CHILDREN In Need viewers were in hysterics as EastEnders’ Janine Butcher joked about killing husbands on a date with Corrie’s Steve McDonald.
The EastEnders villain, 40, teamed up with the Coronation Street lothario, 47, for an epic First Dates sketch on BBC1’s Children in Need tonight.
Fans couldn’t believe it when Janine, played by actress Charlie Brooks, ended up on a date with Steve, played by Simon Gregson, after the host put them together by accident.
The soap legends took the opportunity to drop in their famous storylines as they got to know each other.
The highlight was when Janine joked about killing her husbands – reminding fans of when she famously pushed her husband Barry off a cliff to his death.
Janine joked: “I’ve had four husbands. I’ve only killed two of them.”
Soap fans took to Twitter to praise the sketch, where Steve also dropped in that he had had 7 wives, causing Janine to almost choke on her vodka tonic.
One wrote: “Simon Gregson and Charlie Brooks are brilliant in this.”
Another said: “Janine with a steak knife! Now I’m worried.
Others were worried about what Steve’s wife Tracey would do if she knew he was on a date with Janine.
A third chimed in: “OMG Steve McDonald somehow accidentally on a date with the actual Janine Butcher. Tracy’s totally gonna kill him lol.”
The jam-packed show that raised millions of pounds for charity saw Ed Sheeran perform his new single to open the show, and the cast of 9-5 musical light up the stage with a number.
Janine returned to EastEnders earlier this year after leaving in 2014.
married first husband Barry for his money, then pushed him off a cliff in Scotland.
Next came a dramatic marriage to a rich elderly Jewish businessman called David, who died of a heart attack at the ceremony.
Janine also tied the knot with Ryan Malloy, who she tried to kill too.
She was unsuccessful but attempted to frame arch-rival Stacey Slater for the crime.
Janine did kill fourth husband Michael Moon but was found not guilty in court — leading to her being shunned by locals.
