EastEnders fans are urging Courtney Mitchell to return now that her brother, Mark Fowler, is making his comeback to the BBC soap after a decade-long absence.
EastEnders has brought back Mark Fowler Jr after a ten-year absence, leaving some viewers wondering where his sister has been.
Longtime fans of the BBC soap will recognize Mark, now played by Stephen Aaron-Sipple, as the son of Grant Mitchell (Ross Kemp) and Michelle Fowler (Susan Tully). Monday’s episode (January 26) showed him looking battered and bloodied as he confided in his uncle Phil (Steve McFadden) about his involvement with dangerous criminals.
Mark had previously made a brief return to Walford in 2016, when the role was played by Emmerdale star Ned Porteous. At the time, he developed feelings for his sister Courtney without realizing they were related. Neither sibling stayed in Albert Square for long.
Courtney, born in 1997 to Grant and Tiffany Mitchell (Martine McCutcheon), has appeared periodically throughout EastEnders, with four actresses portraying the character. Baby Courtney was first played by twin sisters Carissa and Josephine O’Meara from 1997 to 1999.
When Grant returned to Albert Square in 2005 after six years away, he was joined by Courtney, then 11 years old and played by Megan Jossa, who is the cousin of Jacqueline Jossa (Lauren Branning), reports OK!.
In 2016, Grant and Courtney—now portrayed by Alice Nokes—returned to Walford following the death of matriarch Peggy Mitchell (Barbara Windsor). During her month-long storyline, Courtney became attracted to Mark (Ned Porteous), unaware that they were half-siblings sharing the same father.
Grant (Ross Kemp) and Courtney didn’t stay in Walford for long, leaving to return to the Portuguese hills, with Courtney remaining off-screen ever since.
Alice, now 27, has built an impressive career in television since her time on EastEnders and now looks very different from the Courtney Mitchell she once played.
In 2016, she appeared as Kim Nees in the series Suspicion and the following year joined BBC One’s medical drama Casualty. She also featured in films such as Grandpa’s Great Escape and The Crone in 2018, before landing the role of Willa in Game of Thrones in 2019.
Alice went on to portray Theresa in the TV documentary The Killer Beside Me and appeared as Rosie in an episode of Ted Lasso in 2020. That same year, she played Anne Boleyn in The Spanish Princess and later starred as Julie Pardoe in the 2021 series Dalgliesh.
In 2022, she appeared in Father Brown as Kate Goodall and took on the recurring role of Sophia Leigh from 2022 to 2024.
As Mark returns to Walford, EastEnders fans are calling for Courtney to make a comeback as well, eager to see the siblings reunited on screen.
One fan took to X, posting: “It’s a shame Grant and Courtney aren’t around to see Nigel and catch up with Mark. You can already tell Phil is suspicious of him. #EastEnders.”
Another added: “Now gimme Ben, Louise, Courtney, ok thanks #EastEnders,” while a third wrote: “Now that #EastEnders have recast Mark Jr., I’m hoping for a Courtney Mitchell recast too. Also, shouldn’t The Queen Vic be owned by The Mitchells or Sharon Watts?”
“You’ll remember the last time Mark Fowler was in Walford he developed a liking for Courtney Mitchell, not knowing she was his half-sister at the time,” another fan commented.
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