Ugh.

10 hours ago, Liberty City said:

 

Like why? That is one character who needed to be retired for decades. Yes, plural. There is literally nowhere else you can take this character anytime soon. 

This show really needs to grow a pair and start killing off certain characters. And Martin wasn't one of them. 

*coughs* Anyone with the last name Mitchell *coughs* 

It's time. 

I am happy that Max (Branning) is back and that might get me back to watch the show again. I am happy that Bernie and Felix are leaving, because both are such boring characters to me. As for Ben being back.. I used to like him. But reading all that he's done in between me liking him and today makes me really dislike the character and I have no desire in seeing him unless he will be seen as a bad guy that he is on the show, which will not happen. 

7 hours ago, NothinButAttitude said:

Like why? That is one character who needed to be retired for decades. Yes, plural. There is literally nowhere else you can take this character anytime soon. 

This show really needs to grow a pair and start killing off certain characters. And Martin wasn't one of them. 

*coughs* Anyone with the last name Mitchell *coughs* 

It's time. 

According to reports, dating to the original report by The Sun, Ben Mitchell was at the top of the list for Ben Wadley to return to the canvas and wanted to give Max Bowden a second chance at the role. Daily Mirror and Radio Times, among others, are further reporting on the return, so I suspect this brief return is going to test some waters.

I'm probably in the minority, but I liked Bowden as Ben and hope to see him further excel in the role this time around.

Digital Spy is now reporting Bowden's return as Ben Mitchell.

I do think Ben should come back. I think Max Bowden is all wrong for Ben.

30 minutes ago, Vee said:

I do think Ben should come back. I think Max Bowden is all wrong for Ben.

I would guess it's down to Kate Oates. Bowden is very much her type of leading man. She repeated all the stories she did on Emmerdale with his Ben. 

I also think EE has become conservative enough that only a white, straight-acting gay man is going to get story.

Edited May 26May 26 by DRW50

Former EastEnders star Michelle Ryan is reprising her role as Zoe Slater on the BBC soap following an absence of over 20 years. 

It’s been reported that Zoe will return to Albert Square later this year and that she’ll take centre stage in a dramatic new storyline involving her family. 

The news comes amidst news of other big returns, which include Max Branning (Jake Wood), Tanya Cross (Jo Joyner), Shirley Carter (Linda Henry) and Ben Mitchell (Max Bowden), who will also be back in Walford later in the year.

Too many returns, that's when you know a show has run out of ideas and doesn't care anymore. 

Zoe annoyed the sh!t out of me most times, but the Kat/Zoe storyline will always be iconic and close to my heart (that's the era I first started following the show in near real-time), and probably the only storyline in 21st century EastEnders that had long-term value for the characters involved during their initial run together. However, after all this time and the writing choice that Zoe never wants to see Kat again, I think that ship has sailed and I don't know that it makes sense to revisit it at this point. 

4 hours ago, BetterForgotten said:

Too many returns, that's when you know a show has run out of ideas and doesn't care anymore. 

I disagree; if this were Chris Clenshaw, then I would be worried. But it's a new producer coming in to clearly create the canvas they want to create, and I'm okay with that. Re-introducing characters to shake things up and possibly take some other ones out of the canvas. It'll be interesting to see the finished product.

There was a rumor that Jean will die and that’s probably why she’s back then

Edited June 1Jun 1 by AMCOLTLLover

10 hours ago, AMCOLTLLover said:

There was a rumor that Jean will die and that’s probably why she’s back then

I'm not even sure why Zoe would care, even if they know each other offcamera. 

I can't see Jean going, but if she is - good riddance at this point.

Wait, what?? Tanya and Shirley are coming back?? I didn't see this news so far. Wow! I might have to go back to watching with Max, Tanya and Shirley coming back. I don't really care about Zoe, didnt watch the show back when she was on.

Also, I did have a feeling at one point during Clenshaw when we were return heavy that some of those returns were just style over substance. Just so that the show can claim that so and so came back and die hard fans were joyful, even though the actual stuff on the screen was [!@#$%^&*]. 

I am kind of over these guest returns. I hope if Max and others return, it's on contract and not guest. 

On 5/17/2025 at 10:04 AM, Manny said:

I actually stopped watching. I find the show really bad at the moment (or at least before I stopped, which was shortly after Sonia and Bianca's exit). And I just saw the overnight ratings for last week, quite bad, below 2 mil. 

I don't like the nuMitchells all, I don't care about Avani and Joel, I hate what they have done to Kathy by making her an attempted murderer who is so chill about it, also she is pissed off at Cindy for cheating on Ian, yet she is enabling Harvey cheat on Jean, I don't like Peter and Lauren as a couple, she is always so toxic towards him, making Zach Barney's dad is such a lame decision and plot twist... I found Stacey vs Ruby in the end horrible for Stacey. Firstly she accoused Ruby of burning the stall, then when she learned it was Lily, she was bullying Ruby into not telling anyone and making Ruby leave the square with everyone thinking it was her who did it.. horrible look there for Stacey and Lily, who was such a brat there (I get she was going through a lot, but terrible mothering from Stacey there, to say: sure, you can commit arson, pin it on someone else and get away with it, if you're having tough time in your life). I still hate what they've done with Gina/Freddie/Anna, I think it ruined all three of them, the whole where George was during Cindy's attack was just forgotten, which is sloppy and I just didn't like Terry Cant's rushed return, that was such a let down which led to the rushed exit for Sonia. 

So as you can see, I just don't like the show at all  

I haven't stopped watching but I've gotten to the point where I keep getting backed up and force myself to binge it. I'll admit they can throw out a good individual episode here and there but as a whole the show feels very disconnected and like they're throwing anything at the wall to see what sticks.

For example, I loved Lauren's initial return and I also enjoyed Penny and Penny was dropped, Lauren is now hooked on drugs and miserable and for what? Plus you have Kathy randomly having an affair with Jean's boyfriend...what happened to Jean's money issues? Why did we pivot to this? There is no cohesion or unifying plot. I'm beyond ready to see what the new writers do with the show.

2 minutes ago, Chris B said:

I haven't stopped watching but I've gotten to the point where I keep getting backed up and force myself to binge it. I'll admit they can throw out a good individual episode here and there but as a whole the show feels very disconnected and like they're throwing anything at the wall to see what sticks.

For example, I loved Lauren's initial return and I also enjoyed Penny and Penny was dropped, Lauren is now hooked on drugs and miserable and for what? Plus you have Kathy randomly having an affair with Jean's boyfriend...what happened to Jean's money issues? Why did we pivot to this? There is no cohesion or unifying plot. I'm beyond ready to see what the new writers do with the show.

Oh absolutely! I agree. It's sad that Penny has been sidelined so much. Kitty is such a great actress and she really got nothing outside of that stupid crush storyline that only brought this horrible Lauren's addiction storyline. 

I forgot about Jean's money scam, but I figured that it would lead to nothing. Sigh. 

Kathy has really been dragged through the mud. With her being revealed as Cindy's attacker and then being with Harvey.. 

I keep up with the show by reading what's happening, but none of it makes me want to tune back in. The nuMitchells crap with Shireen and Zack being Barney's dad is such a mess. 

But I am considering tuning in the returns, because Max is one of my favorite characters and if Tanya and Shirley come back, I would look forward to that. But I just don't think Jo Joyner would ever come back full time. 

7 hours ago, Manny said:

Wait, what?? Tanya and Shirley are coming back?? I didn't see this news so far.

I haven't heard anything of Tanya or Shirley returning. It's hard to believe Shirley returning anytime soon, if ever.