[bbfan1991]

EastEnders bosses have announced that Mandy Salter's mother Lorraine will be returning to Albert Square next month.

Former Bad Girls star Victoria Alcock has been cast in the role of Lorraine, who turns up in Walford after receiving a message from scheming Lucy Beale.

Lucy (Hetti Bywater) gets suspicious in upcoming episodes when she catches Mandy sending secret texts and pawning a bracelet that Ian (Adam Woodyatt) has bought her to send the money to someone.

The mischievous teenager decides that Mandy (Nicola Stapleton) must be having an affair, so she gets hold of the number and arranges to meet the 'mystery man' on the Square.

However, Lucy is soon left stunned when she realises that there is no secret admirer - and she has inadvertently brought Mandy's mother to Walford.

EastEnders' long-term viewers will already know Lorraine as she previously appeared on screen in 1991 and 1992. Back then, she was played by Linda Henry - who now portrays Walford's Shirley Carter.

When fans last saw Lorraine, she was a bad mother who allowed Mandy to run wild on the streets. Her return scenes will show that she remains a brash character and certainly hasn't grown up.

Speaking of her new role, Alcock commented: "I am absolutely thrilled to be joining the cast of EastEnders and am looking forward to working with my good friends Linda Henry and Nicola Stapleton again. I can't wait to see people's reaction when Lorraine arrives on the Square!"

Lorraine will appear in a few episodes in February before returning for another short stint later in the year.

This is good, she was amazing in Bad Girls and weird to think that all 3 actresses were in that show and are now in EastEnders.