EastEnders tonight sees two iconic characters return for shocking killer storyline

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EastEnders sees two familiar faces return tonight as a murder storyline takes a fresh twist

The Albert Square sign in EastEnders
(Image credit: BBC)

EastEnders fans have been puzzled over a missing character for months, but tonight we will finally discover Bianca Jackson's fate after she was kidnapped before Christmas.

Soap viewers know that Sonia's fiancé, Reiss has been keeping Bianca hostage in a lockup for months after she worked out that he is the one who killed his wife, Debbie, and not Sonia.

However, with other drama going on in Walford like the attempted murder of Cindy Beale and Nish Panesar's reign of terror, it seemed like the show had forgotten about poor Bianca, all alone in the lockup where she has been since the beginning of November.

However, in tonight's EastEnders (Monday, January 13, available on BBC iPlayer now and airing on BBC One tonight at 7.30) we finally see Bianca back on our screens... but she isn't the only iconic character returning.

Sonia is also back on our screens as the trial for Debbie's murder gets underway. It has been months since we saw Sonia get wrongly arrested for murder, and she is now heavily pregnant and hating every moment of prison life.

EastEnders spoilers, Reiss Colwell, Sonia Jackson

Reiss foes to see Sonia in jail. (Image credit: BBC)

But while Reiss is campaigning to get Sonia released, no one apart from Bianca knows that he is responsible for Sonia being in jail in the first place.

Reiss goes to see Sonia in prison before the trial and promises to do everything he can to make sure she doesn't give birth in jail. But, when the trial comes, Sonia is shocked when she gets into the dock and sees he is missing from the courtroom.

EastEnders spoilers, Sonia Jackson

Reiss is nowhere to be found as Sonia's trial starts. (Image credit: BBC)

Martin is there to show his support, but Reiss is nowhere to be found, and we discover later he is with Bianca in the soundproof lock up. But something has changed in Bianca, gone is the feisty, fiery Bianca that we all know and love, and instead, she is a shell of her former self having been held hostage for so long.

With Sonia's trial now underway, will Reiss's killer secret finally be exposed? And what about Bianca? Surely he can't keep her locked up forever - could she become his next victim? And if so, why hasn't he killed her already?

EastEnders airs on BBC One Monday to Thursday evenings at 7.30pm. Episodes land on BBC iPlayer at 6am the morning they air on BBC One.

Claire Crick
Claire Crick
Assistant Managing Editor at What To Watch

Claire is Assistant Managing Editor at What To Watch and has been a journalist for over 15 years, writing about everything from soaps and TV to beauty, entertainment, and even the Royal Family. After starting her career at a soap magazine, she ended up staying for 13 years, and over that time she’s pulled pints in the Rovers Return, sung karaoke in the Emmerdale village hall, taken a stroll around Albert Square, and visited Summer Bay Surf Club in sunny Australia. 

After learning some tricks of the trade at websites Digital Spy, Entertainment Daily, and Woman & Home, Claire landed a role at What’s On TV and whattowatch.com writing about all things TV and film, with a particular love for Aussie soaps, Strictly Come Dancing and Bake Off. 

She’s interviewed everyone from June Brown — AKA Dot Cotton — to Michelle Keegan, swapped cooking tips with baking legend Mary Berry backstage at the NTAs, and danced the night away with soap stars at countless awards bashes. There’s not a lot she doesn’t know about soaps and TV and can be very handy when a soapy question comes up in a pub quiz! 

As well as all things soap-related, Claire also loves running, spa breaks, days out with her kids, and getting lost in a good book. 

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