It’s fair to say it’s not been a good few months for the Carters in EastEnders and with fresh disaster now facing them, can the return of Shirley save them?
She’s back in the thick of it next week and when she’s forced to make a very difficult decision, how will the rest of the family feel about it?
With Shirl banged up, Linda caring for her sick mum, Elaine, and Mick off nursing daughter Nancy back to health after her car crash in Bulgaria, Whitney, Johnny and Tina have been making an admirable effort to keep things at The Vic afloat.
They suffered a setback when Sylvie Carter was electrocuted and died while having a bath, and now Linda’s sent new boy Woody to manage the bar in her absence.
His arrival is causing a fair amount of tension, especially as he quickly realises the Carters’ theme nights aren’t enough to save the failing boozer.
Taking things back to basics, he hosts a good old-fashioned ladies’ night at the pub, complete with strippers!
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The ladies – especially Jane Beale – certainly look to be enjoying themselves as they watch the men take their clothes off, and the evening is a big success.
But it’s not enough to solve the Carters money worries completely and Shirley knows she has to do something to turn things around.
Having been banged up for the past few weeks, firstly after taking the blame for Aunt Babe’s illegal alcohol at breakfast scam, and then having her sentence extended when she beat up her cell mate while grieving for her mum, Shirl’s definitely feeling the pressure.
Aware she’s let her family down and now she needs to step up and take the strain, Shirley makes a big announcement about what she’s got planned.
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The family are stunned by the action she wants to take and try desperately to talk her out of it, but is her mind already made up?
Just what is Shirley planning? And will it really be the answer to all their problems?
“Shirley’s the only one being realistic about their future,” a show source explained to Inside Soap. “It’s about time somebody faced up to the cold, hard facts.”
Will anyone see the reasoning behind her plan and give it their blessing?