EastEnders spoilers follow.
EastEnders’ Charlie Brooks is returning to the soap as iconic Walford character Janine Butcher – and it now looks like she’s making her comeback at a mysterious funeral in the coming weeks and months.
It was reported last month that Charlie would be reprising her popular role for a few episodes, and now filming pictures obtained by Digital Spy show Charlie back as Janine for the first time since the end of 2022.
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In Janine’s final scenes, she was arrested for perverting the course of justice after attempting to frame Linda for a car crash, in scenes that aired after her former partner Mick disappeared at sea on Christmas Day.
She pleaded guilty and was sentenced to five years behind bars, where she gave birth to Mick’s baby.
But Janine is now back, with Charlie seen filming alongside Kellie Bright as the villain’s former love rival Linda Carter.
The pair are seen embroiled in a fierce argument, as they attend a mystery funeral. Earlier this week, cast members were snapped filming Zoe Slater’s funeral ahead of the character’s reported demise – but it appears that Janine and Linda are in fact attending a different send-off.
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Also pictured on location is Jake Wood as Max Branning, with Max and Linda spotted deep in conversation at the church.
We know that Max is set to marry Cindy next month, but with Max and Linda looking thick as thieves in these new pictures and another wedding scheduled for New Year’s Day in the flashforward episode, could they soon be in a relationship instead? And even more importantly, whose funeral is everyone attending?
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While appearing on This Morning today alongside Joe McFadden to promote the new stage tour of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Charlie couldn’t help but confirm the EastEnders return rumours amid these filming snaps.
“It is all over the papers today,” she admitted, “and safe to say, Janine can flit in and out and come and cause some trouble at some point.
“That’s why she’s so fun to play. But I literally see pictures of myself as Janine and I’m like, ‘do I actually look like that?’”
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She continued: “It’s always fun to play Janine because you just never know what she’s doing. Amazing to see friends who I was very close with and be reunited with them.
“I love the people there, I love the show, and I do always have a really good time when I’m there. I’m very lucky to have that.”
EastEnders airs on Mondays – Thursdays at 7.30pm on BBC One. The show also streams on BBC iPlayer, where most episodes drop early at 6am ahead of their TV broadcast.
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