Charlie Brooks has teased that Janine Carter's return to EastEnders is a story of "survival".
The devious character made an ominous return in today's (Thursday 5 November) episode, receiving a document in a brown envelope from an unknown man. She remarked that its contents were "perfect", before sliding another envelope across the table.
But what does this mean? And why is Janine back in Walford after 4 years away?
"I always love coming back to Janine," Brooks explained. "She’s an exciting character to play, and it’s always fun to discover what she’s been doing and what she’s been up to as an actress.
"Seeing everyone back at the studio, and working with Kellie [Bright] again, has been amazing. It always feels like home when I go back.
"I always like trying to understand a little bit more about her each time I play her, and I think the ‘why’ is so important. She’s a lot of things, but she’s also a super fun character to play. She’s very camp, and I have a lot of fun with her.
"Janine is also deep, and she’s got a lot going on, so it’s always interesting to explore that."
Brooks has effectively grown up on the BBC soap. She was just a teenager when she took over the role in 1999, and her portrayal moulded Janine into the iconic soap star that she is today.
"I’ve known a lot of the cast for many years, and that brings a nice sense of familiarity and peace when I go back. It also allows playfulness because it’s familiar and it feels safe. Being in that environment and having done it since I was 17 is why I feel like I can be quite brave with Janine because I’m surrounded by great people."
"I don’t know if anyone wants to see a reformed Janine ever," Brooks laughed, discussing her return storyline.
"Rest assured, we are leaning into the true nature of who Janine is. As always, it’s about survival for her."
She added that it was her co-stars that tempted her to reprise the role, namely Bright, who will be departing her Linda Carter role in the New Year after over 13 years in the role.
"It was so amazing to see the whole crew and cast. One of the reasons I was coming back was to be part of Kellie’s storyline as we had such a great time working together last time," she revealed.
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