Max calls Adam to tell him to leave Kirsty alone, but Adam hangs up on him. When Max tries to call back, the calls keep going through to voicemail. Kirsty tells Max that she just wants to ignore Adam, but Max isn’t sure that this is the best way of dealing with the situation.

Later, Max confides his troubles in Jack and the Branning brothers come up with a plan to get both Adam and Carl out of the picture. Max visits Adam and makes it clear that Carl should stay away from Kirsty, but Adam reacts angrily and punches Max.

However, Jack then appears and helps Max out. With the brothers  now having the upper hand, Max orders Adam to tell Carl that Kirsty is not interested. Back on the Square, Kirsty gets upset over Max’s decision to see Adam, knowing that her troubles are far from over.

Elsewhere, Lauren tries to improve her behaviour by making a surprise breakfast for the family, finishing off her essay and helping Tanya out at Booty’s! When Whitney comes into the salon for a manicure, she spitefully points out for Lauren’s benefit that she’s going out with Lucy that night. Although hurt by her exclusion, Lauren tells Tanya that she doesn’t mind as she’s going out tonight with Hannah, a friend from college.

Later, Lauren consumes a bottle of wine at the allotments and Patrick joins her for a drink. When Lauren confides in Patrick, he urges her to go home and speak to Tanya. As Lauren arrives home, she confesses that Hannah doesn’t exist and the reason she drinks is because she knows she can’t live up to Abi in Tanya’s eyes.

Lauren adds that she can’t remember the last time she went a day without alcohol, and the scale of her daughter’s drinking problem comes crashing down on Tanya.

Meanwhile, Ray realises that he needs to be with Sasha permanently and quits his job at the Vic. Kim is then devastated when Ray explains to her that he is leaving Walford, but he invites her to come with him. To Ray’s surprise, Kim jumps at the chance!

Also today Sharon approaches Phil assuming they can go back to how they were but Phil isn’t having any of it.

The day of Lexi’s final court hearing has arrived! Although Phil tells Lola that Sharon won’t be attending the hearing, she suddenly walks in to the court building. Phil orders her to leave, but she insists that she is sorting herself out and wants to be there to support Lola.

When Lola tries to stick up for Sharon, she accidentally lets slip that both she and Billy knew all about Sharon’s drug problem. Phil is disgusted that Lola knew and still left Lexi in Sharon’s care. He storms out and Billy races after him begging him to make sure that Lola gets Lexi back.

Later, Lola fears the worst when the hearing begins without Phil. However, things seem to be going well when Sharon paints Lola as a brilliant mother to the judge.

Suddenly, Phil walks in and Lola and Billy are both petrified about what he might say. What will Phil do? And what will the judge’s decision be?

Elsewhere, when Kirsty takes another pregnancy test and discovers to her dismay that she still isn’t pregnant, she decides that it’s time to tell Max the truth. Later, she tries to talk to Max, but is distracted when she receives a phone call from Adam, the brother of her ex-boyfriend Carl.

Kirsty explains to Max that Carl is being released from prison and wants to see her. After Kirsty has played Adam’s voice message, Max assures her that he will protect her and the baby from any harm. Will Kirsty still go ahead with telling him that there is no baby?

Meanwhile, Tanya and Jack decide to address Lauren’s drinking problem by sitting down and talking to her together. However, Lauren assures them that she is trying to get over Joey and is now determined to focus on her studies. Tanya seems happy with Lauren’s explanation, but not for long as she soon finds her daughter’s notebook and discovers that she hasn’t done any more of her essay despite her promises.

Also today, Alice secretly takes Scarlett to meet Michael in the park, while Carol is upset when Masood cancels their latest date because he has to urgently visit Syed.

A shocked Phil takes the unopened bottle of pills away from the reach of Lexi before trying to wake a seemingly unconscious Sharon up. When Sharon comes round, Phil tells her to count the tablets to see whether Lexi could have taken any. Fortunately, they realise that there are no missing tablets.

When Phil starts to question Sharon about the pills, she denies having a problem. However, her assurances aren’t good enough for Phil and he makes Sharon admit that they are the same pills that she was on before.

Sharon tries to prove to him that she doesn’t need the pills and tells Phil to throw them away. However, a suspicious Phil tips out her handbag to reveal even more tablets inside.

Phil knows that he has everything he’s ever wanted now that he’s with Sharon, but also realises he can’t put Lexi at risk or jeopardise their chances of keeping her from going into care.

