted at a return to Walford when she said, “They’re not the only kids I’ll always miss.”
The couple was then visited by a mysterious woman named Mary, who provided more details about Cindy’s backstory and confirmed that she had been in a witness protection program.
Shocked, Mary told Cindy that a woman named Jackie Ford had died, which meant her witness protection program was now over.
Cindy asked, “Are there no faces from the old days to hold a grudge?”
With assurances that she was safe to move to a new place and restart her life as Cindy Beale and not her assumed identity as “Rose,” Cindy and Ian began discussing their plans.
Ian admitted he had considered returning to Walford, with Cindy expressing her shock and making it clear she had no intention of returning to the city.
She said, ‘I made a lot of other enemies there too.’ I’ve changed, I’m not the same person I was there.’
The couple then got into a huge argument, and Cindy stormed off as she made it clear she wanted to stay where they were rather than move somewhere else.
But then Cindy got a shock when she stormed into the bedroom to tell Ian not to pack and then found him collapsed on the floor.
Then flashed scenes of Lauren and Peter reuniting after going their separate ways, with Peter asking her if there was a way to rekindle their romance.
He assured her he wasn’t the same person he used to be and she seemed confident in his promises and the pair seemed inclined to rekindle things.
However, then Peter suddenly received a call from Cindy telling him that his father Ian was in the hospital, causing him to rush there.
Despite his objections that Lauren shouldn’t come lest she learn that Cindy is still alive, she insists on accompanying him to support him.
Lauren was then quite shocked when she entered the hospital room and saw Cindy standing next to Ian’s bed while Peter tried to explain the situation to her.
He explained that Ian only found out about a year ago that Cindy was still alive and that he had only recently told him when Peter had flown over from New Zealand with Louie to be with them.
Cindy’s backstory then became clear as Peter recounted how she revealed information about her cellmate, Jackie Ford, which led to her joining a witness protection program – with Walford residents being told she died in childbirth.
Cindy then led totally separate lives for 26 years, which included her romance with George Knight, before her complex history was finally revealed.
From his hospital bed, Ian was seen watching a video from Walford showing George and his two daughters when he realized they were now living on the square – and not in Marbella as he and Cindy had thought.
Cindy then told him that she had had the idea of going back to Walford, but Ian tried to fend her off as he apparently didn’t want her to get back together with George.
But will the couple return to the pitch and what drama will there be if they do?
EastEnders continues on Monday at 7.30pm on BBC One.