EastEnders legend Sam Mitchell is set to make her highly-anticipated return to the Square as actress Kim Medcalf is back filming.
After her explosive return last year, fans were devastated to hear that the soap favourite had decided to leave Walford again after being offered a job by her ex-fiancé Don to run a hotel in Spain.
Despite the protests from her brother Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden) and her ex- lover Jack Branning (Scott Maslen), Sam accepted the job so that she could help financially support her son Ricky Jr's (Frankie Day) new baby and help the family in the long run.
It was confirmed that Sam's exit was only temporary and she would return later this year, with many fans speculating that she would return in time for the birth of Ricky's baby.
However, recent scenes quashed these rumours as it was revealed that she couldn't come back to the UK to meet her new granddaughter Charli Slater.
Instead, Sam had sent a basket of goodies to make up for her absence, though Ricky was furious that his mum wasn't there for the birth.
Now, the wait is nearly over as soap star Kim has returned to the set for filming, according to Metro.co.uk, after taking an extended break in April.
Filming schedules mean that Sam may be back on screen in autumn and she certainly has a lot of catching up to do.
Sam's arrival saw her trying to repair her relationship with Ricky after she dumped him on Jack following her mum Peggy Mitchell's (Barbara Windsor) funeral and returned to Spain without him.
She then nearly left him again after her ex-husband Ricky Butcher (Sid Owen) returned and she agreed to move to Germany with him to start afresh.
However, she later turned down his offer after finding out that Ricky Jr got his friend Lily Slater (Lillia Turner) pregnant and wanted to be there to support her son.
Once she returns, will she be able to heal the fractured bond between her and Ricky and give him the mother's love he desperately needs?
We're also waiting on news regarding the iconic Shirley Carter's (Linda Henry) return as she left the Square in December last year and hasn't been seen since.
EastEnders airs Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings at 7.30 pm on BBC One — see our TV Guide for full listings. You can also catch up on episodes on BBC iPlayer now.