Although Sharon protests that they’re meant to be together forever, Phil kicks her out and leaves her with nowhere to go.

Elsewhere, Ava and Billy’s date gets off to a good start. However, as the conversation between the pair flows, Billy is put off when he starts to realise that there is unfinished business between Ava and Dexter’s dad Sam.

Ava tries to get things back on track by leaning in to kiss Billy, but he can tell that it’s forced and suggests that they should take things slowly. When Billy questions Ava about Sam, there’s more disappointment ahead for him as she can’t deny that she may still have feelings for him. Are Billy and Ava over before they’ve even really begun?

Meanwhile, Jack tells Max that he doesn’t think there’s anything keeping him in Walford anymore. Jack hopes that his brother will talk him round, but Max fails to provide any reassurance. Things then get worse for Jack when Michael gives him the cold shoulder for leaving him to deal with the business alone.

Also today, Phil leaves Lexi with Lola while he deals with Sharon and she wonders what’s actually going on, Max is suspicious when Kirsty diverts numerous calls on her mobile, and Lauren tries to kiss Joey but he rejects her.

When in the square, Sharon discovers that her ex has returned to Walford and she decides to go and see him to assure him that there is no need for the pair to be awkward around each other, especially because she is now dating Jack’s enemy Phil Mitchell. Phil finds out Sharon has visited Jack and isn’t happy about it but Sharon protests her innocence.

Later in the Vic, Jack and Sharon seem to be getting on okay, and he even tells Sharon that he is happy for her, however as the night progresses Sharon tells Jack that an apology is not enough to set right what he did to her and Dennis. Sharon then collects Lexi and returns home where she takes more pills! Phil arrives home to find Sharon has once again collapsed – but this time baby Lexi is playing with the bottle of pills…

Also today, Lauren hits the bottle once again when her friends do not seem interested in her and Kim wonders whether there is still hope for her and Ray.

Tanya Cross who is played by Jo Joyner has filmed her final scenes for the BBC Soap according to huffingtonpost the final scenes were filmed wendsday.

Jo tweeted: “That’s a wrap! I am officially ‘that woman that use to play thingy in ‘Enders’! Thanks to the lovely @mrjakedwood for such a special time.”

Jake Wood her on screen on/off boyfriend/husband took to twitter moments later and posted a picture of the pair hugging and tweeted the following caption:: “So here’s me and Jo after filming our last scene together this morning…gonna miss you @dollyJoyner.”

When interviewed earlier on this year about her exit Joyner said “I love playing Tanya and being part of such a great show, but she has been on quite a rollercoaster over the past seven years and I have come to realise that it’s right for her to step away from Walford for a bit longer than originally planned.

“I have been very fortunate to have been part of some fantastic storylines over the years, and I have worked with some wonderful people during my time on the show which I will always be very grateful for, but I feel that as a mother and an actress it is time for me to explore some other avenues for a while.”

We wish Jo Joyner the Best of luck in the Future.

It is with great pleasure that we can today confirm that the brilliant Samantha Womack will reprise the role of Ronnie Mitchell on a 6-month basis!

Ronnie will be seen heading back to Albert Square after completing two years in prison for abducting Tommy Moon. Upon her release, she seems ready to put the past behind her and face the future with her family at her side.

However, she will experience a rough ride when she returns to Walford, especially from ex-husband Jack Branning, played by Scott Maslen.

Womack  said today: “I am thrilled to be returning to the role of Ronnie for the next six months. Ronnie is coming out of prison and her re-appearance in the Square is going to create havoc. I can’t wait to be a Mitchell once again!”

Eastenders executive producer Lorraine Newman added: “We’re delighted to announce Samantha Womack’s return to Albert Square. The Mitchell sisters are a fabulous pairing and it will be an absolute delight to have Ronnie and Roxy back together on screen. However, Ronnie’s departure wasn’t without controversy for many residents in Walford and her return will be sure to ruffle quite a few feathers…”

Show bosses have promised a big summer and autumn of drama with “many new faces arriving in Walford creating many new and exciting dynamics in the Square”.

We can’t wait!!

