WARNING: This article contains spoilers for today’s episode of EastEnders, which is streaming on BBC iPlayer now but has not yet aired on BBC One, and includes Cora making her shock return.
EastEnders viewers were treated to an unexpected blast from the past in today’s episode, as Cora Cross made a shock return to Walford during the Square’s Mother’s Day celebrations.
While plenty of familiar faces gathered to mark the occasion, it was Cora’s sudden arrival that really got fans talking. And with Lauren still reeling after last week’s horrifying attack, the timing of the visit could not have been more emotional.
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Lauren is struggling after last week
Still traumatised from what happened at the test drive with Mark Jr, Lauren isn’t quite herself. As she puts on a brave face for her family, she sees a customer at the car lot and heads over to see if she can make a sale before their family lunch.
However, when the customer asks for a test drive, she refuses because of her past trauma and loses the sale.
Max sees the whole thing play out and is concerned about Lauren. The pair end up having a heart-to-heart, and as Max says all the right things for once, Lauren invites him for Mother’s Day lunch at Kathy’s.
Max isn’t exactly welcomed with open arms by the rest of the family after what happened at Christmas when he punched Jack. But as Max promises to be on his best behaviour, he’s allowed to stay.
Cora Cross returns to Walford
Sadly for Max, he struggles to keep his promise when Peter’s surprise for Lauren turns out to be that her gran, Cora Cross, is coming for lunch!
Cora, played by British TV legend Ann Mitchell, has never been Max’s biggest fan, and although Lauren is thrilled to see her gran, the same can’t be said for Max.
As Cora makes herself at home, Peter reveals he called Tanya and Cora and asked them over for Mother’s Day lunch. While Max couldn’t look more relieved that Tanya turned the invitation down, he isn’t happy that Cora is there. Soon, the pair start trading barbed remarks about Abi Junior. Then Ian is in the firing line when Cora mentions his chequered past with her other daughter, Rainie.
Eventually, Ian asks Max to leave the lunch after he repeatedly clashes with Cora. But while everyone else seems happy around the table, Cora can see that her granddaughter is struggling.
Later that evening, she confronts Lauren and tells her that she is stronger than she thinks, and that she can face anything if she puts her mind to it. With her gran’s words on her mind, Lauren heads over to see Mark and takes him up on an earlier offer to sell luxury cars through the car lot.
Who is Cora Cross in EastEnders?
Matriarch Cora is Tanya and Rainie’s mother and appeared in EastEnders between 2011 and 2015.
Since then, she has appeared on screen for short stints and was last seen in Walford in November 2018.
During today’s brief return, she is also seen on screen with Oscar. The pair share a short but heartwarming scene in which she encourages her grandson to stop playing the field and settle down with someone.
Could this be a hint towards the potential romance fans have predicted between Oscar and Jasmine’s brother, Josh?
