EastEnders has confirmed the return of Joel Marshall, and the tearaway teenager has undergone a major transformation. Actor Max Murray, 18, first arrived in Walford in March 2025 as Joel, the troubled son of Ross Marshall and stepmother Vicki Fowler.
Joel's Troubled Past in Walford
The schoolboy wasted no time in terrorising Albert Square's residents after falling under the influence of misogynistic online material and abusing women. In one incident, Joel recorded an encounter with Avani Nandra-Hart, which led to her teen pregnancy storyline. He also inappropriately groped a woman on the underground to impress Tommy Moon and initiated a harassment campaign targeting Stacey Slater by revealing her previous secret cam photographs.
Back in October, Joel's hatred of women took a chilling turn when he brutally attacked Vicki and recorded the incident on his phone, before gloating about the attack. Joel was eventually arrested, and after pleading guilty in court, he was sentenced to six months in a Youth Offender Institution for assault, voyeurism, and distributing indecent images.
Joel's New Look and Return
However, the teenager's sentence is up, and he is returning to Walford. On-screen, viewers were used to seeing Joel wear his hair in a stylish, natural look with a center part that framed around his face. But the character has now ditched his trademark 'curtains' hairstyle, opting for a cropped buzz cut instead.
Next week, Sharon Watts is delighted when her sister Vicki and new husband Ross return from their honeymoon, but their joy is short-lived when Zack Hudson arrives. Kathy Beale dishes out advice to Vicki, and the family gathers at The Vic to announce that she and Ross are moving into No.31 with Jean Slater and Big Mo. Ross looks unimpressed, sparking Zack to volunteer to move out of their flat instead. Just as things are looking up, Joel arrives at No.43 with mum Cleo in tow.
Tense Showdown in Walford
It's tense at No.43 as Cleo tells Vicki, Ross, and Sharon that she doesn't want Joel to live with her. The showdown becomes too much for Vicki, who flees to the café where she shares her fears with Sharon. The situation worsens when Avani and Amy Mitchell arrive and rile at Vicki for allowing Joel back in Walford.
EastEnders airs Monday to Thursday on BBC One and iPlayer.
