But within four minutes of arriving in Albert Square on Monday, he's been knocked over by Carol's car as he snatches Roxy's toddler Amy from its path.

Although there have been reports that this newcomer has been banned from singing in the Vic, within 15 minutes he's croaking out a line from the Leyton Orient supporters' song.
This is the grand entrance of former 70s teen idol David Essex, who had a string of hits such as Rock On, Gonna Make You A Star and Hold Me Close.
"Lively round 'ere, innit?" he comments, faced with the hubbub.

He may have been the Gary Barlow of his day, but David is also a veteran actor - even if anybody who saw the movies That'll Be The Day or Stardust might argue the point.
He plays Eddie Moon, Michael's estranged father and uncle to Alfie. He's quickly welcomed into the Vic, finds out he's little Tommy's grandad, charms Kat and then Roxy, gives career advice to Ricky, takes dopey schoolboy Liam under his wing, and firmly puts gobby Carol Jackson in her place.

But his presence in the Square annoys Michael, who tries to force cash on him to leave. "Keep out of it!" Michael orders. "You keep out of Tommy's life, Roxy's life and my life!"
So what is the dark secret that has caused such bad feeling?

Well, it's obviously something far more unforgiveable than recording A Winter's Tale in 1982.

What's Eddie like?
He's a strong character, an ex boxer. He is on his own and an antiques dealer. He has a chequered past that will unfold. I don't think he's a bad guy. There's a massive rift between him and Michael, who blames him for his mother's death.
Were you nervous on joining?
Yes, it's daunting because some of them have been there for 20 years. But there are no cliques or egos.
You've been approached to join before haven't you?
Yes, but I was doing an album and a rock tour so it clashed. Also the character, Honey's dad, wasn't as interesting.
Will you sing in The Vic?
No! Certainly not.
Are your fans excited about this?
Yes, they're thrilled. It's better than waiting for me to tour.
How have you stayed grounded?
I spent six years starving in a Bedford dorm with blues bands! If overnight success had happened when I was 17 maybe I wouldn't be here. I feel I've led a charmed life.

That's because after they kissed passionately on her wedding day two months ago, Max is still besotted with ex-wife Tanya.

Under the pretext of asking her new builder husband Greg to quote on a loft conversion and interior design, Max is never out of their house or accosting them in the Vic or café. "Come on, Tan, it's a mismatch," Max taunts her. "You're punching well below your weight. Anyone can see that."

There's still that spark between them until they discuss daughter Lauren and Max reminds Tanya that he's her father and not Greg.

"Well, he'll be just the same with ours," she smirks. "Sorry, I didn't mean to let that one slip."

Oh, we think she did...

Unfortunately, his wife Fiz is not quite so fortunate. And she's heading for a fall of her own - a life sentence for murdering Colin Fishwick if the police have their way.

"Few months' time, I'm probably going down," she laments to Chesney, Katy, Maria and Kirk. "And Hope could be a young woman before I see the light of day. Unless a miracle happens."

Frankly, this story has been so entertainingly ludicrous at times that just about anything could occur. Arrested first on suspicion of murder, later in the week Fiz appears in a magistrates' court charged with fraud.

"I knew nothing about any of this, Ches," she claims to her brother on Thursday. "I swear. I am completely innocent. You have got to believe me."

So she didn't steal Joy Fishwick's inheritance and then help John take the corpse of Colin Fishwick and dump it in the canal, then?
As Julie tells her, "You've been Staped." Painful.

Technically, sleeping with his missus Xin isn't being unfaithful, apart from it being a sham marriage and Tina is really the love of his life. But having decided to "divorce" Xin last week, he now has second thoughts. "I think I'm in love with my wife," he tells mate David.

Confessing to fiery Tina that he and Xin have slept together results in an almighty bust up with her throwing their belongings out of the window and reclaiming her flat.

"You two must be mad takin' 'er on," David Bratt chuckles as they're showered with Primark's finest. "It's like poking a Rottweiler with a big stick."

Yep. Barking...

But not even their love, Aaron's proposal of marriage, or his disabled friend Steve's joy that he is to become a father can change his mind.

And on Tuesday, in what is a sensitive and potentially controversial 'right to die' story, Jackson's calculated "step by step" plans come to an inevitable conclusion.

"It's like he's planning a trip away," Aaron told Hazel recently.

"It's what he wants," she answered. "But I hate it as much as you do... We'll do it because we love him. OK?"

