EastEnders airs steamy scenes as major character cheats on spouse in early BBC iPlayer release

Passion has been reignited between Mark Fowler (Stephen Aaron-Sipple) and Lauren Beale (Jacqueline Jossa) in EastEnders.

As the residents gathered for a good old fashioned Walford knees-up to celebrate Harvey Monroe's (Ross Boatman) birthday, the two were unable to resist temptation once again.

Just a matter of weeks ago, as their affair and dodgy business partnership began to unravel, Lauren dealt an ultimatum to Mark. She said that, if he truly loved her, he would leave the area.

To her surprise, in today's episode, she watched him stroll back into Albert Square and knock on sister Vicki Fowler's (Alice Haig) door.

Vicki was thrilled to see him again, though he explained that it was only a short trip to facilitate a final goodbye before he went to live in Florida with their mum Michelle.

She also questioned whether he would be exploring a reunion with the girl he was so passionate about, though he swore that this was in the past.

Later, Lauren asked exactly why he was back, and he promised that he'd be out of her hair within 24 hours.

Tensions were rising between Lauren and husband Peter (Thomas Law), who was furious that she hadn't disclosed her dad Max Branning's (Jake Wood) affair with Priya Nandra-Hart (Sophie Khan Levy) before he married his mum Cindy Beale (Michelle Collins).

The two were still at loggerheads by the time they arrived at Harvey's bash, and son Louie (Jake McNally) had overheard everything. Before long, the youngster divulged the information to Cindy, who then caused a huge, public scene.

The birthday cake was planted in Lauren's face, and in retaliation, she slapped her mother-in-law.

She then stormed out of The Prince Albert, with Mark chasing after her to see if she was OK. Sparks began to fly and they wandered off to The Boxing Den, which was closed for maintenance.

The pair tore one another's clothes off on the understanding that whatever happened next would be a one-off, and that Mark was still intending to move tomorrow.

But will this encounter make him reconsider?

Read more:

• EastEnders legend Jo Joyner returns to Walford set for Branning 'family reunion' - 8 years after last Tanya appearance
• EastEnders star teases "fire and carnage" when Penny Branning's baby paternity secret is revealed
• EastEnders favourite Balvinder Sopal teases Ash return is "grenade" to the Panesar family unit this autumn
• EastEnders announces hard-hitting Amy Mitchell storyline as BBC soap works with charities

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Authors

Michael Adams is the Soaps Editor at Radio Times, covering all of the hot gossip and spoilers from Weatherfield to Walford, Emmerdale to Hollyoaks and everywhere in-between. He joined the team from Metro, where he spent two years as a Soaps Reporter and previously worked on the sets of both Coronation Street and Emmerdale.