Dean (Matt Di Angelo) made a return to the BBC soap this week and viewers are far from happy about it.
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Linda (Kellie Bright) was left speechless and froze as she came face to face with Dean nine years after she was raped by him.
An angry Dean accused Linda of ruining his life and told her: “You wrecked my life. My friends. My family. My reputation.”
Linda corrected: “It’s me who survived you Dean.”
Dean added he does not need her consent to move back to Walford.
Linda then snapped and said: “Get out.”
But when Dean refused to move, Linda grabbed a sharp kitchen knife and pointed it towards Dean forcing him to move back away from her.
Then Linda yelled: “I said get out!” which got the attention from mum Elaine (Harriet Thorpe) who came storming in.
Dean then left after he said to Linda: “I’ll see you soon.”
Viewers were left open mouthed as Dean pushed Linda to breaking point and fought to defend herself.
Taking to X, formally known as Twitter, one viewer said: “Dean/ Linda scenes are so harrowing to watch.
“The look of disbelief & shock flooding over Linda’s face as she stands face to face with her Rapist 9 years on from the horrific ordeal. Dean really hasn’t changed at all.”
Another wrote: “The way that he is so nonchalant about her being frightened of him after what he did. The man is so twisted.”
A third penned: “Dean – vile, cretin, awful excuse for a man.”
Talking about Dean’s return, actress Kellie Bright revealed: “Linda’s in deep, deep shock. He is the last person that she expected to see walking through the door of her kitchen.
“He’s in her home and in the exact room where he raped her. She obviously goes into complete shock, and her body is filled with adrenalin.
“She is absolutely terrified, above and beyond anything else. It doesn’t matter what Dean’s saying, as Linda is in fight or flight mode from the moment he appears.”
She added: “I think she feels far more vulnerable. She hates the fact that she feels so vulnerable around Dean, but it’s understandable.
“He scares her in a way no one else ever can or would. And because Mick isn’t there, it is ten times worse for her.”
However, despite Mick’s absence, Linda does have the support from the Knight family now.
Kellie said: “Elaine was around when it all happened to Linda, so she was present for what Dean did and the aftermath of that.
“As for the girls and George, George and Linda are fast establishing a father/daughter relationship, and they are all living under the same roof, so they are naturally getting closer and closer.”
EastEnders airs Monday to Thursday at 7:30pm on BBC One and iPlayer.