Chrissie Watts (Tracy-Ann Oberman) is officially back in EastEnders – but not in the way many fans will have expected.
The iconic 2000s character made her long-awaited return to the BBC soap at the climax of Friday’s episode, with her comeback marking the next stage in The Six’s ongoing storyline.
But rather than her walking back onto Albert Square, it has been revealed that she will come face-to-face with old foe Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean) in prison.
Earlier this week, Sharon was held in police custody for contempt of court after losing it in the witness box of Dean Wicks’ (Matt Di Angelo) murder trial, accusing a judge of ‘slut-shaming’ her.
While the truth about The Six’s involvement has since come spilling out – with Linda Carter (Kellie Bright) confessing her role in Keanu Taylor’s (Danny Walters) murder to his sister Bernie (Clair Norris) – Sharon was still facing a week behind bars for her courtroom outburst.
After a visit from Phil Mitchell’s (Steve McFadden) lawyer Ritchie Scott (Sian Webber) failed to get her off the charges, she was carted off to prison and shown her cell.
Unbeknown to her, however, was the fact Chrissie is residing in the cell next door, having been sent down for the murder of Sharon’s father Den Watts (Leslie Grantham) back in 2005.
Chrissie bludgeoned husband Den to death in The Queen Vic with Pauline Fowler’s (Wendy Richards) doggy doorstop, as she confronted her ex-husband with Zoe Slater (Michelle Ryan) and Sam Mitchell (Kim Medcalf) about his various misdeeds.
At the time, Chrissie let Zoe believe she had killed Den after hitting him during their showdown, when in fact, she had later finished him off herself.
After learning that Chrissie was the real culprit, Sharon played a fundamental part in bringing her to justice, famously punching Chrissie at the scene of her arrest at an airport as she attempted to flee the country.
As the two women now set to come face-to-face again after 19 years, it is clear Chrissie has the upper hand behind bars – viewers saw how she has the prison officers on side, with one seen bringing her cigarettes to her cell at the end of Friday’s episode.
With Chrissie likely out for revenge, what will this mean for Sharon?
EastEnders airs Monday to Thursday at 7.30pm on BBC One and from 6am on iPlayer.
