EastEnders confirms Mark Fowler's show return for a very unexpected reason

EastEnders’ Mark Fowler returns to Walford next week, leaving Lauren Beale well and truly flustered! Can the pair continue to ignore their attraction, or will they finally give into temptation?

"Despite their spark and stolen kiss, Lauren made it clear to Mark she’d chosen Peter," recaps our insider. "Mark respected her decision and agreed to leave. So what brings him back – and will seeing him again reignite Lauren’s forbidden feelings?"

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When Lauren spies Mark going into his old house, she’s stopped dead in her tracks. Inside, Vicki is thrilled to see her little brother but gutted when he explains their reunion will be short-lived as he’s only here to tie up loose ends before moving back to Florida permanently.

Presuming, and perhaps secretly hoping, Mark has come home to see her, Lauren seeks him out. However, she is embarrassed to learn it’s just a flying visit and Mark’s not back to seduce her – or so he claims!

When Lauren later sees Mark at Harvey’s birthday party at The Albert, you could cut the sexual tension with a knife. She reaffirms her commitment to Peter after Cindy meddles in their relationship, but it’s obvious Lauren is desperately trying to put Mark out of her mind…

"Peter tries to inject some excitement into their marriage but it’s all a bit half-hearted," says our source. "Lauren seems more bothered about the idea of Mark leaving again, this time for good."

As Mark prepares to jet off, can conflicted Lauren really let him go?

Related: EastEnders confirms full details of Ash Panesar's dramatic return to Walford

It’s a rather dramatic week for the whole family, even before Mark turns up unexpectedly and throws a spanner in the works for Lauren.

Cindy is still furious with Max about his affair with Priya in the aftermath of their explosive wedding day, and things get even worse when she discovers that Priya is pregnant.

After doing some snooping in Priya and Ravi’s flat, Cindy finds the all-important DNA test results that prove Max is the father of the baby – so she demands that Priya leaves Walford or else the truth will be exposed!

Related: EastEnders star Lacey Turner responds to "really sad" cast exits

Cindy’s week of vengeance continues when she tells everyone that Lauren knew about her dad’s betrayal before the wedding went ahead.

She is aware that this bombshell will cause big problems for Lauren and Peter, but could this latest rift push Lauren towards Mark again?

EastEnders airs on Mondays - Thursdays at 7.30pm on BBC One. The show also streams on BBC iPlayer, where most episodes drop early at 6am ahead of their TV broadcast.

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