Jo Cotton is back to cause trouble on Kathy and Rocky’s wedding day.
Gillian Taylforth has teased an epic showdown between Kathy Beale and Jo Cotton in EastEnders.
Earlier this year on the BBC One soap, Kathy discovered that Rocky had a secret wife in the form of the sharp-tongued Jo Cotton (Vicki Michelle).
The couple thought they had exorcised her from their lives when she recently showed up in Walford and agreed to divorce Rocky and was paid off to hand over Rocky’s beloved parrot Jasper.
However, as teased, Jo planned to get even more money out of the pair and soon her plan comes to fruition.
Sadly for Kathy, she soon must learn that Rocky has hidden an entirely fresh secret from her.
Speaking to RadioTimes.com and other press, actress Gillian Taylforth lifted the lid on Kathy’s feelings around the wedding.
“Very apprehensive,” is how Taylforth describes her character heading into the wedding. “She’s not quite sure because she’s found out something that’s upset her enormously yet again. He’s done this to her and hurt her and so she doesn’t even know if she’s gonna go through with it.”
However, the actress confirmed that Kathy’s younger son Ben Mitchell (Max Bowden) comes up with a “lovely surprise” that helps her to forge ahead.
After all the troubles with Rocky’s con alongside his niece Dotty Cotton (Milly Zero) and the existence of his first wife Jo Cotton (Vicki Michelle), it seems he and Kathy are ready to move on and Taylforth hopes he’s the one for Kathy.
!["Brian]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2023/07/436043-3b789fc.jpg?quality=90&resize=619%2C413" "\"436043,EastEnders\"")
“She hopes he is. I mean. he’s a lovely guy. makes her laugh and he’s a bit handsome to go with it. Do you know what I mean? Yeah, he’s lovely, makes her laugh, is great fun to be with…he does lie an awful lot, but I don’t think he does it deliberately. I think he just tries to keep it all smooth and thinks ‘So, I won’t tell her this because it might upset her.’ So I think, you know, on the whole, he’s got a really good heart and he doesn’t mean to offend, he just tries to keep it out of the way, keep it all nice and peaceful and happy for her, which obviously leads to the biggest – the worst – things that can happen. Silly fool, he knows he’s going to be found out and then he has to try and get around that one again.
“So at the moment, all he does is seems to upset her all the time. So I think she’s hoping that this is the end of it. Once they’re married, but hey-ho, it is Rocky, so you know, anything could happen.”
Taylforth confirmed that Kathy truly believes that Jo is out of their lives but is in for a rude awakening.
!["Vicki]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2023/07/436063-10a247d.jpg?quality=90&resize=619%2C413" "\"436063,EastEnders\"")
The actress confirmed: “She thinks Jo’s out the picture now, that she thinks that they’re going to live happily ever after with her in the picture, she’s going to be well away from it all, but unfortunately, she does turn up with an agenda. She’s got more things to say which aren’t going to be very nice for Kathy.”
While we can’t reveal what or when Jo chooses to say these nasty words, we do have a promise that the clash between the two ladies will be nastier than their previous wars of words.
Taylforth confirmed “Even more explosive! So take my word for that it will be more than that – this won’t be just a slanging match. It will be quite a few fireworks going off on the day of the wedding and the repercussions are going to be that the more but yeah, Kathy will sail through it as she always does.”
!["Vicki]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2023/07/436038-7786ea5.jpg?quality=90&resize=619%2C413" "\"436038,EastEnders\"")
Thankfully, relations between Taylforth and Vicki Michelle were a lot nicer than between their two characters.
She revealed: “Afterwards, we just get going, ‘Oh, sorry. Sorry about that. Sorry if I had to do that. Sorry. I did that.’ Because when you’re doing it with a mate as well, or be it any other actors to do it, you know, ‘Oh, God, I don’t want to do that.’’ But it’s great. It’s good stuff because I enjoy doing it.”
Read More
- EastEnders 2023 summer preview: 5 spoilers from Chris Clenshaw
- 5 EastEnders spoilers next week: Lisa Fowler returns – but what’s she hiding?
- EastEnders’ Lucy Benjamin reveals young co-star recreated iconic Peggy Mitchell line
- EastEnders’ Balvinder Sopal wants Ash return if Suki and Eve go public
- EastEnders summer return for Angela Wynter as Yolande Trueman
- EastEnders’ Anna Knight determined to find mum amid Peter Beale update
- EastEnders boss Chris Clenshaw promises “big” Christmas for the Beales
- EastEnders’ Michelle Collins confirms flashbacks and Cindy Beale breakdown
- EastEnders boss Chris Clenshaw reveals impact of Cindy return on Knights
- EastEnders’ Adam Woodyatt hypes up Ian reunions with Phil and Sharon
- EastEnders’ Michelle Collins teases Cindy’s scenes with love rival Elaine
- 6 EastEnders spoilers next week: Kim faces court and Martin suspects Theo
- EastEnders boss Chris Clenshaw on “different” Cindy and Ian reunion
- EastEnders’ explosive Cindy Beale comeback is a campy soap triumph
- EastEnders’ Ian Beale has heart attack and keeps huge secret from Cindy
- Will Jacqueline Jossa return full-time to EastEnders as Lauren Branning?
- 15 EastEnders questions we still have after Cindy and Ian Beale’s return
EastEnders airs Mondays to Thursdays at 7:30pm on BBC One and from 6am on BBC iPlayer. Visit our dedicated EastEnders page for all the latest news, interviews and spoilers. If you’re looking for more to watch, check out our TV Guide and Streaming Guide.
Take part in the Screen Test, a project from Radio Times and the Universities of Sussex and Brighton, to explore the role of television and audio in our lives.
Try Radio Times magazine today and get 12 issues for only £1 with delivery to your home – subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.