EastEnders boss Chris Clenshaw explains character returns
EastEnders spoilers follow.
EastEnders boss Chris Clenshaw has spoken out about tonight's big twist involving Cindy Beale.
The BBC soap aired one of its biggest moments of the year in Wednesday's (June 21) cliffhanger, as Cindy was revealed to be alive and well... and the missing wife of George Knight.
Fans have been speculating that Cindy's reported return could have something to do with George's mysterious story, but this wasn't confirmed until the closing moments of the episode.
EastEnders had chosen not to upload tonight's edition early on iPlayer as usual, so as not to spoil the reveal for fans who watch live.
Cindy, played by Michelle Collins intermittently from 1988 to 1998, is returning to the show alongside her ex-husband Ian Beale, who left Walford at the start of 2021 but made a brief reappearance at Dot's funeral last year.
Speaking at an EastEnders press event earlier this week, Chris Clenshaw explained how Cindy's return came about and how it has been a year in the making.
"It was always going around in the back of my mind," he said. "It was always there, but it wasn't until one of our writers had pitched a different story — which was still involving the return of Cindy — and everyone kind of gasped.
"Everyone was behind the idea and that made think there was something in this, but these things can take a while to get from idea to screen. I don't know if it was always part of my plan but it was in the background somewhere.
"We started talking about it well over a year ago. Once we started to look at the story, we had to make sure it was credible. She was dead but we didn't see a body, so it was making sure that that worked. "
Chris added: "We had the story, but we still had to get Adam [Woodyatt, who plays Ian] and Michelle.
"Adam's been away from the show a little while now, and I personally think EastEnders without Ian — feels like something is missing. We all started speaking last summer. "
Explaining how they tried to keep the story under wraps, Chris said: "We wanted them to be called George and Mildred, but it didn’t really work because we have a George, so it got really confusing.
"We had a secret dinner and they had their hoods up the whole time."
Chris also promised that more will be explored in regard to how Cindy and Ian found their way back to each other after all this time, as well as what the future holds for them as a couple.
"People will question how they are back together," he said. "We all know she tried to kill him.
"It's been 25 years and a lot's changed. Cindy’s a bit of a different woman now. She's been through this whole other life with George, Gina and Anna and not be able to tell them who she really is.
"George and Cindy were together for 15 years, before the past nine years, so there's a lot of history there. She's not quite the same woman."
Chris then spoke about the gravity of bringing back such an iconic character, saying: "Cindy's been sorely missed from our screens, and we're delighted that she'll be returning to Walford, alongside Ian, permanently later this year.
"Now everyone knows that she is in fact Rose Knight, secrets are set to be revealed as viewers will learn about the circumstances surrounding their return, including the million-dollar question: How is Cindy alive when she was declared dead in 1998?
"And later this summer, Ian and Cindy's comeback will be nothing less than explosive for the Square."
EastEnders airs on Mondays-Thursdays at 7.30pm on BBC One. The show also streams on BBC iPlayer.
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