blast from the past
Shock moment EastEnders legend returns to reunite with daughter Bianca – after 10 years away from the Square
An iconic character is making their return ahead of the show's 40th anniversary
EASTENDERS have given fans their first look at a major family reunion.
Bianca Jackson (Patsy Palmer) is set for a blast from the past in upcoming soap scenes.
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Viewers know David Wicks (Michael French) is returning after a decade away from Walford.
First-look pictures show David reuniting with daughter Bianca - although not how either would have expected.
Bianca is taking part in the Save Our Sonia campaign when she stumbles and falls into a pile of rubbish bags.
While getting up, she is stunned to be face-to-face with her estranged father.
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Although David realises his daughter needs his support - what are his reasons for returning?
The BBC soap has been bringing back several familiar faces in the lead-up to its 40th anniversary next year.
Fans have already seen Jane Beale (Laurie Brett) and Chrissie Watts (Tracy-Ann Oberman) reappear after years away.
Addressing his comeback, Michael French previously said: “I feel honoured to be asked to reprise the role of David Wicks once again.
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“It may only be a brief visit, but we know from his past that David never fails to create a lot of drama in a very short time.”
Chris Clenshaw, EastEnders Executive Producer added: “David Wicks is undoubtedly one of EastEnders’ most beloved rogues, and we are thrilled to welcome the talented Michael French back to the legendary role as we lead up to the show’s 40th anniversary.
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“David’s character was never shy of drama during his previous stints, and I can assure you this return will be no different.”
As the son of Pete Beale (Peter Dean) and Pat Butcher (Pam St Clement), David has a firm legacy in Albert Square.
Previously, David feuded with half-brother Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt) - and had an affair with Cindy (Michelle Collins), Ian's then-wife.
A shock storyline from the 90s saw David learn that Bianca, a woman he'd been developing feelings for, was actually his daughter.
Back in 2012, he returned to EastEnders after a 16-year absence for his mother Pat's death.
Afterwards, David subsequently appeared on and off until 2014.
Bianca Jackson EastEnders storylines
Bianca Jackson has been a part of several major EastEnders storylines since her debut over 30 years ago. Here are some of her most memorable.
- Relationship with Ricky Butcher: Bianca had a long-running romance storyline with Ricky (Sid Owen). Known for her signature "Rickaaaaaaay!", the pair have been married twice and have two children - Liam and Tiffany.
- Spina bifida: Bianca was used in a storyline depicting Spina bifida - a developmental birth defect which leads to an incompletely formed spinal cord of the baby. She had been pregnant with Ricky's daughter before deciding to terminate the pregnancy after 20 weeks.
- Paternity revealed: In the 90s, older man David Wicks had started to have feelings for Bianca - only for her mother Carol to drop the bombshell that David is actually her biological father.
- Whitney's abuse uncovered: When Bianca returned to Albert Square in 2008, among her brood was step-daughter Whitney (Shona McGarty). In a harrowing storyline, Bianca was horrified to learn her fiancé Tony King (Chris Coghill) had been abusing Whitney.
During this time, he briefly reunited with former flame Carol Jackson (Lindsey Coulson), who is Bianca's mother.
Their romance ultimately wasn't to last and David ended up leaving the country.
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What has he been up to in the past decade?
EastEnders airs on BBC One and is available on iPlayer.
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