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The Knight family made their dramatic debut in EastEnders on Thursday evening.
As the Albert Square residents mourned the tragic death of Lola Pearce (Danielle Harold) George (Colin Salmon) and daughters Gina (Francesca Henry) and Anna (Molly Rainford) arrived to stir up proceedings.
As Elaine Peacock’s lover and new Queen Vic landlord he soon integrated himself into the community, flirting with Whitney Dean (Shona McGarty) and putting villain Nish Panesar (Navin Chowdhry) in his place.
Elsewhere his outspoken offspring found new enemies in the form Kathy Beale (Gillian Taylforth) and Linda Carter (Kellie Bright)
But viewers were quick to predict the character’s ‘true identities’ after numerous references to the girls’ missing mum – as well as Anna saying Walford ‘felt like home’.
Debut: The Knight family made their dramatic debut in EastEnders on Thursday evening (L-R) Anna Knight (Molly Rainford) George Knight (Colin Salmon) and Gina Knight (Francesca Henry)
Cheeky chap: As Elaine Peacock’s lover and new Queen Vic landlord he soon integrated himself into the community, flirting with Whitney Dean (Shona McGarty) and putting villain Nish Panesar (Navin Chowdhry) in his place
George confided in Ben Mitchell (Max Bowden) his daughters had grown up without a mother, despite his girls’ secretly keeping a jewellery box to remember her.
Rushing to Twitter fans were convinced that the missing parent was none other than Cindy Beale (Michelle Collins) – who is set to return to the soap after 25 years.
One fan said: ‘Cindy Beale is Anna and Gina’s mother! She faked her death after Cindy Jr was born and did it again with Anna and Gina’.
While another wrote: ‘ I would love it if peoples theories about Cindy being the Knight girls’ mum is true, would be an amazing plot twist! ‘.
A third commented: ‘I’ve worked out how Cindy’s coming back to #EastEnders – she faked her death and went to work under a new identity as a holiday rep for Janus Holidays in Marbella, where she met and had a fling with George Knight – you heard it here first’.
While someone else mused: ‘Eastenders theory: if Cindy is returning, could she be the mother of newbies Gina and Anna and ex-wife of George Knight? Wasn’t Cindy’s sister called Gina? (Little hint). I could imagine Cindy has been living her days out in Marbella for the past 25 years!’.
Actress Michelle Collins starred as Cindy on the BBC soap opera from 1988 until 1998 and is reportedly due to make a return to screens alongside her on-screen husband Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt), who is also heading back to the soap after a two-year break.
And, although Cindy was meant to have died in childbirth, the character and Ian will be seen running a catering business in the South of France.
Mystery: But viewers were quick to predict the character’s ‘true identities’ after numerous references to the girls’ missing mum – as well as Anna saying Walford ‘felt like home’
Back: Rushing to Twitter fans were convinced that the missing parent was none other than Cindy Beale (Michelle Collins) – who is set to return to the soap after 25 years
Sure! Racing to Twitter one fan said: ‘Cindy Beale is Anna and Gina’s mother! She faked her death after Cindy Jr was born and did it again with Anna and Gina’
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A source told The Sun: ‘Bosses wanted to deliver a backstory which explains where they’ve both been all these years.’
It is claimed that in scenes set to air this summer, Cindy will be seen arriving in a Citroen van while Ian uses a translation app on his phone to speak to the locals.
However, apparently the pair will be snubbed by the locals and Ian begins pining for Walford and its market on Bridge Street.
The source added: ‘It’s not entirely clear how or when they got back together, or how they ended up in France — but they seem to be a couple again.
‘It’s a clever and funny twist to have them continuing their catering work and working on stalls, just like they did on Albert Square.’
MailOnline has contacted the BBC for comment.
It was reported this week that actress Michelle will make her return even though her character was said to have died in childbirth off-screen whilst serving time in prison for attempted murder.
A source told The Sun: ‘This has been done so secretively but it’s going to be an absolute bombshell — an unbelievable twist. Ian and Cindy are one of the most memorable couples in soap history.
‘But Cindy has been dead for 25 years — and nobody will see this coming.
‘The biggest surprise is that Michelle has so often said there’s no chance she’d come back.’
Comeback: Actress Michelle Collins starred as Cindy on the BBC soap opera from 1988 until 1998 and is reportedly due to make a return to screens alongside her on-screen husband Ian Beale ( Adam Woodyatt ), who is also heading back to the soap after a two-year break (pictured in 1989)
Big return: Michelle is reportedly due to make a return to screens along with her on-screen husband Ian Beale, played by Adam Woodyatt (pictured last month)
MailOnline has contacted the BBC, and representatives for Michelle and Adam for comment.
Since her time on Albert Square, Michelle has carved out a successful career on both stage and screen, having enjoyed a stint as Rovers Return landlady Stella Price in rival soap opera Coronation Street.
She has also appeared in stage productions of musicals such as Thoroughly Modern Millie and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
In 2019, the Two Thousand Acres of Sky actress – who during her time on the BBC soap saw her character have a string of affairs that led Ian to hire a private investigator – remarked that she had not been able to ‘shake Cindy off’ and remained adamant that a return could not happen because her character was deceased.
She said: ‘It’s just too long now — apart from the fact I’m dead. If I went back to EastEnders, that would be it.
‘I still haven’t shaken off Cindy after all these years. I’m not saying it’s a bad thing, but it has always been there and I’ve done a lot of other work over the years.’
