Following on from Zoe Slater’s (Michelle Ryan) disappearance, the hunt to track her down has begun.

The legendary character made a brief return at the beginning of the week, and it became immediately clear that she had fallen on hard times.

She told cousin Stacey (Lacey Turner) and stepfather Alfie Moon (Shane Richie) that she was on the run from Spanish loansharks, but it later transpired that she had been sending threatening messages to herself.

Alfie was desperate for her to reconnect with her mum Kat (Jessie Wallace) – and the two women almost came face to face – before she scarpered out of a window.

In a later phone call to Stace’, she revealed that she had done something ‘so bad’ that would taint her family’s view of her, and for that reason she was having to flee.

In today’s episode, which can be streamed now, Kat was suspicious of Alfie, who seemed increasingly distracted by some information she isn’t privy to.

They were meant to be making their marriage official at the registry office, but he rushed off to see Stacey again.

She revealed that Zoe had taken her credit card and booked a flight to Barcelona, and Alfie decided that they should refrain from cancelling the account and track her movements.

That way, they’d be able to find her easier.

When he returned back to Walford, Alfie explained to Kat that his brother Spencer (Christopher Parker) is in a bad way, and as a result, he’d have to spend some time in Australia.

She couldn’t help but feel abandoned, and their sons Tommy (Sonny Kendall), Bert and Ernie, were upset that he was breaking up their family dynamic.

After drowning her sorrows in The Vic, and some wise words from unlikely source Kathy Cotton (Gillian Taylforth), Kat returned home and told Alfie that she gave him his blessing to leave.

However, she asserted that if he is lying, she’ll end the relationship.

She then opened up about wanting to reconnect with Zoe, wishing that she was in her life – a statement which left Alfie in a state of surprise and considering whether to come clean.

He told his wife that he was going to be the ‘good bloke’ that she needed, and give her everything she wants in life. She was completely oblivious that this meant bringing Zoe to Albert Square.

After rushing off to their appointment to officiate their wedding, she packed his bags and sent him on his way.

As he boarded the taxi, she asked him to bring home the best present ever – and he promised he would.