Tear away teen Lauren Branning fails to accept the rejection from her heartthrob ex-lover and cousin and tries to find comfort in the bottom of a bottle. After Lucy Beale ruins the cousins relationship in a jealous bid to win Joey back, Lauren feels lonely having no one to turn to, she drowns her sorrows in The Vic. Joey spots Lauren drinking alone and decides to help her by taking her for a walk to attempt to sober her up. A confused and heartbroken Lauren makes a pass at Joey and she is left distraught when he knocks her back. Lauren flees to the allotments and drinks the contents of a bottle of wine. With Tanya feeling desperate to help her daughter, she tries to prevent any alcohol getting into the teens hands, failing miserably. Tanya believes that her daughter should be punished for her recent behaviour but Lauren continues to rebel against her family.  Feeling like the whole world is against her, Lauren turns to her younger sister Abi and admits the truth about what had recently happened. Abi decides to help her sister in her hour of need and things start to look up for Lauren. That is until Lucy takes it one step too far, causing Lauren to snap. Her recent troubles have massive consequences when Lauren finds herself on the wrong side of the law. But can Max and Tanya be civil for the sake of their eldest child and stand by her together? These scenes will be aired between the 27th and 31st of May.

Phil Mitchell has a huge decision to make next week when Lola and Lexi’s big day finally arrives. Much to Phil’s annoyance, he has accepted that Lola is perfectly able to look after her baby daughter and deserves to get her back. But when the day of the final hearing dawns, Phil questions whether Lola should get Lexi back, after discovering that Lola knew about Sharon’s addiction, but still went ahead and left Lexi in her care! Phil is disgusted by this; rendering Lola unfit to be a mother. Phil rushes out of the courtroom followed very closely by a hurt Billy. Billy pleads with Phil to put the angst aside and stand by Lola to make suages he gets Lexi back. But when court is forced to go ahead without Phil present, Lola fears the worst until Sharon stands in, she paints the judge a perfect picture of Lola’s mothering abilities.  When Phil returns to the courtroom, will he be able to keep quiet for the sake of Lola or does he have a scheming plan up his sleeve?

EastEnders’ executive producer Lorraine Newman has hinted that Albert Square golden couple Alfie and Kat Moon WILL get back together!

Newman insisted it would be “foolish” not to delve into the separated couple’s relationship again after Kat – who is played by Jessie Wallace - was found to have been involved in a long-running affair with bad boy businessman Derek Branning.

Speaking at the British Academy Television Awards last night – where EastEnders won the Soap and Continuing Drama BAFTA – at she told BANG Showbiz: “It’s a great love story and it would be foolish not to revisit it.

“Hopefully they will get back together but you will have to wait and see. There’s quite a lot in store over the next few months and more will be revealed in the next few weeks.”

Jessie herself is keen for her alter-ego to reunite with Alfie (Shane Richie) but admits she found it tough to act out her affair because she didn’t even find out her character’s mystery lover was Derek –  until much later into the storyline.

She says: “I’d like Kat and Alfie to get back together. There’s a lot more there for the couple. There’s a lot more out there.

“I didn’t know who it was, but Jamie knew. It was very hard to play that with all these looks and the dialogue. But when I found out it was Jamie I was like, ‘Oh I can stop this now.’ And then he died!”

Sam has stayed the night in the B&B after arriving unexpectedly on the Square and Kim is very taken with the new arrival! When Kim takes Sam to the café for breakfast, he sees Dexter there. Dexter is still convinced that ‘Jacob’ is a much better match for Ava than Billy, so he plans to get them together by asking them both to meet him for a drink in The Vic that evening.

Later, Ava arrives at the pub and isn’t pleased to see Sam and Dexter together. Dexter is confused by the tense atmosphere between the pair, but all becomes clear when an argument erupts and Ava uses Sam’s real name.

Dexter is stunned to realise that he is standing in front of his father, and storms out of The Vic, hurt by his mum’s betrayal.

Elsewhere, Lucy leaves Ian with a blank cheque so that he can pay one of the café’s suppliers while she is out. However, Ian is left facing a new predicament when the builders at the restaurant burst a pipe.

As Sam is a builder, Ian convinces him to take on the job, but it ends up being a lot more expensive than anticipated. Ian takes the last £300 from the stash he found, but needs more money and ends up using the blank cheque that Lucy left him. Ian is left plagued with guilt after stealing from his own daughter.

Meanwhile, it’s Alice’s first day working for Janine and she gets off to a clumsy start as she is nervous and intimidated around Janine.  But Alice later calms down when she realises that Janine is just as anxious about dealing with Scarlett.

Alice ends up giving Janine a few bits of advice to help her out. Later, Alice reports back to Michael on how the day went, but he is clearly still using her for his own gain.