The Jacksons Are Back

No, not the musical Jacksons, the Jackson family in EastEnders are making a return! Bianca’s family, including her mother Carol, sister Sonia and brothers Robbie and Billie are all making a return to the soap in time for the programme’s 25th anniversary in the New Year. So, fresh from gracing our screens on Strictly, Natalie Cassidy will be back in Walford as Mrs Martin Fowler and mother of Rebecca. No news on whether her on-screen hubbie will actually be in tow or not. Then there’s Carol Jackson, played by Lindsey Coulson (who was on the BBC not so long ago in ‘The Street’). Last time we saw the Jackson matriarch it was 1999 and she had discovered Bianca was having an affair with her fiancé Dan Sullivan. So expect sparks to fly when mother and daughter are reunited for the first time since the whole sordid affair. How will Bianca feel about her past now, considering her own step-daughter pretty much did the same thing with Bianca’s fiancé Tony? An unfortunate case of history repeating, except in this more recent case Whitney was only a child and Tony was effectively a paedophile. Hmm…don’t you just love EastEnders?! Anyway, Billie Jackson is also back to join his siblings and mother – played by an as-yet uncast actor. Apparently, he’ll be another little trouble-maker. And then there’s Robbie Jackson, reprised again by Dean Gaffney. Last time we saw him he was heading off to India with girlfriend Nita in 2003. How will the Jacksons take to their extended family of Ricky, Tiffany, Liam, Whitney…and Sam Mitchell? It doesn’t take a genius to figure out we’re going to have some serious bust-ups in Albert Square next year…