EastEnders' Cindy Beale back from the dead as Michelle ­Collins RETURNS after 25 years

EastEnders will air a double return later this year, including a character who was killed off over 20 years ago on the BBC soap.

Cindy Beale will return to Walford after 25 years, having been killed off in prison offscreen in 1998.

In a shocking new twist that was meant to be kept secret until transmission, Ian Beale will head back to Albert Square after a two-year absence but he won't be alone.

The Mirror and other outlets were let in on the huge twist to maintain secrecy, but the jaw-dropping return was unfortunately leaked.

While Ian was last on-screen for a brief scene in December 2022, Cindy has not been seen since the 90s.

Now, actress Michelle ­Collins is reprising her role on the BBC soap despite revealing she had no plans to do so in the past.

The iconic soap villain is returning with Ian in a twist no one will see coming, while full details of the return are yet to be confirmed.

EastEnders will air a double return later this year, including a character who was killed off over 20 years ago (BBC)

Exes Ian and Cindy will return together as Ian actor Adam Woodyatt reprises his role. The scenes will air later this year.

It's thought the duo have already begun filming their comeback scenes, while it will be interesting to find out what's happened during both of their times away from the Square.

Cindy tried to have her husband Ian killed by a hitman back when she was on the show in the 90s, so is all forgiven?

There's also the big question regarding Cindy's fate - why did she fake her death and where has she been all this time?

This won't be Ian's first experience of a character faking their death, as his own mother Kathy Beale returned from the dead in 2016.

None of Cindy's children are in Walford at the moment, with Cindy Jr and Peter both out of the show and her daughter Lucy was killed off in 2014, followed by her son Steven's death in 2017.

Michelle ­Collins is reprising her role on the BBC soap (BBC)

The character was murdered in a whodunnit, and it was revealed a year later, during Kathy's return episode, that she was killed by her own brother Bobby Beale.

While Walford has forgiven Bobby for the accidental killing, will Cindy be able to do the same?

Meanwhile, Ian fled Walford two years ago after his latest partner Sharon Watts tried to poison him after the discovery that Ian was involved in the death of her son Dennis.

Dennis drowned after the boat crash in 2020, and he couldn't escape after being locked in a room by Ian following a row over his son Bobby.

EastEnders airs Mondays to Thursdays at 7:30pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.