She died in childbirth after plotting to kill her then-husband – or so EastEnders viewers had been led to consider.
However 26 years on from her dramatic loss of life, Cindy Beale is very much alive and living a rather glamorous life within the solar.
The character, performed by Michelle Collins, will return to the BBC cleaning soap – and is about to reunite together with her long-suffering ex-husband Ian Beale.
Cindy supposedly died whereas serving time in jail for hiring a hitman to kill Ian, performed by Adam Woodyatt.
But it surely seems she has been dwelling a double life below the moniker ‘Rose Knight’.
She’s again! 26 years on from her dramatic loss of life, Cindy Beale could be very a lot alive and dwelling a relatively glamorous life within the solar
Shock: The character, performed by Michelle Collins, will return to the BBC cleaning soap – and is about to reunite together with her long-suffering ex-husband Ian Beale (pictured in 1997)
The id of Queen Vic landlord George Knight’s ex-wife has been saved below wraps, however a teaser on the finish of Wednesday’s episode confirmed Cindy selecting up George’s name whereas sprawled out poolside on a solar lounger in France.
George, performed by Colin Salmon, might be seen pouring himself a brandy and enjoying Seal’s Kiss From A Rose on the pub jukebox earlier than the scene lower to Cindy, confirming weeks of suspicion over Rose’s true id.
George arrived in Walford earlier this month, after his new girlfriend Elaine Peacock invested cash in her daughter Linda Carter’s pub.
Michelle, who additionally performed Stella Value in Coronation Avenue from 2011 to 2014, stated she initially thought a comeback was ‘ridiculous’.
‘I feel if it had occurred 5 years in the past I most likely would have stated no,’ she advised a press convention. ‘But it surely’s about timing and when Chris approached Adam and I and we might each been touring and he’d talked about it to me and I stated do not be foolish.
‘After which we had a gathering and I stated to my agent, ‘oh that is ridiculous, it is by no means going to occur’. And so they stated let’s simply go and meet Chris [Clenshaw, producer]. And we had this breakfast assembly and he acquired his laptop computer out and he reeled all of it off.
‘And we each went ‘wow, oh my god’. After which I used to be like perhaps this might work.’
Cindy first arrived in Albert Sq. in 1988, placing up a relationship with Ian after tiring of barman Simon Wicks, performed by Nick Berry.
Return: Cindy has been dwelling a double life below the moniker ‘Rose Knight’
Drumroll: The id of Queen Vic landlord George Knight’s ex-wife has been saved below wraps, however a teaser on the finish of Wednesday’s episode confirmed Cindy selecting up George’s name
Sinister: In an epic two-night affair, viewers will lastly be taught the reality about George Knight’s previous and the id of his ex-wife Rose (Colin Salmon pictured as Geroge)
Hyperlink: Followers famous that within the newest trailer if the letter ‘E’ was taken from Rose and added to Thorn, the 2 phrases would then spell ‘Ros Thorne’
Throwback: Ros appeared within the present between 1997-1998 as a personal detective employed by Ian to trace down his spouse, after she fled the nation (actress Clare Grogan pictured as Ros)
Cowl up: Cindy supposedly died whereas serving time in jail for hiring a hitman to kill Ian, performed by Adam Woodyatt. But it surely seems she has been dwelling a double life (1989)
She later married Ian after a quick fling with Simon noticed her fall pregnant together with her son Steven. Simon ultimately satisfied her to inform Ian the reality and to depart him.
The pair left Walford, however Cindy returned in 1992, rekindled with Ian, and welcomed twins Lucy and Peter, earlier than having an affair with lifeguard Matt and later her ex-Simon’s half-brother, David.
After Ian threatened to take her to court docket to get custody of their youngsters, she had him shot by a hitman earlier than fleeing. He later employed a personal investigator who tracked her down in Italy the place she was dwelling together with her new boyfriend Nick Holland. On returning to Walford she was arrested for conspiracy to homicide.
In 1998 Ian acquired the information that she had died giving start to her daughter with Nick.
Michelle stated she was ‘extremely nervous’ on returning to the cleaning soap however stated by the top of a six-page scene with Woodyatt ‘it was like placing on a pair of outdated slippers’.
She added: ‘Each of us have mellowed and I feel we’re each simply type of snug in our lives and it felt prefer it’s the proper of time.’
The actress additionally praised British soaps for providing ‘implausible tales’ for older ladies.
‘There aren’t that many reveals on TV actually that give ladies of a sure age central characters and present their tales,’ she stated. ‘And while you get to 60 as a lady, you are not written off and also you get to do these implausible issues.
‘I feel that is why EastEnders is nice as a result of it isn’t all about youth. It is nearly folks and actually robust ladies.’ Cindy is not Ian’s first relation to come back again from the lifeless.
He was led to consider his mom Cathy Beale had died in a automobile crash in South Africa, however she returned to Walford in 2015.
Different residents who’ve averted the grim reaper embody Soiled Den Watts who walked into the Queen Vic 14 years after he fell into the canal on being shot and Grant Mitchell who was noticed in Rio de Janeiro together with his daughter Courtney regardless of supposedly drowning.
EastEnders airs the reality about George’s previous on Thursday at 7:30pm on BBC One and iPlayer.
