Spoiler warning for Thursday 30th May 2024.
*Warning: Contains spoilers for tonight’s EastEnders episode (30th May 2024), currently available on BBC iPlayer.*
EastEnders has aired an almighty showdown between old foes Cindy Beale (Michelle Collins) and Kathy Cotton (Gillian Taylforth).
The BBC One soap has seen Cindy drawn back to ex-husband George Knight (Colin Salmon) in recent weeks and recently the discovery of a kiss between them by his fiancée Elaine Peacock (Harriet Thorpe) caused drama in that relationship.
Elaine also told Cindy’s partner and long-suffering ex-husband Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt) about the kiss and then informed George what she had done.
However, Ian carried on as normal and acted like nothing had happened before George informed Cindy that Ian knew what happened.
In Thursday’s instalment, Cindy confronted a nonchalant Ian about the kiss and he asked her if that was all it was when she confirmed this was the case, he said he wanted to move on and it wasn’t worth ending their relationship over. Cindy seemed somewhat disappointed that Ian did not fight with her more over the revelation.
Yet, when Ian was alone with his mother Kathy, he broke down and admitted what had happened but that he felt he would be alone without Cindy due to his age and health.
When Kathy reminded him that this was not a reason to stay in a relationship, he also admitted that Cindy reminds him of the couple’s late daughter Lucy Beale and he is happy when with her.
Later, Cindy was on Bridge Street when she tried to speak with son Peter Beale (Thomas Law) – who she had annoyed through her treatment of Lauren Branning (Jacqueline Jossa) – before then trying to speak with daughters Gina (Francesca Henry) and Anna Knight (Molly Rainford).
However, the conversation was interrupted as Kathy marched up to Cindy and proclaimed: “Once a slapper, always a slapper!”
Kathy then slapped Cindy across her left cheek and left the Knight girls gasping. Cindy raised her arm to hit her former mother-in-law back but Gina held her back.
Kathy continued: “Come on gents, form an orderly queue, it looks like she’s open for business again!”
As Cindy suggested Kathy didn’t understand the situation, Kathy noted it was about Cindy and George and while Cindy might have Ian under control, Kathy was not and called her a “gold-digging little tart with morals as loose as her underwear!”
As Anna jumped in to defend her mum, Kathy apologised to Anna and Gina but noted the misery that Cindy continues to cause everyone and she would do Ian a favour to pack her bags and leave. Kathy then walked off before the Knight girls also left Cindy disappointed in her actions.
An amused Elaine was seen surveying the scene from upstairs in the Queen Bic and smiled when Cindy looked up and locked eyes with her.
When Cindy nursed her wound at Beale’s Eels, she was approached by George’s son Junior Knight (Micah Balfour) and as he quizzed her about the situation, he offered to help fix things with Gina and Anna.
At Peggy’s later, Junior brokered a sitdown between the girls and their mother, but her similar excuses and lack of consideration for Elaine drove the girls away once more.
On the way home from the chip shop, Cindy spoke with Junior and thanked him for sticking up for her today and they shared a clear moment of sexual tension before Cindy returned home.
Could Cindy be about to find a new affair entirely? Well, next week she makes a desperate play once more for George, will she succeed?
Meanwhile, for the other Beales today, Kathy finally got back to the cafe after dying Nish Panesar (Navin Chowdhry) sold it back to her for £1, while Peter locked lips with Lauren after proclaiming his love for her.
Is this a fresh start for them both?