Don't miss it.

With cheating parents like Charity and Cain, is it any wonder that Debbie Dingle has trust issues with men?

Having already discovered that her older married boyfriend Cameron had another affair after she left Jersey, life is about to become a whole lot more complicated following a confrontation with spiteful Carl King in the Woolpack.

The drinks are certainly on him on Monday when he maliciously suggests that flirty Cameron will soon be having a fling with village strumpet, Eve. Well, at least a pint is after Debbie chucks it over him.

But when mum Charity tries to calm her down with a tipple in the back room, there's an even bigger shock. "I can't," tearful Debbie tells her. "I'm pregnant."

And so begins a turbulent week for the girl who secretly gave birth to daughter Sarah in a shack in the woods when only 14 and whose idea of birth control was to turn gay.

With dad Cain stirring it up, it isn't long before Cameron thumps Carl, still unaware that Debbie's carrying his child. And when she packs his belongings into bin bags and is about to throw him out because she doesn't want another "macho man" in her life, the truth is finally revealed on Wednesday.

Debbie may briefly consider a termination, but luckily she decides not to and is reconciled with Cameron. But being a Dingle, there is one condition.

"Let me down again," she tells him, "and I'll kill you." Uh-oh.

CHARLEY WEBB INTERVIEW:

As Debbie Dingle reveals she's pregnant, actress Charley Webb, tells us about the tumultuous story

Will life always be so dramatic for Debbie?

I don't think it will ever be straightforward for her, but at least as an actress it's never boring. I need to be challenged.

How does Debbie feel about being pregnant?

She's shocked and doesn't know how Cameron is going to react. She does threaten to get rid of it, but I don't think she ever would.

Has the story made you broody?

Yes! One of the make-up girls is pregnant and I keep touching her bump. I miss my bump although I don't miss being pregnant, I hated it. I was really ill for five-and-a-half months with my son Buster.

Is it hard to juggle work and being a mum?

Of course it is, I don't think you can ever find that balance, really. You just have to try to make sure you're spending enough time with him. As this storyline gets bigger, I'm sure I'll be missing him as work is going to be quite full-on. But he comes into the studios sometimes, everyone loves it.

Has it helped talking to other cast members who are mums?

I'm very close to Charlotte Bellamy and Zoe Henry (Laurel and Rhona), as well as Lucy Pargeter (Chas). We all muck in together and spend the whole day talking about our kids. Sometimes I'm like, 'Oh shut up' - I get bored of hearing myself!

Do you plan to stay in the Dales for a while?

At the moment my husband Matthew (Wolfenden who plays David Metcalfe) and I are both in the same job. We go home to Buster each night and to each other. I think that's really important, especially at this stage, so we bond as a family. Right now I'm very happy.

While there may be many stories of love in all three big soaps this week, Zainab and Masood's marriage continues to fall apart.

And it's not helped by Yusef's meddling and Zee being reconciled with her gay son Syed.

"I'm so ashamed," she confides in him on Monday about Mas's feelings for Jane Beale. "Now I'm a woman that wasn't enough for her husband."

With both Zainab and Masood as unforgiving as they are stubborn, it's easy for Yusef to make sure a furious Mas finds out about Zainab seeing Syed, while faking concern for her welfare.

"There's no point in doing this anymore," a bitter Zainab tells Mas on Friday.

"You've failed as a father. You've failed as a husband. And you've certainly failed as a man."

But apart from that, he's fine...

NINA WADIA INTERVIEW

"It would be a shame if the married ended."

Actress Nina Wadia talks about the Masoods' conflict

Masood didn't sleep with Jane, so why can't Zainab forgive him?

He admitted that he wanted to and that's just as bad in Zainab's book.

What is Yusef's part in all this?

Zainab is confused about her feelings for him but, unknown to her, he's being manipulative.

Is this it for Masood and Zainab?

I hope not. I was really upset when I discovered she was going to kick him out. It would be such a shame if their marriage ended.

What's in store for Zainab?

More tears and running mascara. She will get some shocking news next week. They are calling me the Ronnie of the Masoods at work.

When Jack invites troubled wife Ronnie to lunch at the Argee Bhajee on Thursday, little does he realise he's on the menu as she returns his wedding ring and hungrily snogs his face off.

"I don't wanna lose you," she tells him. "I'm not gunna give up on us," he replies.

But can there be a happy-ever-after? No chance.