EastEnders: Tanya’s mother cast

Mitchell to appear as Tanya’s mum

Tanya Branning’s (Jo Joyner) mum arrives in Walford, played by award-winning actress Ann Mitchell

Ann Mitchell is joining the cast of EastEnders as Tanya Branning’s mother Cora Cross.

Cora and Tanya’s sister, drug addict Rainie, take her by surprise when they turn up to her hen night, after her fiancé Greg Jessop unwittingly invites them.

Ann said: “As a lifelong fan of EastEnders, I’m thrilled to join the cast. I am a great fan of June Brown’s and I’m looking forward to sharing some scenes with her.”

Cora is described as brash, sharp-tongued and not afraid of speaking her mind.

She is on a secret mission to rekindle Tanya’s relationship with her sister Rainie (Tanya Franks).

Rainie was last seen in Albert Square enjoying a crack-fuelled fling with Phil Mitchell, but has since got clean and wants to make up for what she did wrong.

Bryan Kirkwood, executive producer of EastEnders said: “I’m very excited to have the much-loved Ann Mitchell joining us.

“Cora Cross is a formidable woman, cut from the same cloth as many glorious Walford women of the past, and Ann Mitchell is just perfect for the role.”

The award-winning actress has had an extensive career in film, television and on the stage, and has even been in EastEnders before, playing Roy Evans’ mistress Jane Williams.

EastEnders won’t change opener

The Olympic Park won’t be added to the EastEnders opening credits

EastEnders bosses have insisted they will not be updating the soap’s opening credits to include the Olympic Park.

Local mayor Sir Robin Wales, whose Newham borough includes the iconic Park, wrote a letter to BBC director-general Mark Thompson proposing the change to the iconic title sequence. The credits were made prior to the Olympic Stadium and its surrounding venues in Stratford being built and features aerial map shots showing East London and the River Thames.

An EastEnders spokeswoman said: “A letter has been received and it will be responded to in due course – but we will not be updating the credits.

“We updated them last year for the 25^th anniversary and for HD. But the Olympics will be referred to in the show and have already been mentioned several times, and that will be ongoing.”

Sir Robin, who sits on the London organising committee for the Games, had asked the soap’s chiefs to “update the iconic EastEnders title sequence to include the transformation already underway in London’s East End” in his letter.

He wrote: “I would ask that you intervene to ensure that as the Olympic broadcaster of the 2012 London Olympics, the BBC helps to support our regeneration efforts as we look to ensure they inspire people in Newham, across London and beyond. I trust therefore that you will help ensure that the Olympic Stadium and other iconic symbols of East End regeneration are put firmly – and rightly – on the map.”

The EastEnders credits were amended in 1999 to include the Millennium Dome, now re-named the 02 Arena, and underwent a makeover in 2009 to include a three-dimensional coloured map and a tweaked theme tune.