
Cindy was taken aback – and so were we! (Picture: BBC)Fans of EastEnders were prepared for the unexpected when they tuned in to the special week featuring the long-awaited return of Cindy Beale (Michelle Collins).
But the surprise return of the late, beloved Fatboy Chubb? Nope, that certainly wasn’t on our radar.
For a special flashback scene, Ricky Norwood has reprised his role as the much-adored mischievous character, who innocently asked ‘dead’ Cindy and her associate for the time.
Viewers have long debated the decision to brutally kill off innocent Fatboy.
In a dark Christmas storyline, Ronnie Mitchell (Samantha Womack) ordered a hit on Vincent Hubbard (Richard Blackwood).
However, poor Fats, Dot Cotton’s BFF, got caught in the crossfire and was mistakenly murdered in his place.
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So, he was there the whole time! Truly! (Picture: BBC)A horrifying scene showed Vincent opening the trunk of a mangled car to discover the remains of Fatboy inside.
It was especially distressing after Fatboy had previously revealed his fear of confined spaces.
Some viewers have called for Fatboy’s return – after all, we never saw the body ourselves.
The current show boss, Chris Clenshaw, has found a way around it – just months after surprising fans with a brief reappearance of Roxy Mitchell (Rita Simons), he has written in an unexpected Fatboy cameo.
Right in the midst of the soap’s biggest and most flamboyant week of the year so far, no less!
We didn’t realize how much we missed Fatboy until now! (Picture: BBC)
Cindy clearly isn’t a fan of EastEnders: E20 (Picture: BBC)Cindy has returned to Walford and is trying to explain to George Knight (Colin Salmon) what has been happening.
A flashback showed her leaving him and her daughters after learning about Lucy’s death.
She is shown appearing in Walford, watching Ian (Adam Woodyatt) from a distance as he mourns the devastating loss.
Using a mix of old episode footage and newly filmed material (retcon alert!), it is claimed that Cindy was there all along.
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But her associate was able to quickly get her into a car and remind her of the risk of being exposed as alive.
In a lighthearted scene, Fatboy irritates the pair by wearing Ski Goggles (On Sale Here) – in a very Fatboy-from-almost-a-decade-ago manner – just to check the time.
Cindy briefly dismisses her fear that he might have been working for her enemies.
He wasn’t that kind of person!
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First seen at EastEnders shocks viewers by resurrecting Fatboy in Cindy Beale storyline