BBC EastEnders Dan Sullivan’s return ‘sealed’ – and Phil Mitchell should be worried
EastEnders viewers have been left convinced a huge character is going to be making a return to Walford after their name was mentioned during a recent episode
Fans of EastEnders are buzzing with speculation that Dan Sullivan might be poised for a sensational comeback to Albert Square after his name cropped up in a recent episode.
Craig Fairbrass made waves back in 1999 when he first appeared as Carol Jackson’s (played by Lindsey Coulson) lover.
The plot thickened between them when the couple decided to get hitched and Carol discovered she was expecting his child. It all went pear-shaped when it emerged that Dan had a sordid past with Carol’s oldest, Bianca Jackson (starred by Patsy Palmer).
A torrid affair between Dan and Bianca sprang up despite her being wedded to Ricky Butcher (portrayed by Sid Owen), and when the bombshell news reached Carol, she opted for an abortion.
In the April 10 episode, now up for grabs on BBC iPlayer, tensions rose as Bianca and her sister Sonia Fowler (Natalie Cassidy) tussled. The spat occurred after it came to light that Bianca had gabbed with a true crime podcast about her homicidal other half, Reiss Colwell, reports Plymouth Live.
Sonia lashed out in their argument: “Your whole life has been a car crash. Everything you had, you lost. Anything good you messed up.”
She jabbed further: “I mean, Mum. Happy, ready to settle down with her new fella. You come along, bedded him, broke them up.”
Bianca deflected: “Really? I was with Dan first. There was history. I was a young girl, he took advantage of me. It wasn’t my fault.”
Post-show, eagled-eyed viewers took to an EastEnders Facebook group to hash out the reference. A fan quipped: “Dan Sullivan gets a mention in 2025! Hope he makes a comeback.”
Another excited fan speculated, “Maybe Phil might have unfinished business with him after Dan left him to die.”
A third enthusiast chimed in with hope: “I hope Dan does come back to EastEnders. I liked him in EastEnders but I don’t think he will.”
Long-running viewers will recall how Dan became embroiled in a bitter rivalry with Phil Mitchell (played by Steve McFadden), and was central to the infamous Who Shot Phil storyline where he sought vengeance. However, the true culprit turned out to be Lisa Shaw (portrayed by Lucy Benjamin), leaving Dan wrongfully accused and put on trial for the crime.
He was ultimately acquitted and his arc ended dramatically as he took Mel Owen (played by Tamzin Outhwaite) hostage in a daring blackmail plot against Phil and Steve Owen (Martin Kemp), demanding a hefty £200,000 ransom before fleeing abroad.
The question now buzzing around is whether Dan’s return to Albert Square is on the horizon and indeed, if Phil should start watching his back.
EastEnders airs Monday to Thursday at 7.30pm on BBC One and available to stream on BBC iPlayer from 6am
