EastEnders shock! More on Lisa Fowler's dramatic return to EastEnders

Talk about a blast from the past! Lisa Fowler hasn’t been seen in EastEnders since 2010, but tonight Lisa made a shock return to Walford to be with her badly burned daughter Louise Mitchell...

Just as you'd expect when it comes to Lisa Fowler, she returned to EastEnders in highly dramatic fashion. Having been pushed into candles at the school prom by twisted bully Alexandra, Louise Mitchell was rushed into theatre at Walford General suffering from third degree burns. Can her mum do anything to help though?

It was the prom from hell for Louise...

It was the prom from hell for Louise...

On her return, actress Lucy Benjamin said: “It was great to be back at EastEnders as it has been such a long time since I had been there. I loved being back in Elstree for the few weeks I was there, seeing old friends again and working with really talented people. I loved every minute of it.”

Lisa only briefly came in at the end of tonight's EastEnders but Lucy will appear in a number of episodes in the coming weeks after filming her scenes in recent months.

Before Lisa arrived all had been highly tense in the hospital. Sharon seemed unable to get to grips with the full horror of Louise’s injuries – refusing to even call hubby Phil and tell him the tragic news – so it was down to good old Bex to loyally rally round and support her BFF.

Louis is rushed to hospital in agony

Louis is rushed to hospital in agony

Louise's date Travis was devastated over what had happened. But if there's one thing we can be thankful for, it's that he told the police the truth about bullies Alexandra and Madsion who were led away to a tirade of anger from fellow pupils.

When seriously ill Louise came round in hospital, she was heard uttering just one word – “Mum” – even though pair hadn’t seen each other since Louise dramatically turned up in Walford last year claiming they’d fallen out!

But as Louise (Tilly Keeper) tearfully lay in her hospital bed, realising she’d be scarred for life and with her dreams of a modeling career literally up in smoke, it was like her prayers had been answered when there was a knock at the door and in walked Lisa!

No one had expected to see Lisa Fowler appear at the hospital door

No one had expected to see Lisa Fowler appear at the hospital door

Viewers will have seen Lucy Benjamin, who plays Lisa, most recently in Casualty as the head of the dodgy Ellisson clan in a recent storyline that saw Scott Ellisson kill Cal Knight. But as Lisa Fowler, Lucy has been at the centre of some of EastEnders’ most shocking storylines over the years...

Back in 2001, Lisa gunned down her ex, Phil Mitchell, in a mega 'Who Shot Phil' whodunit that saw more than 20 million viewers tune in to see her revealed as the culprit. She later married Mark Fowler (Todd Carty), claiming he was Louise’s father, before disappearing with her daughter to Portugal!

Lisa's return comes just before Phil’s due to come back to Albert Square after hiding out in Italy to from his liver transplant. So will there be another EastEnders showdown between Phil and Lisa over Louise’s latest drama? And what will Lisa’s return mean for Sharon and Phil’s permanently rocky relationship?

Whatever happens, with Phil and Lisa both back in the Square, sparks are bound to fly! And one thing’s for sure, Walford High’s mean girls Alexandra and Madison had better watch out – because with Phil and Lisa both gunning for the cruel bullies who landed their precious daughter in hospital, a spell behind bars might end up being the safest place for them to be!

Nicholas Cannon
TV Content Director on TV Times, What's On TV and TV & Satellite Week

I'm a huge fan of television so I really have found the perfect job, as I've been writing about TV shows, films and interviewing major television, film and sports stars for over 25 years. I'm currently TV Content Director on What's On TV, TV Times, TV and Satellite Week magazines plus Whattowatch.com. I previously worked on Woman and Woman's Own in the 1990s. Outside of work I swim every morning, support Charlton Athletic football club and get nostalgic about TV shows Cagney & Lacey, I Claudius, Dallas and Tenko. I'm totally on top of everything good coming up too.