BBC EastEnders fans work out who Cindy Beale’s new business partner is – and it’s a familiar face

EastEnders fans have worked out the identity of Cindy Beale’s new business partner after she dropped a clue this evening.

In scenes airing tonight, Cindy got to work on her business prospect. Earlier in the episode, she was seen taking a mystery phone call from the unknown person, convincing them to work alongside her. Speaking to the person on the phone, she said to the mystery person: “You don’t have to make a decision straight away. But I think it will work really well for the both of us.”

Later, Cindy met with Ian where she discussed her idea to split their offer with someone else and go into business together. Ian wasn’t keen to go into business with “some random”, but Cindy explained the man knew the Square well.

She said: “He knows Walford, he used to live here. Well that’s the thing. He doesn’t really want anyone to know, not until he’s signed the business deal. I met him this morning and he seems really professional.”

Fans are now sure they’ve rumbled the man’s identity in a shocking twist, with all set to be revealed very soon. Taking to Reddit, one fan theorised: “I think it’s definitely going to be Dean. What Cindy said about him not wanting anyone to know about him yet makes me sure of it,” as another added: “the line about the bidder not wanting anyone to know about him, definitely sounds like it could be dean.” A third wrote: “We know Dean is returning, and he would definitely want to avoid anyone – especially Linda and her allies – knowing he’s back but how would he have the money to buy into anything? That’s my big question.

“Shirley also left with no money. Unless they return with Carly and she’s got the money? Max would have the money and potentially a reason to not want people to know he’s around (if he’s unaware that Stuart and Rainie have moved on). I wonder if there’s another person, who had money when they left, a reason/link to return for, who had never met Cindy before and is not on our radars.”

However, some viewers are convinced Dean is just a “red herring”, as they penned: “I still think it’s Max. I think Dean is coming back too but maybe as a red herring.” A fourth viewer shared of why it could end up being villain Dean: “Their timelines don’t cross at all. Dean didn’t debut until 2006, nearly a decade after Cindy’s ‘death’. Having said that, his dad Kevin was Simon’s cousin, so there’s that connection and another reason why he wouldn’t want Cindy saying anything.”