It’s been an explosive end to the week for the EastEnders residents.
We’ll start with imprisoned Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt), who is facing quite a predicament in his new living quarters. A no-nonsense inmate had targeted him in the recreation room, and Gray Atkins (Toby-Alexander Smith) was forced to defend him.
This left Ian in quite the predicament, given the reason he’s inside is because his drink driving caused life-changing injuries for Gray’s son Jordan Fox (Jahsaiah Williams).
On the outside world, a guilt-ridden Chelsea Fox (Zaraah Abrahams) was trying her hardest to secure Ian’s release. She was partly responsible for the accident, given she’d allowed him to run off into the street. Gray’s grandmother Sheila (Sheila Ruskin) is helping with the appeal, though has an ulterior motive.
He’s manipulating her into gaining him access to Jordan, something which Chelsea has no idea about.
Toby-Alexander Smith as Gray Atkins and Adam Woodyatt as Ian Beale. BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron
After weeks of believing that Sheila was a friend of his mum, Jordan finally discovered that she was actually family. Chelsea believed she was doing the right thing by granting access, though aunt Kim Fox (Tameka Empson) dealt a warning: “Calm waters are where the sharks lurk.”
Back in the prison, Gray proposed to Ian that they team up. They both knew that Chelsea was in the wrong, and if Ian complied with his demands, he would keep him safe.
What will Ian do?
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Meanwhile, Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean) pressed ex-husband Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden) for answers following an off-the-cuff comment made by Elaine Peacock (Harriet Thorpe).
The two had been innocently chatting about Linda Carter’s (Kellie Bright) blossoming relationship with councillor Clive Masters (Jason Durr), when Elaine commented that it was “better than her bedding a Mitchell”.
Of course, as viewers know, while Sharon was holidaying in Florida, Linda had enjoyed a brief fling with her other ex-husband, Grant Mitchell (Ross Kemp).
Kellie Bright as Linda Carter and Ross Kemp as Grant Mitchell in EastEnders. BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron
It’s safe to say that Sharon wasn’t best pleased to hear that her best pal had shacked up with him, and although the showdown between the women could’ve been explosive, Linda explained some of her reasoning behind it.
She said that Grant had been a pillar of support during her troubles with son Johnny (Charlie Suff), and that she’d similarly supported him through Nigel Bates’s (Paul Bradley) death and the arrival of estranged son Mark Fowler (Stephen Aaron-Sipple).
Elsewhere, Nicola Mitchell (Laura Doddington) was stunned to learn that partner George Knight (Colin Salmon) had confessed to allowing his dad Eddie (Christopher Fairbank) to die.
Balvinder Sopal and Heather Peace as Suki and Eve Panesar-Unwin and Laura Doddington as Nicola Mitchell. BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron
He couldn’t have picked a more inappropriate confidante – Eve Panesar-Unwin (Heather Peace). Little did George know, Nicola was blackmailing Eve with CCTV footage of an altercation they had last month.
Although Eve’s wife Suki (Balvinder Sopal) was trying to pay Nicola off, they now had the perfect leverage. Nicola rushed over to the couple’s house and try and make amends, and promised to delete the video for George’s sake.
Is this war finally over?
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