With so many Eastenders characters bidding farewell to the hit soap in coming months, it's so good to hear that a familiar face is returning.
Ian Lavender, best known for his role in the iconic series Dad's Army, is set to reprise his role of Derek Harkinson (a gay friend of Pauline Fowler) later this year. Ian will play a huge role in a number of episodes involving the Fowler family spanning the Christmas period.
He was last seen in E20 back in 2005, following a four-year long stint in the soap after forming an extremely close friendship with Pauline Fowler after she made a romantic move on him. Over the four years, Derek became a father figure for Martin and now the pair are set to be reunited!
But why? Is there trouble brewing for newlyweds Stacey and Martin? Hmmmmm.
Or could Christmas in Walford be all smiles (for once?), just like actor Jamie Borthwick teased earlier this year...
Addressing his return, Ian said: "It was a lovely surprise to be back and I had a great time. It was brilliant to work with some old friends again, especially those who I only briefly got to work with before."
**What do you make of Derek's return? Are there any other characters you would like to see again? Let us know over on Facebook and Twitter (@CloserOnline). **
We've still got two months left of twists and turns to look forward to, here's what's in store this winter...