Spoiler warning for the episode released on BBC iPlayer at 6am on Monday 25 May 2026, which will air at 7.30pm on BBC One.
EastEnders aired the surprise return of a beloved character after two years away from Walford on Monday.
The BBC One soap kicked off its big week centring on the wedding of Vicki Fowler (Alice Haig) and Ross Marshall (Alex Walkinshaw), with the awkwardness of Zack Hudson (James Farrar) – Vicki’s secret former fling – being Ross’s best man remaining.
However, Zack was distracted when he got a surprise call while at work in the Queen Vic on Monday and soon neglected helping Ross with the wedding preparations to head off for a mystery meeting.
The next time we saw Zack, he was sitting at a table at Knight Fusion for dinner with a mystery woman, who was quickly revealed to be his former fiancée, Whitney Dean (Shona McGarty)!
That’s right, Whitney has made a surprise return to Walford exactly two years after her emotional goodbye to Zack and her home, where she left for a new life with their baby daughter, Dolly, and her newly adopted daughter, Britney Wainwright (Lola Campbell).
Actress Shona McGarty quit the role after 15 years in the soap for new ventures back in 2023 and departed the following year, but it seems this short-term visit is a nice and realistic check-in – and a much-needed moment for Zack!
Fans will recall that Whitney and Zack split after she discovered he had cheated on her with her friend and adopted cousin Lauren (Jacqueline Jossa).
In the chat, we see that Zack and Whitney are on very warm terms, with Whitney showing Zack photos of Dolly and Britney and Zack even teasing.
Whitney reveals that she is happy and in a good place, before Zack makes a play for the pair to get back together and for her to no longer raise the children as a single mother.
Despite his eager hopes, Whitney declines and reveals that she has moved on and is now seeing someone else, leaving Zack crestfallen.
Could this new heartbreak drive Zack to do something he will regret?
- Read More: EastEnders star Alice Haig addresses possible Sharon Watts return for Vicki and Ross’s wedding
Also on Monday, Gina Knight (Francesca Henry) was forced to spend time with her evil adopted grandfather, Eddie Knight (Christopher Fairbank), after her dad, George (Colin Salmon), had to rush away to help his daughter, Ivy.
Elsewhere, Will Mitchell (Freddie Phillips) found his social plans with Oscar Branning (Pierre Counihan-Moullier) interrupted by caring responsibilities for his sister Janet (Grace).
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Finally, Grant Mitchell (Ross Kemp) took the blame for his estranged son Mark Fowler’s (Stephen Aaron-Sipple) crimes after Max Branning (Jake Wood) and Cindy Beale (Michelle Collins) plotted to send him to prison for his criminal antics and to keep him away from the car lot and Lauren (Jacqueline Jossa).
Will this spell the end of Grant’s time in Walford?
Read more:
- EastEnders advanced spoilers tease world-crashing week for Ian Beale in ‘The Night That Changes Everything’
- EastEnders airs unannounced exit for beloved character in early BBC iPlayer release
- EastEnders legend teases “dangerous” dynamic between Max Branning and Cindy Beale
- EastEnders boss teases “emotional” Denise Fox scenes from blood cancer storyline after 20 years on the show
- EastEnders wins Soap award at BAFTA Television Awards 2026 as fan-favourite delivers speech amid anniversary
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