EastEnders tonight: One character returns as another leaves!

(Image credit: BBC)

*This article contains spoilers for tonight's (Thursday, September 19) episode of EastEnders on BBC iPlayer and is yet to air on TV*

EastEnders airs a return from an iconic character in today's episode. But sadly, it's only to help another Walford legend depart!

Jane Beale arrives in Albert Square to collect her son, Bobby, who's decided to move on - with a little nudge from Cindy, of course.

But in true EastEnders style, first there's not one, but two huge Beale showdowns - in The Queen Vic and at the side of Lucy's grave!

Jane and Bobby Beale — Jane's back for Bobby! (Image credit: BBC)

As the episode begins, Bobby tells his dad Ian that he's going to live in the Cotswolds with his mum.

Cindy, obviously, urges Ian to let Bobby go, but he's saddened to think of his son moving on.

And so, as a sad Freddie mopes at the Slaters' house, Ian storms in and throws money at him, wanting Freddie to leave so Bobby can stay.

The Slaters aren't impressed by the interruption, mind you, and Kat tells Ian to sling his hook!

Later Ian marches over to the pub where he tells a tearful Anna that he had trusted her to love Bobby.

"You stamped all over him like he was nothing," he says.

Ian breaks down in the pub — Ian loses it as he talks about Lucy (Image credit: BBC)

When Anna tries to explain how she got confused, Ian loses his temper.

"I lost Lucy," he says. "I lost Steven. I will not lose another child." And when Cindy tells him she knows how he's feeling, he's even more annoyed.

"You weren't there," he says, before breaking down in tears.

Blimey!

Cindy forces Bobby to look at the photograph on Lucy's grave — Cindy tells Bobby she will never forgive him for killing Lucy (Image credit: BBC)

With emotions running high, Ian's upset again when he hears that Bobby's gone to Lucy's grave. He and Cindy follow him to the cemetery, where Bobby is telling his sister he doesn't deserve to be happy.

Ian tries to reassure Bobby that he's "sorted" everything and Bobby can stay in Walford. But it's Cindy's turn to lose it.

"You don't get to lay flowers on my daughter's grave and talk to her," she sobs. She forces Bobby's face close to the photograph of Lucy and tells him: "You murdered my daughter and I will never forgive you for the rest of your miserable life!"

But for once, Bobby fights back, telling Cindy some home truths.

"You didn't know Lucy," he says.

And Ian doesn't get away with it either. Bobby brings up how he disappeared for two years.

Jane Beale in Walford to collect Bobby — Jane comes back to her old home to collect Bobby (Image credit: BBC)

With the Beales having cleared the air, Bobby announces Jane is coming to get him. And soon she is in Albert Square, waiting for her son.

Bobby says an emotional goodbye to his family and to Anna, and then off he goes with Jane.

Will he return one day?

EastEnders airs tonight at 7.30pm on BBC One. Check our TV Guide for more information.

Kerry is a writer, author and editor with a lifelong love of the soaps, a passion for TV drama of all kinds, and an obsessive devotion to Strictly Come Dancing.

She was features editor of All About Soap magazine for more than a decade, covering every bit of excitement from all the UK soaps and the Aussies and still writes about all the juiciest gossip from the Street, the Square and the Dales whenever she can.

Kerry’s also an author of historical fiction, and her two jobs collided when she got the chance to write two novels based on Emmerdale, and the Sugden, Tate and Dingle families, during WW2.