Jack Branning’s really going through it at the moment, but the grieving EastEnder might be dealt another blow when Charlie Cotton comes back for his son Matthew.
Dot is convinced her grandson should come home and look after his biological son, but will Jack ever agree to it?
After Ronnie drowned alongside her sister Roxy on New Year’s Day, widower Jack’s been left with three kids to raise – Amy, his daughter with Roxy, Ricky, his daughter with Sam, and Matthew, Ronnie’s son with Charlie.
Read more: Is this character making a Walford comeback?
To say Jack’s struggling would be an understatement and worried Dot and Glenda aren’t sure he’s got what it takes to cope with three youngsters when he’s suffering so badly himself.
With Matthew not even Jack’s biological son, will Mr Branning continue to care for him?
Matthew hasn’t seen his real dad since he was nine-months old when Charlie was scared out of town by Ronnie and bad boy Vincent.
It was an abrupt ending for the character and for a while fans were sure Vincent had offed Charlie.
It was later revealed Charlie was alive and well, but had fled in terror over what unstable Ron and her lover might do to him.
Vincent might still be on the Square, but he’s a reformed family man now and has little interest in the battles of Jack Branning, so we doubt he’d pose any threat to Charlie’s return, and with Ronnie gone, now might be the time for Charlie to come out of hiding.
Dot is growing increasingly concerned over how Jack is handling the children, especially the way he explained what happened to Ronnie and Roxy to them.
Read more: Jack moves on from Ronnie with another Mitchell woman
With Jack out of earshot, Dot takes Glenda aside and the grandmothers discuss what’s best for the little ones, which is when Dot suggests Charlie should bring Matthew up away from Walford.
Glenda is very against the idea and wants Charlie kept out of the equation. Harsh!
Torn Dot wants to stay loyal to her grandson, but eventually agrees to stay quiet. That is until Jack admits to them both how much he’s struggling.
Dot knows she has to do something – will she call Charlie and bring him back to Walford? Is Jack about to lose one of the kids? And how will he cope if he does?