A character not seen since 2022 made their return in the hectic episodeViewers were brought back to 2006 through a flashback(Image: BBC)

EastEnders fans are claiming that they’ve ‘worked out’ who Zoe Slater’s baby’s father is after a former character made their return to the show in a huge twist.

Initially making her return to the BBC soap in June, Michelle Ryan’s character was visibly distressed as a result of something she did in her past.

While she was staying with Stacey Slater in London, she made her cousin and Alfie Moon promise not to tell her mum Kat that she was not in the UK.

With online discussion ignited by the tease, viewers had to wait two months for more Zoe as she quickly made off to Spain with Stacey’s credit card.

Eventually tracked down by her younger brother Tommy Moon, Zoe spoke to her mum Kat Slater for the first time in 20 years on Tuesday (September 2).

It was a rocky reunion for the pair, with Zoe struggling to reciprocate the same joy her mother was feeling at being back in each other’s lives.

After fleeing the Queen Vic, Zoe admitted that he couldn’t be part of the Slater family due to doing some really bad things after moving from London in 2005.

The moment of truth had to wait as a gun dramatically went off at the end of the episode and the BBC opted not to release Wednesday’s (September 3) installment early on the iPlayer.

Zoe was shot moments after reuniting with her mum(Image: BBC)

Beginning with the reveal that Zoe was shot by Jack Branning and Ravi Gulati, Zoe had a flashback to 2006 as she was assessed by her doctor ex Anthony Trueman in the Queen Vic.

It was then revealed that Zoe had given birth to a boy and a girl, but sadly her daughter died in the hospital.

Deciding she wanted to put her son up for adoption, Zoe fled the hospital and took a pair of keys with an Ibiza keyring on them, in a nod to her past history.

Eventually waking up in the ambulance, Zoe told Kat that she ‘couldn’t do birth right’ and she liked it more ‘when they were sisters’ only for her pulse to suddenly stop.

Resuscitated by medics in the hospital, the episode concluded with Kat getting a phone call in hospital from none other than Jake Wood’s Max Branning.

Those watching the episode at home rushed to X, previously known as Twitter, to reveal why they think Anthony is the baby’s father.

@RyanSoapKing25 said: “Imagine if Anthony is the father #EastEnders.” @ladyvmj2014 added: “Anthony Truman is the father, didn’t they have a fling? #Eastenders.”

@Mrs_AhmedZaman wrote: “Could the baby be Anthony’s? Was he even still around then! #Eastenders.” @Trixiefire666 posted: “That’s got to be Anthony’s baby, right? #EastEnders.”

@x_beaumont_x commented: “So Anthony’s baby? When did that happen!? #Eastenders.” @_msashleybailey noted: “Anthony’s going to realise how much he liked Zoe #EastEnders.”

Fans have been adamant for months that Zoe is Joel Marshall’s mum, in spite of the only information about her being that her name is Cleo and she was getting remarried.

As viewers know, Joel has been troubled since arriving in Albert Square earlier this year with his dad Ross Marshall and his girlfriend Vicki Fowler. However, that theory is now officially ruled out.

It remains to be seen where Max ties into this, but it looks like the character will be back on Albert Square for the first time since 2022 before we know it.