Scheming Cindy Beale (Michelle Collins) has caused havoc in EastEnders since she returned – and now she’s got George Knight’s (Colin Salmon) engagement to Elaine Peacock (Harriet Thorpe) even more firmly in her sights.
The pair have already shared a kiss, so when an unexpected arrival in the Square leaves George rattled, Cindy is first to step in with a listening ear.
Cindy rocked up back in August after 25 years away and she’s already upset most of the square with the opening of a new pie and mash shop, Beale’s Eels, as she’s in business with rapist Dean Wicks’ (Matt Di Angelo).
There have been plenty of furious, trademark run-ins with her ex mother-in-law, Kathy Beale (Gillian Taylforth) – including having Kathy arrested for the cafe fire which left son Peter Beale (Thomas Law) in a coma.
Viewers thought Cindy had died in childbirth in prison back in 1998 – she’d been sentenced after having Ian gunned down and trying to flee with their kids.
In fact, Cindy had been living under witness protection, and had married George under the name Rose.
But nine years ago she walked out on George and their kids, Anna (Molly Rainford) and Gina (Francesca Henry), and had since reunited with Ian, secretly living in France.
She returned to Albert Square unaware that George was now living there with his new fiancee, Linda Carter’s (Kellie Bright) mum Elaine- which was a shocker all round.
Since then, Elaine’s understandably been very wary of what is – or isn’t – going on between George and Cindy. But Cindy’s determined to win over Anna and Gina after vanishing from their lives, and wants to prove to George that she’s still the woman he fell in love with.
Cindy’s not one to let anyone or anything stand in the way of what she wants, and in upcoming scenes, she asks George point blank if he’s ‘happy with his life choices’ – which Elaine overhears.
That goes down with the landlady just as you’d imagine.
But just as George is trying to explain, two unexpected visitors rock up – his parents, Gloria and Eddie.
Elaine is worried by George’s reaction to seeing his parents, but he won’t talk to her about it.
Cindy, however, knows the truth – that George was adopted – and soon it’s her that he’s talking to about the situation.
Of course, Cindy’s got a track record of breaking up families – let’s not forget her affairs with Simon Wicks (Nick Berry) and his half-brother David (Michael French) back in the day.
Will this be the moment that George and Cindy grow closer? Is his relationship with Elaine in deep trouble?
