EastEnders boss Chris Clenshaw has dropped some juicy hints that more iconic faces might be popping back to Albert Square for the soap’s epic 40th anniversary bash next year.

“The 40th has been in the works for quite some time,” the producer spilled, hinting that eagle-eyed viewers might have already spotted “Easter egg” hints in past episodes. He added: “The nostalgic element means a lot.”

Soap fans are buzzing with theories that Ronnie and Roxy Mitchell could be miraculously resurrected after Cindy Beale made a shock comeback last May, despite being offed in ’98. Michelle Collins reprised her role as Cindy, who was supposedly dead from childbirth complications news broken to her ex, Ian Beale.

The Mitchell sisters met their watery end on Ronnie’s big day, with Samantha Womack’s character diving into a pool to rescue Roxy (Rita Simons), only to be dragged down by her bridal gown, leading to their tragic demise.

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Remember when ‘Dirty’ Den (Leslie Grantham) made his bombshell return in 2003, a whole 14 years after he was bumped off?, reports the Mirror. Well, there’s a host of other old-timers still kicking around out there who could make a smashing comeback.

Den’s second wife, Chrissie Watts (Tracy-Ann Oberman) bumped him off again in the Queen Vic pub in 2005 as part of the show’s 20th anniversary specials. Tracy has since dropped hints that her character could make a comeback soon, pointing out that Chrissie must be “due for parole at any point now” having been sentenced in 2006.

“She’s served longer than most actual murdering prisoners and if she’d had a better lawyer, she would have got mitigating circumstances,” she has previously stated.

EastEnders
Den’s second wife, Chrissie Watts
Chris teases that the show “may” resurrect characters, and elaborates: “It’s not just because of the lovely reaction. It all depends on the story and where the characters are.”

“As we head towards our 40th year, it is the history of the show. I think the nostalgic element means a lot. But it has to come from character, it has to come from story.”

The forthcoming storyline, and any past characters that return to the soap, is cloaked in mystery, but is likely to continue from this year’s Christmas plot, which is traditionally high-octane. Last year’s Christmas tale saw The Six murder suspects teased throughout the year, with viewers left in suspense over who had killed who.

It was unveiled that Linda Carter (Kellie Bright) murdered Keanu Taylor (Danny Walters) by stabbing him to death with a meat thermometer.

“Christmas is well underway,” reveals Chris, who was dishing the dirt at the TRIC Awards where Eastenders snagged a nomination for Best Soap. “In the story office there is a board and it all connects. I compare it to a tapestry board, everything has to fit together. We’ve got the new Mitchells coming in that will stir some trouble up. And as we head through into the autumn and the end of the year, we’ve got quite a few treats coming up.”