EastEnders’ Roxy Mitchell, played by Rita Simons, made a bloody return to Albert Square and shocked viewers of the BBC One soap.

It was an appearance guaranteed to raise the dramatic stakes as Roxy turned up on sister Ronnie’s (Samantha Womack) doorstep battered and bruised.

Roxy left at the end of last year when boyfriend Dean Wicks (Matt Di Angelo) tried to rape her. But her reappearance in Wednesday’s episode sparked a number of questions.

Rita Simons has returned to EastEnders as Roxy Mitchell
Rita Simons has returned to EastEnders as Roxy Mitchell (BBC/screengrab)

Who beat Roxy up? And why? And what has brought Roxy back to Albert Square? Does Glenda (Glynis Barber), who said Roxy had “borrowed a lot of money”, know more than she’s letting on?

Viewers who took to Twitter could not hold back on their thoughts or their theories.

Poor Roxy!

Who did it?

Yay! Rita’s back