EastEnders Linda Carter is set to receive a blast from the past next week, when she reluctantly attends her school reunion with Honey Mitchell in tow. At the event, Linda is confronted by old acquaintance Bea, who delivers some uncomfortable home truths from back in the day.

Though she initially denies the claims, Linda later realises her past treatment of Bea warrants an apology. But will they be able to smooth things over and start afresh?

Speaking about the upcoming storyline, Ronni Ancona (who plays Bea) teased “lots of twists and turns and lots of unexpected developments” for the two ladies as they get reacquainted after so many years.

The newcomer described her character as someone who is “both tragic and funny”, with the potential to become “dangerous” if pushed.

“Bea is misunderstood, and there’s a touch of desperation about her. When she feels cornered, she can become rather dangerous. Deep down, she just wants to be loved and to fit in,” she said.

“She’s the sort of person who ‘window-shops’ other people’s lives, trying to reshape herself into whoever she thinks others want her to be. In her mind, that’s the only way to earn love and attention – which is, unfortunately, quite misguided.”

Ancona went on to share Bea’s “complex” inner battles, explaining that she’s “never achieved what she hoped for”. She hinted at a troublesome plot for the unreliable character.

“There’s an underlying frustration that her life hasn’t lived up to her potential. She has shades of a Walter Mitty–type character; you’re never entirely sure how much of what she says is real. She’s complex, nuanced, and unusual – someone who has become convinced by her own narrative.”

Though Linda’s previous misdemeanour is yet to be revealed, Ancona shared that Bea was “intimidated” by the former landlady, despite being in a senior year to her at school.

She added: “They have both got very different perspectives on what happened at school, and initially she is very upset and slighted by that.”