EastEnders' Jamie Borthwick reveals his dream storyline for Jay and Ben

At the same time, both Jay and Borthwick himself are due to run the London Marathon after months of intense training.

Amid discussing Jay's baby bombshell and Lola Pearce-Brown's (Danielle Harold) legacy, Borthwick was asked what he would choose for Jay if he had the chance to plot out a storyline himself.

"If, one day, Ben Mitchell walks back in, maybe Ben and Jay can go off and do a kind of Phil and Grant thing - what they did with Cindy's baby, do you remember?"

Fans were heartbroken - and so were we - when Jay's adoptive brother Ben Mitchell (Max Bowden) was jailed for fraud, and later sentenced to serve six years in an American prison.

But it's clear that the character was still in the star's thoughts as he mapped out his ideal story.

"In Italy, in [the 1990s], I think it was maybe the year I was born! This'll make Steve [McFadden] feel old, but I'd love them to go off and do something like that, you know, a real kind of 'the boys are back in town' kind of thing.

"I'd love them to go off together and do a bit of... get involved in some mischief. I'd like that, that'd be fun."

The EastEnders story in question saw Ben's father Phil (Steve McFadden) and uncle Grant Mitchell (Ross Kemp) head to Italy in search of Cindy back in 1997.

On the run after hiring a hitman to kill Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt), Cindy was found by the two brothers, and she returned to Walford - only to finally be arrested.

Facing up to her charges, Cindy revealed she was pregnant by boyfriend Nick Holland (Dominic Taylor), who abandoned her. That baby became Cindy Junior (played by Mimi Keene), Cindy faked her own death and the rest is history!

We certainly like the idea of Jay and Ben teaming up to channel the Mitchell brothers on a vigilante mission or otherwise, but in the meantime, Jay and Honey Mitchell (Emma Barton) are heading up the infamous family as they take on the London Marathon.

Chatting to RadioTimes.com and other press, Barton was surprised to hear that Honey is now the last Mitchell woman standing on the Square! Does that make Honey the new matriarch of the family, and would the actress like to take on that title?

"Aww, that's lovely, actually, I hadn't really thought of that! Of course, just to have that sort of role, the Mitchell women are renowned for being extremely strong.

"We've seen some really strong sides of Honey when she's needed to, and especially when it comes to her family - that's when she really will step up.

"So we have, really, as Honey's grown over the years, we have seen that, and I think she's got a good pact with Phil now, a good relationship with Phil. I think he's suddenly got a bit more respect for her, and she has him."

Fondly recalling the iconic catchphrase of ultimate EastEnders matriarch Peggy Mitchell, played by the late, great Dame Barbara Windsor, Barton added of Honey's own potential era: "I need a new phrase, rather than, 'Get Out Of My Pub!'"

Read more:

• EastEnders' Ben Mitchell exit was saved by emotional final scene
• EastEnders airs further consequences for evil Dean Wicks in early BBC iPlayer release
• 7 EastEnders spoilers next week: Yolande's ordeal and Lucy Beale death anniversary
• EastEnders announces sexual assault storyline for Yolande Trueman with flashback scenes
• EastEnders' Angela Wynter reveals importance of Yolande's dark new story
• EastEnders airs heartbreaking death in early iPlayer release

EastEnders normally airs Monday to Thursday on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

Visit our dedicated EastEnders page for all the latest news, interviews and spoilers.

Check out more of our Soaps coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what else is on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.