EastEnders spoilers follow.

EastEnders’ Joel Marshall’s bad behaviour is set to escalate next week after he and Tommy Moon get into serious trouble at school – and in a harrowing special episode, he violently lashes out at Vicki Fowler.

The toxic teenager’s disturbing views have been a cause for concern for months, and there could be no coming back from his upcoming antics.

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“Even before Joel came to Walford, he was causing aggro for dad Ross and his partner Vicki,” begins our EastEnders insider, “which was why they had to leave Australia.

‘But prepare yourselves, because Joel’s misogynistic opinions are about to cause absolute havoc…”

Fuelled by online influencers peddling prejudice and misogynistic opinions about women, Joel has developed a grudge against the opposite sex that is getting worse by the day.

ross, vicki fowler, eastenders

BBC

joel, eastenders

BBC

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He has even dragged best mate Tommy into his vicious vendetta against girls, much to the distress of Kat and Alfie – who wish their son would steer clear of creepy Joel.

Ross is at a loss as to how to discipline his son next week, as nothing he does or says seems to work.

When Joel continues to express his shocking views, Ross attempts to teach him a lesson by telling him he’s out of order – only to get a mouthful from the rebellious lad. As Joel storms off, Ross and Vicki remain at a loss as to how to handle things.

tommy moon, joel, eastenders

BBC

ross, eastenders

BBC

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Then on Thursday, 9 October, the storyline will be the sole focus of the episode, when there’s a shocking incident at Walford High – which Joel and Tommy are responsible for.

Word soon spreads among the community about the nature of the event, to the horror of parents and teens alike.

Coming to terms with the consequences of Joel and Tommy’s actions, the families have some difficult conversations about the rise of misogyny in teenagers, the dangers of extreme online content, and the impact it has on behaviour. With emotions running high, events come to a head…

alfie moon, kat slater, eastenders

BBC

sharon watts, vicki fowler, eastenders

BBC

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“Joel is a simmering ball of rage as his parents try to lay down the law,” reveals our source. “Fed up of being told what to do, he becomes violent – and hits horrified Vicki! Has Joel finally gone too far?”

Directly after this special episode, BBC Three will air a documentary titled EastEnders Investigates: The Manosphere. The programme will explore the real-life issues surrounding Joel’s ongoing storyline.

EastEnders airs on Mondays – Thursdays at 7.30pm on BBC One. The show also streams on BBC iPlayer, where most episodes drop early at 6am ahead of their TV broadcast.

Read more EastEnders spoilers on our dedicated homepage.

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