COMEBACKS are bread and butter in soapland but it’s rare that all three

soaps pull off the same trick at the exact same time.

But today and this Christmas, bosses at Coronation Street, Emmerdale and EastEnders have pulled it off.

And best of all – they were all brilliant in their own way.

Corrie welcomed back iconic killer Richard Hillman for a truly creepy comeback.

Dripping wet, fresh from the canal he drowned in 21 years ago, Richard said hello to his horrified wife Gail on the eve of her (counts) seventh wedding.

The big shock, the dripping killer and the “hello Gail” all combined to be the perfect moment to pay homage to Gail’s biggest ever storyline.

Meanwhile over on Emmerdale the identity of the man behind the revenge plot against Kim Tate was revealed.

And as some fans had guessed – despite Kim’s long-list of enemies – Joe Tate made his comeback after seven years.

He’s back for good and the War of the Tates is going to set ultimate soap villain Kim against her one-time protege – and the man she tried to have killed.

It perfectly sets up next year and puts Kim back where she belongs at the centre of the show – and finally gives her a decent foil.

The build-up to Joe’s return was a classic soap return, while EastEnders pulled off a blinder as Nigel Bates made a shock comeback in a blink and you’ll miss it scene.

He appeared in Albert Square, 26 years after his last appearance there, but this time seemingly homeless.

Fans have a lot of questions and so the surprise scene has done its job – just like the other returns did theirs.

If Christmas in soapland is anything like these returns, we’re all in for a treat.