Everything is going well for Ian and co. The shockwaves of Bobby have calmed down. Kathy is home, and Gavin and Phil have finally come to an arrangement. People are moving on and everyone has smiles for the first time in ages. The Beales look out their windows, and see chaos on the square. Ronnie, Linda and Shabnam are lifting Deans body into the boot of an old car that looks ready to scrap. Martin and Stacey are yelling at each other because Stacey has told Martin hes not the babies father and shes off her meds. Mo is selling Alfie dodgy pills to cure his brain tumour, Lee is looking depressed and Whitney can't take it anymore, and Kat and Kim are screeching about something.

Ian looks over at Jane fondly "Just your average week on the square"

Then the doorbell rings. Ian and Jane rush to answer it, assuming Mick has come first footing. They are shocked to the core to see Mandy Salter standing with a little girl who looks just like Lucy did at 3. Mandy smiles. "Shes yours Ian. I would've come sooner, but you seemed to have been having a lot of drama recently"

doof doofs kick in as Ian and Jane are shocked to the core.

Throughout 2016 we have....

Mandy vs Stacey vs Kim at the mothers group
Bobby getting jealous of Emily (Lucy 2)
Jane getting jealous of Mandy
Mandy fancying Mick
Ian calling Emily Lucy
Vincent recognising Mandy as his ex, and a lapdancer he liked
Kathy helping Mandy, then refusing to help her etc
Gavin manipulating Mandy
Mandy and Gavin getting together. Emily calling Gavin daddy.
Shabnam taking Emily during a breakdown
plenty of cat fights
Mandy confiding in Shirley
Shirley realising Mandy might be the daughter she adopted out many years ago

The drama has endless possibilities. Do it DTC.. You know its the right thing to do.

please nooooooooooo

Nope.

No thanks

I felt Mandy Salter's character journey really came full circle when we last saw her. In that final scene when she was at her mother's funeral, she implied her mother's death made her realise that life is too short and she no longer felt the need to attach herself to men anymore. I was contempt with that and if we never ever seen Mandy again, I can live with that. I feel her story was told.

I never liked Mandy much but I do like the idea of her returning with Ian's child. We need more Beales and Ian having another daughter would be interesting after Lucy. And it would really annoy Jane as well

I think its a great idea, lots of storyline potential, lots of drama, and Mandy is such a multi layered character. Imagine what Nancy would say to her. She'd create shockwaves wherever she went, and its a great way to rebuild the Bealle's.

she never knew she was pregnant at that point!

she has either links advisories and slanging match and friend potential with the whole square! shes like a younger Pat!

Nope.

now if Gavin gets with Mandy, we'll have the added tension between Mandy and Sharon! It couldn't be more perfect.

Nope.

No place needed for Mandy, so no thanks.

No thanks.

Besides, the actress never sticks around in a show for too long.

She was a pointless character who shouldn't have been brought back in 2011. I believe she only returned as she's mates with Birkwood.

If anything, Mandy Salter set the bar extremely low for future EE returns. Going by that logic, any number of mid ranking past EE characters could be brought back. If Kathy wasn't resurrected, who's to say Kate Mitchell or Lisa Fowler couldn't have come back this year instead (two of Phil's other exes)?

well Natalie, Sonya, Bianca, Dot, were all returns. Natalie wasn't particularly a big character, and the others all had their story arcs finished. In any case, it doesn't matter if a character is huge or just someone minor like Mandy, and Natalie. As long as they can slot back into the community and there is good material for them, then it doesn't matter. (I also think new characters like Hubbards, Cockers, and Carters are just as essential I'm not saying there should only be returnees)

Its good for continuity. If Nicola only likes short stints, this short stint would have plenty of great material. You also have the chance to kill off the character at the end of it, and then she can't ever return again, and, Ian will be left with a new daughter, something much needed.

How will she die? Ian for custody of Emily? Gavin or Linda for her one nighter with Mick? Bobby out of jealously? mick to stop Linda finding out? Stacey off her meds? Vincent? Jane? This has more huge story potential. who gave Mandy the overdose?

No thanks. I didn't like the character or actress and she didn't belong with Ian. There's no reason to bring her back. I think there's been too many returns anyway and she's the last person I'd want to see back. I think the actress was better in other things.

I'd rather Shirley Benson come back. Seriously. Maybe she's Carmel's sister. You never know.

I liked Mandy actually, I wish they'd have some solo characters, EE relies way to heavily on all characters being attached to a big family.