Chrissie Watts comes face-to-face with Sharon in explosive return to EastEnders before issuing chilling threat
CHRISSIE Watts has made her long-awaited comeback to EastEnders by coming face-to-face with her arch rival Sharon in tense scenes.
Fans of the BBC soap opera were left over the moon when it was revealed that acclaimed actress Tracy-Ann Oberman would be reprising her role as villain Chrissie after more than 19 years away from the programme.
She was last seen being sent down for killing her husband, and Sharon’s father, Dirty Den, and has not been face-to-face with Sharon since.
However, during today’s instalment of EastEnders, the pair finally clapped eyes on each other once again as it was revealed they were being held in nearby cells.
Chrissie was left stunned when her jailbird pal Doreen Coleman confessed that her new cellmate went by the name of Sharon Watts.
It forced her to immediately take a trip to Sharon’s cell where the sworn enemies had to face each other for the very first time.
Swanning around the prison, Chrissie said to a shellshocked Sharon: “Of all the prison cells in all the towns in all the world.”
Sharon was immediately left uncomfortable as she questioned Chrissie on what she wanted from her.
Chrissie insisted she had come to offer Sharon a mobile to call her son Albie back home, but it appeared obvious that she could have an underlying motive.
Later, the pair were left looking back on their fractious history as they spoke at length about Den’s behaviour towards Chrissie and how she was left with “no choice” but to kill him.
As the banged up characters continued to speak, it appeared as though relations were thawing between them as they discovered they had a common ground.
As Chrissie recalled how Den would have killed her if Zoe had not stepped in to help her, Sharon quickly realised she had been in the exact same scenario with Keanu and Linda on Christmas Day.
It saw Sharon break down in tears as she opened up to Chrissie on the events of Christmas and how the man who attacked her had ended up dead – just like Chrissie and her father.
With the women being more vulnerable than ever, Chrissie made a shock admission that no one ever expected to hear.
She said to Sharon: “I’m sorry, Sharon. I’m really sorry.”
Appearing on the same page, as Chrissie strolled out of Sharon’s cell, a tearful Sharon beckoned back: “I forgive you, Chrissie.”
Chrissie clutched her chest as she said “thank you, Sharon” before exiting where it became apparent that it was all a front.
She had a face like thunder as she made her way to another vulnerable prisoner who she seemingly has control over.
Soap characters who've been recast
Soap operas are staple viewing for many people, but even some of the most famous characters have been played by different actors. Here are some examples from over the years.
- Tracy Barlow: Kate Ford took on the role of Corrie legend Tracy Barlow in 2002. Before Kate, three other actresses had played Tracy – most notably Dawn Acton from 1988 to 1999.
- Nick Tilsley: Ben Price has been playing Gail’s oldest child in 2009, but the former Footballers’ Wives star is the third actor to take on the part.
- Sarah Platt: Although Tina O’Brien debuted as Sarah Platt in 1999, she is the third actress who has played the iconic role of Sarah Platt.
- David Platt: Completing the line-up of Gail’s children, David was initially played by Thomas Ormson for a decade before Jack P. Shepherd took over.
- Daniel Osbourne: For almost a decade, the role of Ken Barlow’s son Daniel has been portrayed by actor Rob Mallard. Before Rob joined, two other actors had previously played Daniel.
- Bethany Platt: Fans know Lucy Fallon as Bethany nowadays but before her, three other actresses had stepped into the character’s shoes.
- Kirk Sutherland: Before Andy Whyment took on the role of Kirk, he played by an uncredited actor in his very first appearance.
- Todd Grimshaw: Gareth Pierce stepped into the role of Todd back in 2020, becoming the second performer to play this part.
- Summer Spellman: Harriet Bibby became the second actress to play Summer, taking over the role from Matilda Freeman in 2020.
- Ryan Connor: Ryan Prescott currently plays the long-running character, but Ben Thompson and Sol Heras had earlier portrayed the role.
- Martin Fowler: Although Martin was the first baby born on-screen in EastEnders, he hasn’t always been played by the same person. His current portrayer, James Bye, is the third actor to star as the character.
- Peter Beale: Seven actors have portrayed Ian Beale’s elder son, with the current actor, Thomas Law, in his second stint as the character.
- Ben Mitchell: Ben has been played by a total of six actors – with Max Bowden bowing out of the role in March 2024.
- Bobby Beale: Before Clay Milner Russell, Ian’s younger son had been played by four other actors.
- Freddie Slater: Bobby’s best mate, Freddie Slater, had been previously played by twins Alex and Tom Kilby before Bobby Brazier took over in 2022.
- Chelsea Fox: Former Coronation Street actress Zaraah Abrahams took over the role of Chelsea in 2020. The character had been first played by Tiana Benjamin from 2006 to 2010.
- Lauren Branning: Jacqueline Jossa took on the role of Lauren in 2010, succeeding Madeline Duggan who’d played her from 2006 to 2010.
- Johnny Carter: Johnny has been played by three actors since debuting in 2013 – most recently, Charlie Suff has taken on the role.
It led her to make a chilling threat about Sharon.
Chrissie said to her fellow inmate: “I’ll cancel your debt if you do me a favour.
“That new girl [Sharon], I want you to teach her a lesson!”
She then smirked as she enforced that her grudge against Sharon was still very much a thing.