EASTENDERS fans were stunned when the BBC brought back the legendary Angie Watts for the 40th anniversary special – complete with a nod to her very first episode.
Anita Dobson made a surprise comeback as Queen Vic’s iconic landlady Angie 37 years after her last appearance.
Angie Watts made a return to EastEnders for the show’s 40th anniversary special[/caption]
It was the character’s first time back in Walford in 37 years[/caption]
Viewers noticed she was wearing the same outfit as in her debut episode[/caption]
In the poignant scene, Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean) found herself trapped in the Vic’s wreckage, only to be met by a vision of her late mother urging her to scream for help.
Angie’s return was a moment of pure nostalgia, made even stronger by the fact that she was dressed in the exact same outfit she wore when EastEnders debuted in 1985.
Fans wasted no time in heaping praise on the BBC for the production team’s immaculate attention to detail.
One thrilled viewer wrote: “I can’t believe we got her back, even if only for a moment. And wearing her first-ever dressed-up outfit too. After all this time, Angie Watts came home!!!”
Another questioned: “Did they dig that costume out from somewhere or did the costume department have to painstakingly recreate it so perfectly?
“Such a beautiful attention to detail when they really didn’t even need to.”
The emotional scene had many in tears, with one fan calling it “an incredible moment in EastEnders and, in my opinion, a golden TV moment.”
Another simply added: “It was like she never left! Sobbing.”
EastEnders executive producer Chris Clenshaw revealed just how much it meant to have Angie back in Walford for the landmark episode.
He shared: “Angie Watts is undoubtedly one of EastEnders’ most formidable and iconic landladies.
“Since the very first episode, Anita instantly created a character that the audience adored. She not only shaped EastEnders into the show it is today but also had a huge impact on British television.”
He added: “Watching Angie Watts grace the halls of The Queen Victoria, 40 years to the day she made her first appearance in Walford, is a day we will never forget.”
