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Ian Beale is finally returning to Walford after his time behind bars, but his first days back on the Square won’t be the happy reunion he might have imagined.

After months away from Albert Square, Ian Beale is finally coming home.

However, the latest EastEnders spoilers reveal that Ian is struggling to settle back into normal life following his time in prison.

His return takes place on Wednesday 7 October, with Kathy Beale understandably keen to have her son back home.

But it quickly becomes clear that Ian isn’t quite ready to simply pick up where he left off.

Ian struggles after leaving prison

Ian’s return is initially supposed to be a chance for him to reconnect with his family and get his life back on track.

Instead, he appears visibly shaken by his experiences behind bars.

Kathy has been looking forward to Ian coming home, while Harvey Monroe is determined to support her during what is bound to be an emotional time.

Harvey even tries to take some pressure away from Kathy by helping out at Beale’s Plaice.

But things don’t go entirely to plan.

Ian heads to The Vic

Ian eventually heads to The Vic for some welcome-home drinks.

It should be a chance for him to relax and celebrate being back in Walford, but the evening quickly takes an uncomfortable turn.

Ian discovers that Harvey has missed an inspection at Beale’s Plaice and the pair clash.

The argument becomes too much for Ian, who is clearly struggling to control his emotions, and he eventually walks away.

It’s another indication that returning home hasn’t magically erased everything he experienced while he was away.

Things get even worse for Ian

Ian’s problems don’t stop there.

He later discovers that Beale’s Plaice has been vandalised, leaving him with yet another problem to deal with.

It’s at this point that an unlikely source of support steps forward.

Ned Hawkins offers Ian a helping hand as he cleans up the graffiti.

But Ned doesn’t simply help him with the mess.

He also encourages Ian to confront some of the painful memories surrounding the accident that ultimately led to his imprisonment.

Can Ian finally open up?

Ian has clearly been keeping a lot of what happened to him behind bars to himself.

Ned’s intervention appears to make a difference, however, and Ian eventually begins to confront some of the experiences he’s been trying to avoid.

The conversation seems to give Ian the push he needs to reach out to Chelsea Fox.

He also takes the opportunity to thank Ned for standing by him.

Ian’s return could be just the beginning

Ian Beale may finally be back where he belongs, but these latest spoilers suggest that his return to Walford isn’t going to be an easy one.

Instead of simply slipping back into his old routine, Ian has to deal with the emotional impact of everything that has happened.

And with his relationship with Kathy, Harvey and the rest of the Square still to navigate, there could be plenty more drama ahead.

For now, though, it looks like Ian has finally found someone who can help him start talking about what happened.

What do you think?

Are you pleased to see Ian Beale back in Walford?

Do you think Ian will eventually be able to put his prison ordeal behind him, or will his experiences continue to haunt him?

Let us know what you think in the comments below.

EastEnders airs on BBC One and is available on BBC iPlayer.