EastEnders airs milestone moment for Zoe Slater return storyline in early BBC iPlayer release

The BBC One soap has been building to the 'Mother of All Reunions' when Zoe (Michelle Ryan) will return to Albert Square and come face-to-face with her estranged mother, Kat Moon (Jessie Wallace), for months now.

Ryan made her surprise return to the soap in June when she was revealed to be struggling and not wanting anything to do with Kat, despite attempts from cousin Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner) and Kat's husband Alfie Moon (Shane Richie) to help her.

After fleeing once more, Alfie sought to find Zoe to no avail and hid his and Stacey's reunion with her from Kat ever since - but this week, his and Kat's son Tommy Moon (Sonny Kendall) discovered his father's lies after listening to him confess all in a voice note he drunkenly left for Kat before he returned to Walford.

Now, after Tommy ran away from home following an argument with Kat, Alfie resolved to come clean and finally told Kat the truth.

In Thursday's episode, Kat was heartbroken and furious with Alfie and Stacey and swiftly ripped into both of them for hiding Zoe's troubles from her.

After rejecting the pair, Stacey's mum, Jean Slater (Gillian Wright), tracked down a distraught Kat and made her see that Alfie and Stacey were trying to help the situation, not hurt Kat, and resolved to bring the family together.

Back at the Vic, Kat worried more as Tommy had not returned home after running away, and Alfie revealed that he could not find him, and none of his friends had seen him either.

Gathering Jean, Stacey, Freddie and Alfie, Kat resolved that they would all unite to bring both of her missing children home, and they would do it together.

Despite her resolve, Kat was still distraught that two of her children remained missing, but Alfie promised to reunite her with both of them.

Meanwhile, the episode concluded with Tommy walking up the stairs of a rundown block of flats before finding the door to one and knocking.

Zoe herself answered the door and asked if he was Tommy, and when he confirmed, she let him into the flat.

Now reunited with his older sister, will Tommy come to feel better about his relationship with Kat or could it all make matters worse?

Well, we won't have long to find out, as next week Kat will get a shock as Zoe and Tommy make their return to Albert Square...

Read More:

• 3 EastEnders spoilers next week: Zoe Slater and Kat Moon are reunited before character is shot
• EastEnders teases feud for Max Branning return with another iconic character
• EastEnders first look photos show emotional reunion for Zoe Slater and Big Mo Harris
• EastEnders' new boss teases dramatic reunion for old rivals Sharon Watts and Zoe Slater
• EastEnders star confirms filming break: “I won't be on it for a while”

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