Kathy Beale (Gillian Taylforth)

[maidmarian]

I wouldn't know, Dazzle, I've never seen one....

Wonder u didnt post an icon with an halo then.!

[Dazzle]

Wonder u didnt post an icon with an halo then.!

Parkerman doesn't need to use the halo icon as his virtuous nature is always evident...

[parkerman]

If you've read my book yet, you'll know what a little angel I was....and still am of course.

[Dazzle]

If you've read my book yet, you'll know what a little angel I was....and still am of course.

Ha ha...I haven't had time to read it yet but it's at the top of my reading pile. I'm sooo looking forward to hearing what a good little boy you were!

[Perdita]

We knew it was coming at some point, but EastEnders has now aired another brief teaser scene showing Gillian Taylforth back as Kathy Beale.

Kathy reappeared on screen towards the end of Tuesday's episode (May 19), as she met up with her ex-husband Phil Mitchell in a café.

Phil meets up with Kathy
© BBC
Phil meets up with Kathy

Phil was seen handing Kathy an envelope of cash, but he also offered a firm warning that he wouldn't be able to carry on helping her.

When Phil also asked whether Kathy's third husband Gavin suspected anything, she replied: "Do you think I'd still be standing if he did?"

EastEnders' executive producer Dominic Treadwell-Collins had first teased the intriguing Kathy scene a month ago, promising that it would pave the way for her permanent return later in the year.

He told Radio Times at the time: "We know that there was a Gavin that she went off with. It's a big, big story with a lot of twists and turns, as you've come to expect from us. There's Gavin, Kathy and there's a lot of Phil involved. It's going to draw in lots of different families from around the Square and it's not going to be easy for her to come back."

Phil refuses to keep helping Kathy
© BBC
Phil refuses to keep helping Kathy

Speaking to Digital Spy earlier this month, Taylforth's on-screen son Adam Woodyatt (Ian) admitted that he still didn't know what the show's bosses had planned for Kathy's return.

Woodyatt added: "You've got to remember that with the situation that Phil's in, if he does have information about Kathy, it's not just Ian who will be affected - but also his son Ben and his wife Sharon. You've got to think, there's history between Phil and Kathy - massive history. If Kathy came back all of a sudden, where's that going to leave Sharon?"

Taylforth reprised her role as Kathy in EastEnders' 30th anniversary episode in February, which saw Phil forbid her to return to Albert Square.

Kathy's return came as a huge shock to fans, as she was previously thought to be dead following an off-screen road accident in 2006.

[Kissinger]

so is she here to stay, or just for a few eps????

[xx_Dan_xx]

so is she here to stay, or just for a few eps????

I think permanent but this return is too stale.

[xx_Dan_xx]

so is she here to stay, or just for a few eps????

I think permanent but this return is too stale.

[Dazzle]

I think permanent but this return is too stale.

How can Kathy's return be stale already when she's only been on screen for a couple of minutes in total so far?

[tammyy2j]

So far I am not keen or interested in her return as I don think there is a valid enough reason for her to fake her death especially on Ben who was very young and is now so messed up