Inside Soap UK 36 - 2021

“A top-to-bottom, nasty piece of work” You may have picked up the impression from the subtle hints on our cover that Janine returns to Walford this week. And whether you’re a committed EastEnders viewer or just tune in for the big plots, the thought of Janine spitting venom at all and sundry – like that little dinosaur with the frilly neck in Jurassic Park – is a delicious prospect. “The bitch is back!” we proclaim. Now, that’s not a nice word, is it? You wouldn’t want to use it in real life, or hear it as a description of someone you care about… But it remains the best fit for a certain kind of soap character – woman or man – who is a self-centred, top-to-bottom, nasty piece of work……

“We’re bringing Janine back in all her glory” Walford mega-bitch Janine Butcher blasts back into town this week – with horrifying consequences for the residents of Albert Square! Trouble seems to follow Janine wherever she goes, yet she’s barely home five minutes before sparking a devastating chain of events that ends with Phil lifeless and bleeding on the ground, and a fire ripping through the Mitchell house… “We’d be robbing the audience if we didn’t bring back Janine in all her glory,” grins Walford boss Jon Sen, as he joins Inside Soap to lift the lid on her sensational return. “There are scores to be settled!” The drama unfolds after fate sees to it that Janine and Walford are reunited. For the past couple of weeks, Kat’s son Tommy has…

Livid Shirley loses control during a huge row with Phil this week – and brutally beats him with a baseball bat! Violence erupts when Shirley arrives at the Mitchell house, out for blood following Phil’s release from the police station. She’s furious that Phil is walking free while her sister Tina is seemingly homeless, destitute, and terrified. Grabbing the weapon, Shirley rains down blows on the Mitchell hardman and leaves him for dead. “It’s one of the most shocking confrontations in Walford history,” warns our Square insider. “Shirley just loses it, and Phil is powerless against her. All her frustrations, fears, and anger come out in this violent moment, and Shirley is worried she might have killed Phil.” “It’s one of Walford’s most shocking confrontations” It’s evil Gray who has…

Several Walford residents are left fighting for their lives this week, when the Mitchell house goes up in smoke. The blaze begins after it’s revealed that Tommy has been hiding half-sister Scarlett at Phil’s for some time. Kat and Janine are united in their fear over Scarlett’s welfare as they wonder where she is, before splitting up to track her down. Janine arrives at the Mitchell house to find Tommy and Scarlett cowering in fear as they hear the fight between Phil and Shirley. The youngsters want to call for help, but Janine isn’t willing to alert Kat to their whereabouts – so she makes a mistake that could cost them their lives. “There’s a big scuffle between Janine and the kids in the kitchen, and Scarlett’s jumper falls on…

There are horrifying scenes in Emmerdale village this week, as Wendy and Victoria are taken hostage by crazed gunman Russ! Wendy’s ex-husband is desperate to get his hands on his late mother’s inheritance, which has been left to his grandson Harry. And when Vic fails to transfer the cash to Russ’ bank account, all hell breaks loose… “Russ feels that money should be his, so he’s come to get it!” declares Rob Jarvis, who plays him. “He doesn’t want to shoot anybody – he doesn’t even want it to escalate to that degree; he just needs the money. He sees the gun as a last resort, really. But I guess he would be capable of using the gun if push came to very big shove, as he really is desperate…”…

KIM The Queen of HOP is back in the village this week, and she’s bound to head straight into work. Might she catch a stray bullet? MATTY OR AMY Matty and Amy are never far away from the counter in the Hide. Could the pair get caught in the crossfire? DAVID The shopkeeper is using the scanner in the office as the siege drama unfolds. It may be a case of wrong place, wrong time… LAUREL & JAI The couple work at HOP and spend a lot of time there. So one – or both – of them could get caught up in the gun terror……