Cora Cross returns to EastEnders next week in a bid to rescue her granddaughter Lauren Branning from a loveless marriage to Steven Beale.
And it’s not long before the cavalry is called in in the shape of Lauren’s mum, Tanya Branning. But will she return to the Square to help her daughter?
Lauren is currently trapped in an engagement with Steven after he lied that he had a brain tumour to keep her from fleeing to New Zealand.
Read more: EastEnders Steven forced into a shock confession
The brunette Branning has no idea he’s lying to her – or that her sister, Abi, is helping Steven, and her dad, Max, is also going along with it.
But Abi, who is expecting Steven to finish with Lauren so they can be together, has had enough of their plot. She wants things out in the open now so she and her man can start their new life together.
In a bid to speed things along, meddling Abi phones gran Cora and breaks the news that Lauren is getting married.
As Cora turns up to find out exactly what’s going on, having sensed all wasn’t well between Lauren and Steven last time she was in town, the bride-to-be tries the best she can to appear enthusiastic about her upcoming nuptials.
But canny Cora can see right through her. An EastEnders source revealed to Inside Soap: “After Cora grills Lauren over the engagement, it’s plain as day that she’s hiding something huge.”
They continued: “Cora is like a dog with a bone – she won’t stop until she discovers exactly what’s going on.”
Aware Lauren is hiding something, but unable to get her to divulge what, Cora knows exactly what Lauren needs: her mum.
She orders her granddaughter to phone Tanya and tell her the engagement news or else Cora will do it for her.
This sends Steven into a complete spin, especially as Lauren decides to go one better than calling and actually visit her mum.
Read more: EastEnders Lisa KIDNAPS her daughter Louise
Fearful time apart will see him lose control completely, Steven begs Max to help him stop Lauren going – and we all know Max is pretty good at manipulating things to his advantage.
But even if together they manage to stop Lauren going, Cora’s probably not going to let this lie. Will she bring Tanya back to the Square to confront Lauren instead?
“Cora will never, ever overlook Max’s history and certainly doesn’t trust him around her granddaughters,” the set spy revealed. “She’ll be watching him like a hawk.”
We know Cora isn’t afraid of Max, and now she seems to have her life back together following her drink problems, she’s a force to be reckoned with.
And if she teams up with Tanya, they could definitely be just the team to take down Max and ruin his dastardly plans for Walford – as well as stopping Lauren entering a loveless marriage out of guilt.
Also, let’s face it, there’s definitely a huge Tanya-shaped hole in Albert Square. Come on, guys, make it happen!