At last! Every single time there was a hint of an upcoming EastEnders announcement in the past few years, there was one very hopeful question soap fans dared to ask: "Could Grant Mitchell be returning?" Oh, the many disappointments we suffered!
But after cruelly building up our hopes countless times, it's now finally happening: Ross Kemp's legendary character has been confirmed to reappear this spring for Barbara Windsor's emotional goodbye to Peggy Mitchell. As the buzz and anticipation builds, here's our guide to why this return storyline will definitely be worth the hype.
1. Babs planned it herself
Behind closed doors, Barbara Windsor has been sneakily plotting Peggy's final farewell with producers since last summer. A return for Grant was at the top of her wish list - and Ross himself has admitted that he just couldn't say no when Barbara asked him.
Credited by EastEnders boss Dominic Treadwell-Collins as the show's "real guv'nor", Barbara knows Peggy's relationship with her two boys better than anyone. She's sure to have offered her own thoughts on how Grant's reunion with Peggy should go - and we bet she won't be shy of pointing out any niggles with the scripts. We're relying on you to prevent a repeat of the recent "Hello princess" furore, Babs!
2. It's NOT just a fleeting cameo
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It can be easy to get carried away when soap returnees are announced. For example, when EastEnders icon Pat Butcher passed away from cancer in 2012, her son Simon was widely tipped to return - but only ended up making a fleeting post-credits cameo appearance. It was a lovely touch since Nick Berry had actually retired from acting, but it also left us wishing we'd had more.
While Grant won't be returning on a full-time basis, the great news is that for this all-important send-off, Peggy's sons will be on screen together for a decent amount of time. Ross has confirmed this himself, expressing his excitement about filming "some classic EastEnders episodes". Yep, that's right: more than one. Hurrah!
3. Grant and Phil have unfinished business
News of Grant's return probably wasn't a huge surprise to anyone who watched last Friday's episode. As Phil ranted bitterly to Peggy about his younger brother, the writers were clearly sowing the seeds for all the on-screen tension to come when Grant arrives back later this year.
Full of self-pity, Phil moaned: "Always did have me down as a loser, didn't you? Not like Grant, the golden boy. Grant, who'd never do any wrong. He done plenty wrong when you weren't looking, though."
With Phil on a downward spiral and old hostilities far from forgotten, it's bound to be a rocky reunion for EastEnders' most famous set of brothers. Despite the tragic circumstances bringing about Grant's return, could there be time for fisticuffs? We hope so...
4. Grant has unfinished business with Walford's other legends too
When you're a loyal fan of a soap, there's nothing better than when years of viewing are rewarded with scripts which really delve into the rich history of the longest-serving characters.
Grant's return provides countless opportunities for nods to the past: what does he make of Phil and Sharon being not-so-happily married more than 20 years after Sharongate? Does he still share a spark with Kathy, who he once slept with? And will Ian pluck up the courage to confront Grant over his past affair with Jane? We're on the edge of our seats already as we wait to find out.
5. Grant could bring Courtney with him
The epic episodes ahead for the Mitchells won't just be a chance to celebrate the past, but also to plant seeds for the family's long-term future on EastEnders. Show bosses haven't announced whether Grant will be returning with anyone, but an appearance from his daughter Courtney is probably a good bet.
Courtney - the daughter of Grant and Tiffany - was last seen on screen with her dad in 2006, played by Megan Jossa. Yep, that's the real-life cousin of Lauren Branning actress Jacqueline Jossa. With Phil's teenage daughter Louise now a regular again, could we see another young Mitchell thrown in to build foundations for the next era?
6. We'll finally see Grant with Ronnie and Roxy
It feels like Ronnie and Roxy have been around on the Square forever - so it's easy to forget that they've never actually shared any screen time with Grant. Depending on Ross's future plans, this could potentially be our only chance to see Grant with the newer Mitchells. What on earth will he make of ruthless schemer Ronnie and unlucky-in-love Roxy?
With Harry Reid now firmly established as one of the show's rising stars, we also can't wait to see how the grown-up Ben Mitchell interacts with his uncle. His relationship with Phil is currently rocky, so could Ben start seeing Grant as a more appealing role model?
7. Grant can back up the Mitchells
Let's be clear: Grant's return should mainly focus on Peggy and the rest of his family, rather than dragging him too much into side plots involving their feuds with the newer characters. Fans previously complained about the Brannings - Derek especially - being shoehorned into Pat's send-off a few years ago. So we won't want a similar scenario with Peggy.
With that said, if the Hubbards and evil Gavin Sullivan are still giving the Mitchells grief at the time of Grant's return, it'd certainly be satisfying to see him spare 5 minutes or so to put them all in their places. You can never take on the Mitchells for too long before getting slapped dahn!
8. Grant just HAD to be there... and he could start a trend
There's nothing worse than watching a huge soap episode and having to suspend your disbelief when you hear feeble excuses for why close relatives aren't there for an important occasion. Peggy's send-off just wouldn't have made sense without Grant, so we can now breathe an early sigh of relief that we won't have to swallow the same old clichés of 'cancelled flights' or 'sudden illnesses'.
Ross's return could also help to lure other old faces back to the show for Peggy's exit. Who wouldn't want to be part of what's shaping up to be the soap world's most epic family reunion? We're holding out hope for as many as possible popping up - with Sam Mitchell surely the most obvious choice to secure next. Over to you, Danniella and Kim...
