EASTENDERS - The Carter's do the Spice Girls!

It's Linda Carter's birthday next week - and her family make sure it's full of surprises!

The rest of the clan arrange for Mick and Linda's eldest son, Lee, to make a return from Afghanistan for the special day, where he is currently serving in the Army.

Linda will also be introduced to youngest boy, Johnny's new boyfriend, Gianluca - who we saw Johnny meet in Friday's episode. I can imagine this introduction to be slightly awkward, as Linda is still secretly struggling to come to terms with Johnny'd sexuality, albeit admitting she will try harder to allow him to grow up and make his own decisions.

The biggest surprise for Linda on her birthday, though, will surely be the sight of her family dressing up as the Spice Girls and serenading her in front of a packed Queen Vic!

Zig-a-zig-ahh!

Johnny, ironically dressed as Baby, Lee as Scary, Nancy as Sporty and Tina as Ginger really get the party started - but maybe the biggest shock of all is Mick's impression of Posh Spice!

I don't know about you, but I think it suits him...

Mick has been perfecting his pout!

MORE SOAPS

REALITY TELLY JOLLYS

COMEDY BITS

EASTENDERS - Check out the new Carter family portrait!

After it being revealed to us 'Enders addicts that Shirley was Mick's muvva and not his sister, and with the return of Shirl's (other) son, Dean Wicks - along with the additions of Stan and Aunt Babe (I love her name!) it seems only fitting that the Carter clan get a new portrait to take pride of place.

The family have been such a hit with viewers, and I think they've managed to fit on to EastEnders like a glove to a hand.

Things, it seems, will only get better, as Mick and Linda's eldest boy, Lee, is set to make a full-time return to Walford from the Army, Tina is about to plan babies with Tosh and as in all soaps, secrets never stay secret for long, so Mick is bound to find out that Shirley gave birth to him!

I also see a possible romance between Dean and Stacey Slater, when she finally gets outta the nick for killing Archie Mitchell. I'm looking forward to seeing how she manages that so soon after being sentenced!

The Carter's been a breath of fresh air to Walford - I just hope one of them didn't kill Lucy Beale!

EASTENDERS - NEW TWISTS IN THE LUCY BEALE MURDER MYSTERY

I was right! Shirl' is his MUVVA!

For the last few weeks, I've noticed an underlying difference in the way Shirley and Mick Carter's relationship has played out on screen.

"Mick is Shirley's son..." I said to my family. 

Tuesday nights fab ep, when Stan mentioned Mick's 'mum' trying to drown him and Tina telling Mick that their mum wasn't actually there, made me even more sure! 

And last night, in an episode I haven't managed to watch yet in full, confirmed my suspicions. YES! I love being right, just ask my lovely boyfriend! 

The lovely Danny Dyer has confirmed that it'll be a while before his character finds out about his sister being his muvva, telling Digital Spy, "This is a massive revelation for the audience, but they've found out a long time before Mick will. I think it's a while off that Mick finds out..."

He also reveled that Linda Henry found out a long time before he did!

"I did not see it coming at all! It was a complete shock to me. Linda knew for three months before I did and she didn't tell me, because she was told not to tell anyone. 

When I found out, Linda didn't know that I'd been told, so I sent her a little text message saying, 'Hope you're having a good evening, mum!' She rang me straight away afterwards so we could talk about it!
Dominic Treadwell-Collins, the show's executive producer, had put the story to Linda first and he said, 'If you don't want it to happen then it won't happen', but she was thrilled with it.
Mine and Linda's scenes are always a joy. There's always this underlying thing there between us. I'm always on the verge of tears when I'm acting with her, because there's just something there underneath that you can't quite put your finger on. I now get why Linda had been playing our scenes in a certain way. She's known all along, so now I look back on our scenes and think, 'Oh, so that's why you played it that way!"

So, were you as shocked as Phil Mitchell?

And what do we all think will happen when Mick does find out? 

Because if Kat and Zoe Slater taught us anything, it's that secrets like that don't stay secret for long...

"You ain't my muvva!"

"YES I AM!"