Ballum fans all across the nation are about to rejoice as the moment they’ve been waiting for finally comes to pass when Ben Mitchell (Max Bowden) and Callum Highway (Tony Clay) are reunited next week in EastEnders.

Ben is set to return during the funeral of Callum’s dad, Jonno Highway (Richard Graham), who’s recent brief return saw him suffer a heart attack and die.

Speaking on his characters conflicting feelings following Jonno’s death, Tony said: ‘I think he’s quite conflicted. There was a lot about Jonno that was really bad – his views, the way he lived his life and the way he’s treated Callum, Stuart and their mum.

‘He’s the very opposite of Callum in pretty much every way. But when Jonno showed up again, Callum decided to see where things would go and if their relationship could be fixed, so I think he’s grieving what might have been, rather than the man Jonno was.’

Before Ben’s departure, he and Callum became one of the most beloved couples in all of soapland, when what started as a sordid affair while Callum was engaged to Whitney Dean (Shona McGarty) soon blossomed into true love. When Whitney left him upon the realisation that he’d been sleeping with Ben, Callum courageously came to terms with his sexuality and publicly announced he was gay.

As the two fully committed to each other, they face numerous obstacles (as any soap powerhouse couple should). Callum working for the police while Ben struggled to extricate himself from the criminal underworld naturally created issues, though the twosome still made it down the aisle.

Ben’s devastating rape ordeal and later his battle with bulimia added to the challenges they faced, yet the Ballum boys managed to emerge stronger from everything that was thrown in their path. Well, nearly everything…

As Ben desperately searched for ways to help Lola Pearce (Danielle Harold) amid her terminal brain tumour diagnosis, he committed credit card fraud in America in order to raise funds for treatment.

Ben was later arrested and extradited to serve a prison sentence for the crime.

Though Callum promised to wait for his husband, Ben encouraged him to move on. Callum had no intention of doing so. At first, anyway…

The initial spark between Callum and Johnny Carter (Charlie Suff) soon grew into a bigger flame and despite Ben’s dad, Phil Mitchell’s (Steve McFadden) violent warning upon discovering the affair, Callum and Johnny continued to give in to passion.

Though they’ve attempted to keep their romance a secret, following Phil’s intervention, they’re set to be rumbled once again when Ben’s mum, Kathy Beale (Gillian Taylforth) spots them kissing.

Rounding up both the Beales and the Mitchells, the combined forces of Phil, Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt), Billy Mitchell (Perry Fenwick), Honey Mitchell (Emma Barton) and Harvey Monroe (Ross Boatman) confront Callum over his actions.

Explaining how Callum feels in the moment, Tony says: ‘He thinks they shouldn’t be coming after him about Johnny when none of them are perfect! There are very good reasons why Callum has gone off and had an affair with Johnny.’

‘Callum is trying to take control of his life after things have been so out of control for such a long time. Everyone makes mistakes, and Callum feels like he’s being attacked by people who’ve all done wrong themselves. I do think he’s also a bit saddened by it because he doesn’t want things to be this way, especially when he’s about to go to his dad’s funeral.’

All the intervention does is push Callum further toward Johnny, and he ends up inviting him to the funeral as a source of support. Tony said: ‘The confrontation he has with the Mitchells makes Callum realise who has actually been there for him during all of this.

‘Everyone else has taken Ben’s side immediately when they found out Callum had been unfaithful, when he’s been left to raise Lexi and done everything alone for a long time because Ben got himself sent to prison. During that time, Johnny has been there for Callum and checking in on him to make sure he’s alright.

‘Callum has started to think that is how things should be in a relationship, rather than the chaos that surrounds his marriage to Ben. He’ll always love Ben, but at this point in his life, he wants some peace!’

Peace? Sorry, Cal, you live in Walford. With Johnny by his side as Ben stages his long-awaited return, things look set to be anything but peaceful for poor Callum.

On his alter ego’s reaction to his ex-husbands shock appearance, Tony said: ‘Callum is in a state of total shock – he can’t believe it. He’s made a decision about his life and what he’s going to do in terms of the relationship with Johnny and then boom! Ben’s arrival derails his whole plan, and Callum is suddenly thrown into a very different world.

Now it’s not clear if he’s going to do what he’d planned and go for Johnny or if seeing Ben is going to change everything. What I can say is that Ben’s arrival massively messes with his head, and in classic Walford fashion, nothing is simple!’

Though we won’t be revealing where Callum ultimately decides that his heart lies, we do have a little more tea from Tony.

When asked how he feels about the big reunion, he said: ‘It was exciting to have such a big, emotional moment and get to explore their relationship and where it is right now.

Ben and Callum, as a couple, have a lovely, strong following who are very supportive of us, which is lovely. There have been a lot of ups and downs for them as a couple, so it’s going to be really interesting to see what happens next.