EastEnders return for Matt Di Angelo?

EastEnders villain Dean Wicks could soon be heading back to Albert Square.

A photo circulating online and originally posted inadvertently by a cast member appears to the show actor Matt Di Angelo in The Queen Vic, with a memorial picture of Lola Pearce on the bar supporting its recency.

The Sun has since reported Dean’s return as ‘confirmed’, but there has been no official word from the BBC.

A source told the paper:

“Dean is the ultimate villain so to bring him back was a genius move especially with everything that’s coming up this autumn. There’s also the small matter of the big murder at Christmas, could it be Dean’s body under the tree? We know that Linda is one of the women involved, and this just throws another name in the mix. It’s a very exciting time.”

The character was last seen in February 2016 when he was remanded in custody for his attempted rape of Roxy Mitchell, after which viewers learned he had been acquitted. He had previously avoided prosecution for raping Linda Carter in 2014 as there wasn’t sufficient evidence to pursue the case.

Di Angelo played the role between 2006-2008 and 2014-2016.

There had been speculation about an unwelcome visitor for Linda after the show’s boss Chris Clenshaw told Inside Soap that she would be getting “one hell of a surprise” this Halloween. Speculation has now turned to whether Dean could be the body on the floor in The Queen Vic at Christmas.

In a flashforward scene shown in February, several Walford matriarchs – including Linda – were seen reacting to a mystery male corpse on the floor of the pub.

EastEnders airs Monday-Thursday at 7.30pm on BBC One and streams from 6am on BBC iPlayer