Cindy Beale (Michelle Collins) reveals all about her Christmas ordeal in EastEnders next week.
Viewers of the BBC soap waiting anxiously for over two months to find out the identity of the mystery assailant that whacked Cindy around the head with a snow shovel.
After waking up from a medically induced coma, she pointed her finger at pretty much everyone in her extended family.
Evidence was stacked against each member of the Beale and Knight clans – and in every instalment we were given some more damning clues as to who might be responsible.
Eventually, during February’s 40th anniversary celebrations, the truth was outed.
After aiming a gun at her estranged partner Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt) – who was holding the missing locket she believed was the final clue to nailing her walloper – he revealed that their son Peter (Thomas Law) was actually responsible.
Cindy was in disbelief that he would ever do that to her, and it became clear that something wasn’t exactly ringing true.
Ian’s mum Kathy (Gillian Taylforth) burst in, and admitted that she had stolen the locket from Cindy’s unconscious body after wielding the shovel, wanting to put an end to her many years of dastardly behaviour.
In a further twist, Cindy then pushed Ian in front of Reiss Colwell’s (Jonny Freeman) car, causing a chain of events that would see The Queen Vic pub go up in the flames.
Ostracised from her family, and knowing that Ian and Kathy now had leverage on her, she fled to stay with best pal Gita.
Peter became alarmed on Mother’s Day when he couldn’t get in touch with her, and after contacting Gita, was told that she hadn’t seen her either.
His fiancée Lauren Branning (Jacqueline Jossa) became frustrated that during his plight to locate his mum, he’d failed to attend her next baby scan.
She dealt a troubling ultimatum – it was either their family, or Cindy. Peter caved and popped the question to her, in an attempt to show commitment, but she declined.
Later, Lauren got down on one knee herself and asked for Peter’s hand in marriage.
In upcoming scenes, the mother-in-law from hell returns to Albert Square and gatecrashes their engagement.
‘Cindy comes back wanting to make amends,’ actress Michelle Collins told us.
‘Wanting to get back with her family, but I think what she doesn’t realise is that people have not forgotten and they’re not going to forgive her that easily.
‘It’s going to take a long time, and Cindy gets a bit of a shock when she comes back from how people react to her.’
Lauren is furious when Peter misses yet another scan, too distracted by his phone. Is he reaching out to Cindy?
That certainly looks to be the case when she shows up at Harry’s Barn, and nobody is happy to see her.
‘Cindy comes back and thinks that everyone is going to have open arms and welcome her back and go “oh everything is forgiven” and actually, it doesn’t go the way that she had planned so she has to try and change her tactic,’ Michelle continued.
‘She’s quite deluded, isn’t she?’
The atmosphere turns frosty, as Peter attempts to defuse the situation. With both the Beales and Knights furious to see her, Cindy decides its time to come clean and tell everyone that Kathy attacked her.
While we can’t reveal the aftermath of the explosive confession, it’s bound to ruffle quite a few feathers!
As Lauren rushes off home, events take a concerning turn when her waters break. Cindy darts after her, and the women are alone as she begins to give birth.
