Sharon gets her baby back but loses Phil - is it all over again for EastEnders' cursed couple?
She's made her choice…
Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean) is finally reunited with baby son Kayden, but at the expense of her marriage to Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden) after he ordered his wife to choose between him and her child.
Monday 8th June's emotional EastEnders saw the residents of Albert Square gather for a memorial for Sharon's teenage son Dennis Rickman, who tragically died in February's boat disaster on the day she gave birth to lover Keanu Taylor's son Kayden.
Devastated by grief, Sharon rejected her newborn not wanting to replace Denny and gave him to granny Karen Taylor (Lorraine Stanley) to bring up away from Walford.
Last week she had a last-minute change of heart, but with Phil unable to deal with being constantly reminded of his wife's infidelity Shaz is now left holding the baby as her dreams of a fresh start running the Queen Vic with her hubby in tatters.
While Sharon and Phil's marital merry-go-round continues, spare a thought for Karen who had to hand back the baby boy she was prepared to raise as her own - speaking exclusively to RadioTimes.com, Stanley insists there are no hard feelings between the women, despite the pain her alter ego feels.
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"Karen doesn't begrudge Sharon. She is gutted but puts a brave face on it. We saw her drop Kayden off at the doorstep and as soon as Sharon went inside, Karen broke down."
So there's no choice of this souring relations between the women, who's first encounter when the Taylors moved in three years ago was a public row that ended with Karen punching Sharon in the face!
"Who'd have thought they'd end up with a baby in common!" laughs Stanley. "They're like chalk and cheese, aren't they? There is a mutual respect now. They've had their rows but Sharon needed Karen in the end. I don't think Karen will give her a hard time about taking Kayden back, ultimately he belongs with his mum. Selfishly, Karen has bonded with her grandchild, but one mum to another she understands and has empathy for her losing Denny.
"Karen can still be part of his life, and Sharon has a free babysitter!
Having picked her son over the plans she had with Phil to put the past behind them, what does this mean for the future of the Vic? If the sale falls through and the Carters are forced to stay put, will landlady Linda slide back into alcoholism?
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