EastEnders villain makes sinister return after six years - with dark turn ahead

Jonno Highway (Richard Graham) made his shock EastEnders return in tonight's episode.

Last week's spoilers revealed the character would be making a return weeks after it was announced his funeral would take place. However, until then, fans were under the impression we wouldn't be seeing him back on screen.

In tonight's episode, Eve was seen screaming out for help after she left The Albert - as Callum, Cindy, Elaine and Johnny heard a man shouting homophobic slurs to her. As Callum ran out, he saw Eve in a tussle with said man, and tackled him to the ground.

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To his shock, when he rolled over, Callum realised that the attacker was none other than his father. Jonno Highway. Jonno was last seen in the soap in 2019, when he disowned his son Callum for his sexuality.

Eve's wife Suki heard about the attack and came into The Albert to check up on her. Although Eve confirmed she was still hurt about everything that had happened - it seemed to bring the two closer together again. Eve told Suki they could take "small steps," but will they ever fully go back to normal.

Callum then declared he was "done" with his father after arresting him, although later on in the episode, he told Johnny he wanted to get inside his dad's head and "understand who he is."

Spoilers for this week have revealed that things are set to take a turn with Jonno later this week, as Johnny meets with Jonno against Elaine’s advice and offers him legal counsel to try and gauge whether Jonno wants a relationship with Callum.

Jonno is reluctant to open up, but when Johnny reveals he is a Carter, the pair head to The Vic for a drink. Later, Callum is touched when Johnny reveals that Jonno wants to meet him.

Later, Callum meets up with Johnny and Jonno at the flat - but things take a huge turn when Callum orders Jonno to leave, before he collapses and suffers a heart attack.

Earlier this month, it was revealed Stuart Highway and Ben Mitchell would be returning to the soap temporarily later this year for Jonno's funeral, although it's not yet known when he will die, or when his funeral will take place.

In the release earlier this year, EastEnders said: "Max Bowden and Ricky Champ are making their way back to Walford later this Autumn as they reprise their roles for a short stint.

Ben Mitchell and Stuart Highway return to Walford as the Highways prepare to say goodbye to Jonno, but with Callum having recently cheated with Johnny, and with those feelings expected to grow, Ben may not be revisiting the happy family he left behind…

"Whilst both characters are only back for a short stint as Ben is on day release from Prison, and Stuart has a life away from the Square with wife Raine, you’d think that all things would be smooth sailing, but this is Walford, and a lot can happen in a short amount of time…"

EastEnders airs Mondays to Thursdays at 7:30pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

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