You know it’s going to be a week in EastEnders when Nigel and Julie Bates rock up, and this time, they’re not alone. The pair are back next week, dragging their bags, big smiles and three clucking chickens. That’s right, actual chickens. The happy reunion doesn’t last. Soon there’s noise, feathers everywhere, and Phil Mitchell getting grumpier by the hour. Keep scrolling to learn more.

Late Nights and Too Much Noise

Nigel wants to stay in Albert Square, and Phil offered him a place to do it. Julie could move in so she’d be close to her husband.  Julie didn’t waste any time saying yes. She went straight back to Scotland to grab her things and start the move. What Phil didn’t expect was her turning up with more than just luggage. She showed up with three noisy chickens in a battered old cage. From then on, the house just didn’t feel the same. The birds never stopped making a racket.

They wander, they flap, and they keep everyone up half the night. Everyone’s tired, and Phil’s had enough. He thinks the noise is throwing off Nigel’s routine, but Julie refuses to give in. To her, the chickens are part of their life. “They keep Nigel calm,” she insists. Phil isn’t having it; the tension is obvious whenever they pass in the hall.

EastEnders: Boiling Point and One Great Escape

It all blows up when they take Nigel to an important medical assessment. Nigel tries to keep his mind on the questions in front of him. Phil and Julie should be sitting in silence, yet it doesn’t take long before they start trading quick, sharp remarks under their breath. The whispers turn into raised voices, and then Phil loses it. He blurts out a few harsh truths that stop Julie cold and leave her looking like she’s just been winded.

Back home, it doesn’t get any better. Then, just when they need some peace, Nigel accidentally leaves the coop door wide open. Out struts Julie’s prized cockerel like it owns the place, trots across the road, and vanishes. The street turns into a search party, with Phil and Julie forced to work together whether they like it or not. Will chasing down a runaway chicken be enough to break the tension, or will the feathers keep flying in Phil’s living room? For all EastEnders spoilers and updates