Although it’s been three years since he last appeared in EastEnders, it has now been reported that Ricky Champ is set to make his Walford return.
While we don’t yet have a timeline of just when Champ’s Stuart Highway character will be back in Albert Square, The Sun has stated that Champ will be back in EastEnders for a “limited period”.
The BBC declined to comment when approached by RadioTimes.com but we understands that it is indeed a short stint.
Stuart certainly went through his fair share of drama, turning from a resident villainous addition to the Square with his debut on the soap back in 2018.
The brother to Callum (Tony Clay), Stuart was the more enigmatic and violent Highway brother, demonstrating a clear mean streak for much of his initial episodes.
He went so far as beating up Ben Mitchell, who Callum obviously went on to marry later down the line. Despite his rollercoaster start in the soap, Stuart ended up being a bit of a fan-favourite character and was one of the cast that had quite the redemption arc.
In his stint on the soap, we saw Stuart work in all manner of jobs, from the funeral parlour to a taxidermist. But it was his storylines involving his battle with male breast cancer and postnatal depression that really struck a chord with viewers, showing another side to the multifaceted character.
Struggling with his mental health, Stuart and wife Rainie (Tanya Franks) decided to leave Walford and since their departure in 2022, we haven’t heard anything of Stuart since.
In that time, Stuart’s brother Callum has certainly been going through a hell of a lot as it relates to his personal life.
From the incarceration of Ben to his ongoing affair with Johnny Carter (Charlie Suff), could Callum really just be on a downward spiral that could be helped by the return of his brother? While we don’t know if Stuart’s arrival is due to Callum, we can continue to speculate for now.
Previously speaking of the possibility of returning to EastEnders, Champ revealed to Digital Spy what he thinks has happened to his character, stating: “He didn’t die. He rode off into the sunset. I think he’s somewhere in the North Circular living with Rainie. You never know.”
Champ’s return to EastEnders isn’t the only anticipated soap return on the horizon though, with fans recently seeing the return of Oscar Branning (Pierre Moullier), which continues to pave the way for the lauded return of his father Max (Jake Wood).
Could Stuart and Max’s returns crossover? There is the possibility and we do know that Max is due for his big Walford return in autumn, with a permanent return scheduled for later in the year.
