The writers at EastEnders have been working overtime to keep us entertained and glued to our sofas whenever the soap airs on BBC One, and this week’s string of episodes are some of their greatest work yet.
Whilst Gray Atkins (Toby-Alexander Smith) does his best to replace his late wife Chantelle Atkins (Jessica Plummer) with Whitney Dean (Shona McGarty), taking her as a plus-one to an event and giving her one of Chantelle’s old dresses to wear, as well as some of her jewellery as a gift, her eyes are firmly focused in another direction.
Though Kush Kazemi (Davood Ghadami) is pretty certain he’ll end up behind bars before too long, due to his impending sentencing, Whitney is also sure in her truth; she wants to spend the rest of her life with him.
Taking matters into her own hands, she proposes to Kush, but exactly what his answer will be is something we’re going to have to wait and hear from the horse’s mouth!
Meanwhile, Stacey Fowler’s (Lacey Turner) eldest child Lily Branning (Lillia Turner) worries about her mother’s future and, after hearing how Honey Mitchell’s (Emma Barton) injury helped bring her family together, she takes drastic action in the hopes that it will do the same for her loved ones.
Later found at the bottom of the stairs knocked out, Stacey realises that an ambulance will have to be called, adding to the stress she’s already feeling because of her impending hearing.
A tense showdown with Martin Fowler (James Bye) later in the week sees Stacey fuming, before saying an emotional goodbye to her family and going to hear her fate.
Elsewhere, Mick Carter (Danny Dyer) faces further turmoil despite trying to build bridges with his daughter Frankie Lewis (Rose Ayling-Ellis), and Frankie herself is distraught when people from her school turn up at the Queen Vic, poking fun at her connection to her paedophile mother.
Though Mick kicks them out of the pub, his insistence that he won’t let his ‘staff’ be treated unfairly rather than his ‘daughter’ leaves her hurt.
Later in the week, Mick's told that other survivors of Katy Lewis’ (Simone Lahbib) abuse have come forward, which leads to a panic attack and his questioning of whether he can take to the stand. Insisting he can't speak in court, could the predatory Katy get away with her crimes?
There are some causes for celebration this week however, as plans for Ben Mitchell (Max Bowden) and Callum Highway’s (Tony Clay) wedding are officially underway. When Kat Slater (Jessie Wallace) hears Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden) asked if he’ll be taking a plus one to the event however, she’s left feeling a little awkward and perhaps, even hopeful…
EastEnders continues Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday this week, on BBC One.
Todd Grimshaw (Gareth Pierce) is left brokenhearted, knowing that he likely doesn’t have a future with Billy Mayhew (Daniel Brocklebank) and so confides in his mother Eileen Grimshaw (Sue Cleaver) about potentially leaving Weatherfield behind all over again, in favour of a job in Bromsgrove.
With Billy back on the market, Paul Foreman (Peter Ash) starts the week out by teasing him about his nights on the town, where he claims to have met somebody he’s grown romantically-attached to. Billy’s left devastated and so, when Eileen corners him and blames him for her son wanting to leave Coronation Street behind, he’s hurt…
Tagged in BBC Eastenders