Mark Fowler Jr made his long-awaited comeback in tonight’s EastEnders (Thursday, January 22) after ten years away from Albert Square. But he did not come back quietly.
Bloodied, bruised and full of mystery, his arrival instantly threw Phil Mitchell’s carefully laid plans into chaos and left viewers with far more questions than answers.
The BBC recently confirmed that Mark Jr has been recast, with Stephen Aaron-Sipple stepping into the role, but until now the show had kept tight-lipped about how he would reappear.
Today’s episode finally revealed the first piece of the puzzle, and it ended on a proper Walford cliffhanger.
EastEnders: Phil gets a blast from the past from Mark
The episode followed a visibly stretched Phil as he tried to keep everything together. He was by Sam’s side as she underwent surgery for breast cancer, all while secretly organising a one-way trip to Portugal with Nigel to avoid him being placed in a care home.
Phil’s odd behaviour did not go unnoticed. Denise sensed something was off, and the truth began to surface when Sam, still groggy post-op, accidentally revealed Phil’s plan to leave Walford.
Denise tried to talk sense into him, warning him he was making a huge mistake. But Phil was not listening and booked a cab anyway.
A wobble of guilt led Phil to finally ask Nigel if he actually wanted to go to Portugal. Oblivious to the reality of the situation, Nigel cheerfully agreed, thinking it sounded like a lovely trip.
After an emotional exchange between the old friends, Phil seemed set on his decision and was relieved when a knock came at the door.
Only it was not the cab driver. Instead, Mark Jr collapsed into the house, battered and clearly in trouble, leaving Phil utterly stunned.
EastEnders: Mark brings trouble to Phil’s door
Just as the shock set in, the credits rolled. But spoilers for next week suggest Mark’s return is far from straightforward.
When Vicki, Sam and Phil start demanding answers about why he is back and what kind of mess he is in, Mark initially claims he has returned to support Vicki as she prepares to face Joel in court.
That story does not last long. Mark later admits to Phil that Joel has nothing to do with it. Instead, he admits he’s running from trouble of his own making.
Desperate, he asks Phil for help, only to be flatly refused as Phil insists he is still taking Nigel to Portugal.
But Mark does not give up that easily. When Julie returns home later that day, he drops a bombshell by revealing Phil’s secret plan. She’s shocked, but what will she do?
Next week…
Mark accompanies Vicki to court, but the pressure proves too much and she rushes out of the trial.
With Mark juggling his own problems while trying to be there for his sister, the tension is set to rise.
What else happened in EastEnders today?
Harvey became the voice of reason while trying to make peace between Ian and Elaine, but their vow to work together didn’t last long.
Meanwhile, Cindy and Max tried to trap Jasmine into confessing she lied about Max trying to kiss her. However, she got wise to their plans and soon Oscar was more determined than ever that he was leaving.
Read more: All the biggest flaws as Jasmine reveals she killed Anthony