EASTENDERS ICON SET FOR EXPLOSIVE RETURN 19 YEARS - AND IT'S BAD NEWS FOR SHARON

EastEnders has confirmed the comeback of soap icon Chrissie Watts, almost two decades after her dramatic departure.

The character, portrayed by Tracy-Ann Oberman, was a staple on the soap from 2004 to 2005. As Dirty Den's wife, Chrissie quickly became a fan favourite, appearing in 218 episodes.

During her time in Albert Square, Chrissie served as the landlady of the Queen Vic and featured in numerous storylines. However, she is best remembered for murdering her husband Den.

As fans will remember, Chrissie, along with Sam Mitchell and Zoe Slater, confronted evil Den, resulting in his violent demise. Chrissie was eventually arrested for the crime, after initially framing Sam, and she exited the soap in 2005.

But now, 19 years later, it's been confirmed that Chrissie will be returning for a brief stint. The details surrounding her return are currently being kept under wraps - but expect fireworks, reports the Daily Star.

On her return to EastEnders, actress Tracy-Ann Oberman said: "Chrissie Watts was such a great character to play - a victim or a villain. She is a real fan favourite so, when Chris Clenshaw asked me to come back and re-visit her and see what has happened in the last 19 years, I jumped at the chance."

"The scripts are fantastic and I hope the viewers enjoy her as much as I am enjoying playing her again."

Chris Clenshaw, Executive Producer added: "I'm delighted to welcome the immensely talented Tracy-Ann back to the iconic role of Chrissie Watts."

"Although the character hasn't been seen on screen for almost twenty years, Chrissie is cemented in EastEnders' rich history for her murder of Walford's most infamous villain, and Sharon's beloved father, Dirty Den. I'm keeping tight-lipped on the exact circumstances relating to her return for the time being, but what I can promise is that it's never quiet when Chrissie Watts is around."

In 2005, Chrissie was at the centre of one of "the programme's biggest and most high-profile narratives" when she killed her husband Den in self-defence during the special 20th anniversary episode.

The episode was viewed by a whopping 14.34 million people - with "almost 60% of possible viewers" tuning in to witness Chrissie taking Den's life.

Chrissie became notorious for her cunning and "scheming", mirroring the traits of her husband, with the EastEnders website describing her as "happy to play mind games" and "often two steps ahead" of Den.

EastEnders airs Monday to Thursday at 7.30pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer

2024-07-03T19:20:51Z dg43tfdfdgfd