This week, the BBC series started with two special episodes set in Milton Keynes, as Whitney Dean and Zack Hudson visited Bianca Jackson.

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The visit was full of drama, as pregnant Whitney bonded with a struggling teenager, before being knocked over by a car as she saved the youngster from the speeding vehicle.

While mother and baby ended up being OK, things started to fall apart for Whitney and Zack as she insisted she wanted to foster the teen.

Back in Walford without his partner, Zack struggled with his emotions and during Thursday’s episode he was seen getting drunk before leaning in to try and kiss Lauren Branning.

Other storylines have seen Sonia Fowler become more distressed about her fertility struggles, and teenager Denzel consider taking steroids to boost his physique.

However, some EastEnders have been left underwhelmed this week, and complained on social media.

One raged: “you are destroying #EastEnders if you can’t continue writing the characters why do storylines you can’t finish.”

While they didn’t specify which storyline they were referring to, another was equally unimpressed and wrote: “I’m gonna have to knock it on the head.

“Just watched half a hours worth of pap. Unless the writers are on something??”

Another added: “Eastenders is gonna be so good soon once Whitney and Ben have gone and the Six storyline is wrapped. This seems to be a bit of a transitional time with lots of odd pacing and characters forgotten.”

Meanwhile a fourth shared simply: “What a rubbish week #EastEnders.”

However, one things fans have loved this week is a long-term extra getting some more screen time.

During a scene in the Queen Vic, Zack spoke to Jay Brown and landlady Elaine Peacock, before a number of market stall workers entered with Lauren Branning.

Looking delighted, Elaine cried: “Oh! Here he is! The birthday boy!”

The camera then panned back to Winston, a long-time extra on the BBC soap who was wearing a big ’60’ badge and carrying a balloon with his milestone birthday on as well.

Winston did a little dance as everyone cheered, before Penny Branning arrived and called out the orders for Dave, Luke and Winston, whose tipple is a “vodka tonic”.

EastEnders viewers were delighted to see Winston get some more screen time, having been on the show as an extra since November 1985, just months after the soap launched.

Winston is played by Ulric Browne and the character has lived in Walford all his life with his wife and children.

Ulric previously revealed Winston was only supposed to appear in two episodes, but he was asked to stay by producers.

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EastEnders airs on BBC One and is available on BBC iPlayer.