Who is Robbie Jackson's wife Nita? When was she last in EastEnders?
Bindya Solanki rejoins the cast after 16 years
EastEnders fans will get a blast from the past when Nita Mistry (Bindya Solanki), estranged former wife of joker Robbie Jackson (Dean Gaffney), returns to Albert Square for the first time since 2003 in an episode airing on Thursday 13th June.
Robbie is back on screen after an extended break on Monday 3rd June with young son Sami, who lives in India with his mum. It soon becomes clear Rob loves having his much-missed boy around but whenever Nita is mentioned he looks suspiciously guilty – what is he hiding?
Ignoring Nita's calls and reluctant when the time comes for Sami to return to his mum, Robbie is shocked when she shows up in Walford demanding to know why her ex has been avoiding her. Is there set to be a tug of love between the divorced mother and father for the affections of their son?
When was Nita Mistry last in EastEnders?
Feisty Nita started working at the Minute Mart in November 2001 and was introduced as a love interest for luckless Robbie. The character's hard facade was explained as her backstory unfolded, she was widowed at a young age and left to be a single mum to young son Anish.
Against the odds, sassy Nita found romance with lovable Robbie and when Ms Mistry's family asked her to return to Mumbai in February 2003, offering to support her and Anish, she jumped at the chance and asked Mr Jackson to join them.
Nita and Robbie got married off screen and when Robbie returned for the second wedding of his big sister Bianca Jackson (Patsy Palmer, also set to return later this year) to Ricky Butcher (Sid Owen) as part of EastEnders' 25th anniversary celebrations in February 2010, he revealed Nita couldn't make the trip the UK because she was six months pregnant, with Sami born later that year.
Fast forward to September 2015 and Robbie moved home to Walford full-time revealing him and Nita had separated. Sparks are set to fly between the old flames as they're reunited on screen for the first time in all these years, but Solanki is only back for a guest appearance in a single episode. How will she react to Robbie overstepping the mark over access to Sami?
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