EastEnders’ most notorious killer is set to make a shocking return to Walford later this year.

Christopher Fairbank, 72, who last appeared on the show in 2024, is said to be reprising his role as villain Eddie Knight.

Racist Eddie murdered George Knight’s biological father in a brutal, racially-motivated attack after effectively buying George for his wife to raise.

The killer was finally brought to justice decades later and jailed in 2024 for his crimes.

However, in a dramatic twist, he will return once again in scenes set to air later this year.

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EastEnders’ most notorious killer is set to make a shocking return to Walford later this year(L-R Christopher Fairbank, Colin Salmon, Elizabeth Counsell)

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‘Whilst it’s only a short stint, his return kicks off a bigger storyline that will spark troubling times for George and the wider Knight family.’

A EastEnders spokesperson added: ‘We can confirm Christopher Fairbank will be returning to EastEnders for a short stint later this spring.’

It comes as Coronation Street and Emmerdale viewers are reportedly bracing for a bleak summer as the 2026 World Cup threatens to wreak havoc on soap schedules.

The Fifa World Cup 2026, set to take place across Canada, Mexico and the US, kicks off in June, with ITV expected to prioritise live match coverage.

However, the beloved soaps are set to be forced out of their usual slots for some matches, after ITV bosses introduced a ‘soap power hour’ from 8pm to 9pm each night.

A source told The Sun: ‘It’s proving quite the headache behind the scenes.

‘Soap fans have already had to get used to the new slots, which came in at the beginning of the year, so with more changes coming there’s a real fear they could lose more viewers.

‘Airing the episodes on a Sunday just does not work and now with the new schedule it’s very unlikely they’ll be able to run before these big World Cup matches start.’

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According to insiders, ‘lots of discussions’ are ongoing as bosses scramble to minimise the impact.

Daily Mail has contacted ITV for comment.

In recent months, sporting clashes have already forced episodes off air entirely, while others have been pushed to less popular Sunday evening slots, a move that has frustrated loyal viewers.

Earlier this week, both soaps were pulled from their usual schedule, with episodes shifted to a one-hour Sunday broadcast instead.

ITV previously attempted to ease disruption by releasing episodes early on ITVX, but the strategy reportedly left audiences confused.

Despite the scheduling chaos, the broadcaster claims that the changes have increased digital viewing.

Streaming figures for the soaps are up 48 per cent year-on-year, with both Coronation Street and Emmerdale recording their highest ever monthly figures.

The shows pulled in a combined 65 million streams in January 2026, 10 million more than any previous record, with Coronation Street reaching an audience of 5.9 million across TV and streaming.

On Tuesday evening, Coronation Street and Emmerdale fans were in uproar as the popular shows had been cancelled AGAIN by ITV.

The ‘soap power hour’ was once again scrapped on April 14 to make way for sporting events on the channel.

This time it was the Women’s European Qualifier match, which saw England’s Lionesses go head-to-head with Spain.

Emmerdale typically airs on ITV from Monday to Friday at 8pm while Coronation Street typically airs at 8:30pm.

However, it was good news for fans of EastEnders, as the soap still aired at its usual time of 7:30pm on BBC1.