EastEnders fans are eagerly awaiting the return of iconic character Janine Butcher (Charlie Brooks) to the long-running BBC soap, with last Friday's episode kicking off the storyline that would see Janine back in Walford.
After seven years away, Janine will return following the recent reappearance of her daughter Scarlett, who is the half-sister of Kat's son Tommy.
Tommy is unaware that Michael Moon, Scarlett's father, is also his biological father and Kat is worried about what will happen if Tommy finds out the truth.
Brooks, who has played the character of Janine on the soap since 1999, with a seven-year hiatus, spoke to Digital Spy and other media about her return to the show.
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Brooks said she is "genuinely excited" about coming back to EastEnders: "I always think about where Janine's been and what she's been up to. She's such a gloriously layered character and I entertain myself with thoughts about that. To have the chance to come back and explore it is really exciting."
She explained: "All my stuff has been with Jessie Wallace to begin with. There's a lot of really fun Kat/Janine stuff, which has been really great. It's so weird when you've worked so closely with so many people for such a long time, then you go away and life gets in the way.
"Everyone goes in different directions, and then you come back and it's almost like a school reunion but better. I was a bit nervous, I have to be honest. It can be a bit scary just because it's so new again, and working this much is a shock to the system, let me tell you! Everyone has been amazing. Hand on heart. I’m buzzing to be here, I really am.
"We know that it's going to be explosive. We might see some flames and a big fire! With some of the relationships, and some of the old characters that we see her working with, for me I know when it's exciting because I can feel it as an actress.
"I can feel it when two characters are sparking off each other. I'm like: 'This feels so good and so exciting'. So you've got a lot of that to look forward to. With her put downs and her wit, the writers have done a brilliant job so far of writing for her.
"I read the scripts and go: 'Oh my God, can she say that? Oh my God, I love it!' So it's fun and that's what I'm excited about exploring with her, as well as all of the layered stuff that goes on underneath.
"As human beings, we grow and evolve all the time and we all really want to connect with that inner child and unlocking that part of us, whether that's for better or for worse is always a really interesting thing to explore. Being honest about who we are and what we want and how we go about getting it, and I think that could be quite exciting for her."
Brooks has had a long time to think about what her character has been doing since leaving Albert Square, saying that she has imagined Janine "As a hippy on the beach trying to redeem herself smoking a joint".
Brooks loves playing Janine because "she's so much fun" and allows her to to "play out my wild side through this fantastic character and get such wonderful opportunities with the storylines."
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Many EastEnders fans are just as excited, if not more, for Janine's return, which Brooks has been happy about.
She said, "I couldn’t quite believe all the social media stuff, it blew me away really. There's a lot of love for the character, which is amazing to hear."
It's clear that Janine's return will be a major event for forthcoming EastEnders episodes.
EastEnders airs on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays on BBC One.
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