EastEnders teases shock return for Janine Butcher

JANINE Butcher was last seen as she was taken away by the police for her unlawful and life-threatening scheming.

However, she makes a fast return next week in EastEnders, much to Linda Carter’s despair.

Linda was crushed when she found out her husband Mick could have died while trying to save her and Janine Butcher’s lives.

The former pub landlord was ready to fix his marriage with Linda when he found that his last wife Janine had been scheming and lying behind his back to keep them apart.

Since then, the Walford villain was arrested and thrown in prison, leaving Linda to recover from her loss.

The road has, thus far, been paved with obstacles but Alfie Moon (Shane Richie) has sometimes managed to bring a smile back to Linda’s face.

In scenes due to air next week on BBC One, however, Linda frets as she waits for an update from her lawyer on the status of Janine’s plea and starts to worry about the potential of a trial.

As regular viewers of the London-based program will know, Janine has been trying to sell Mick’s half of the Vic from behind bars.

What will the update on Janine entail?

First introduced in 1989, Janine Butcher was portrayed by actress Charlie Brooks and was last seen in December, 2022.

At the time, she was left shaken in the aftermath of Mick’s disappearance but was soon carted away by the authorities.

While her official return hasn’t been confirmed, Charlie Brooks has made a series of exits and comebacks to the Square throughout the years.

And the door seems to have been left wide open for her on-screen alter ego to come back, particularly as she’s set to give birth to Mick Carter’s child in prison.

Speaking to Radio Times about Janine’s potential return, Charlie said: “she’s so high drama, I don’t know how you’d keep a character like that in the show without diluting them slightly.”

“I think she can be a useful tool and cause some explosions and go there again.”

But will Janine ever come back to Walford?

Will she terrorise Linda even further?

EastEnders airs from Monday to Thursday at 7.30pm on BBC One.