EastEnders spoilers from August 29

Aug 26 2011 by Roz Laws, Sunday Mercury

LOOK who’s back in Albert Square, causing just as much trouble as before!

Younger viewers won’t remember Mandy Salter, played by Nicola Stapleton. She was in the soap from 1992 to 1994, during which time she stole, blackmailed Ian Beale (but then doesn’t everyone?), spread false rumours that Kathy abused her and introduced boyfriend Aidan to drink and drugs.

But the worst crime of all, surely, was when she let Sharon’s pet poodle Roly off the lead and he ran straight into a truck.

We’d like to think that Mandy has cleaned up her act and had a happy life, but it doesn’t look like it when Ian bumps into her – in a strip club.

She’s delighted to see Ian as he offers her an escape. She kisses him, leaps into his car and asks him to take her to Walford. She’s fleeing a large bloke who turns up, demanding £5,000 she stole from him, and a scuffle breaks out outside The Vic. The Moon lads see him off and Mandy disappears. Good riddance, you’d think, but silly Ian goes looking for her and ends up getting arrested for kerb crawling.

But she does turn up again and Ian gives her a chance – which she repays by stealing his wallet.

Incidentally, Mandy might be confused when she meets Shirley, as actress Linda Henry played Mandy’s prostitute mother Lorraine long before she returned in her present role.

Also this week, Kat discovers she’s pregnant and Alfie is even more shocked as he’s been told he’s infertile. His first thought is that his wife has been cheating on him again, which naturally upsets Kat.

I’m surprised it’s taken Michael this long to find his scheming equal – Janine is clearly his soulmate, and this week they end up in bed together. Soon they’ll start plotting to take over Walford.