WARNING: This article is full of spoilers for today’s EastEnders episode, which is streaming on BBC iPlayer now but has not yet aired on BBC One, and sees Chelsea call Karen Taylor.
Today’s EastEnders sees Chelsea pushed to breaking point as pressure mounts over Jordan’s return home and her growing connection to Sheila.
But while Chelsea finds herself facing a worrying new dilemma, viewers were left delighted by the unexpected return of a familiar Walford favourite.
Chelsea buckles under the pressure
As Chelsea starts to wonder if she has done the right thing taking Sheila’s money, she has bigger things to worry about because Jordan is coming home.
As Kim and Libby try to make everything perfect for Jordan’s return, Chelsea is feeling overwhelmed.
Chelsea confides in Libby about everything Jordan will need for his recovery, and Libby suggests she should rethink accepting the money from Sheila.
Chelsea is forced to admit that she went to see Sheila again after their recent coffee and did take the cheque after all.
Chelsea reaches out to Karen Taylor
Not knowing whether she can trust Sheila, Chelsea calls the one other person who would understand her predicament – Karen Taylor.
Karen doesn’t answer, so she leaves a voicemail asking whether Sheila has contact with Gray’s other children, Mack and Mia.
However, the family are dealt another blow when Jack comes home from seeing Denise and reveals that none of them is a close enough stem cell match. Everyone is devastated, and the news is too much on top of everything else for Chelsea. She dashes out of the house, leaving her phone behind.
As she escapes to the cafe to clear her head, she bumps into Sheila. At first Chelsea is cross to see her back in Walford.
However, Chelsea soon bursts into tears, and Sheila offers her some kind words about Denise, which makes Chelsea soften towards Gray’s nan.
Karen calls Chelsea back in EastEnders
While Chelsea is talking to Sheila, her phone is ringing at home. There, Raymond and Jordan accidentally answer it while playing a video game.
They have no idea Karen is on the other end of the line.
Oblivious to the fact she isn’t talking to Chelsea, Karen explains that Sheila has tried to get in touch with Mack and Mia and that Chelsea needs to steer clear, as she has always been close to Gray.
Of course, Chelsea is oblivious to this warning. So, when Sheila gives her a present to pass on to Jordan, she suggests that maybe she could give it to him herself.
Sheila is thrilled, and Chelsea has no idea she has just invited the enemy into her son’s life.
EastEnders fans thrilled as Karen ‘returns’
But while fans worry what Sheila’s intentions are, they were more distracted by Karen’s return. They were thrilled, even though she was only on the other end of the phone…
“Nice to see Karen get a voice cameo. I thought it was going to be a text,” said one fan. While someone else simply wrote: “Agh, Karen. I’m screaming!”
A third fan commented: “Oh I so wish Karen would come back to EastEnders for good. She would tell Sheila where to go!”
“I agree, with Denise in hospital, she would be a great support for Chelsea right now. She knows exactly what evil Gray is capable of,” replied another viewer.
While a final fan said: “Wouldn’t it be great if Gray’s return somehow meant Karen could come back, too!?”
As Chelsea grows closer to Sheila viewers are increasingly concerned about what could happen next.
But for many fans, the biggest talking point from today’s episode was hearing Karen’s voice back in Walford once again.
Read More: EastEnders spoilers for this week: First look as Bea splits up Billy and Honey