![\"Zoe](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/547065-3932.jpg\")
\n\t\tIs he the key to Zoe\u2019s freedom? (Picture: BBC\/Jack Barnes\/Kieron McCarron)<\/p>\n
\t\t
\n\t\tIs he the key to Zoe\u2019s freedom? (Picture: BBC\/Jack Barnes\/Kieron McCarron)<\/p>\n
EastEnders<\/a>\u2019 Zoe Slater<\/a>\u00a0(Michelle Ryan<\/a>) is in a bit of a pickle, isn\u2019t she? <\/p>\n After six months of getting shot<\/a>, dropping nuclear bombs<\/a> on her poor family, desperately trying to locate her long lost child<\/a> and dealing with an insidious stalker<\/a>, Zoe finally discovered both her stalker and her child in one fell swoop<\/a>, while coming face to face with a historic nemesis<\/a>, shortly after a showdown with baby daddy, Anthony Trueman (Nicholas Bailey), that saw him lose his life<\/a>.<\/p>\n Firmly believing that uber-bitch, Chrissie Watts (Tracy-Ann Oberman), the mastermind behind her stalking ordeal delivered the killing blow to Anthony while she lay unconscious, and, desperate to protect newly-found daughter, Jasmine Fisher<\/a>\u00a0(Indeyarna Donaldson-Holness<\/a>) who\u2019d worked alongside Chrissie in orchestrating the stalking from further Chrissie-flavoured wrath, Zoe is currently sat in a prison cell, planning to plead guilty to man slaughter.<\/p>\n Kat Moon<\/a>\u2019s\u00a0(Jessie Wallace<\/a>) desperation to see her daughter free led her to pressure Jasmine into implicating Chrissie to the police but, knowing she couldn\u2019t risk her killer secret being exposed, she decided to flee instead<\/a>.<\/p>\n \t\t \t\t With Jasmine gone and Chrissie like a (incredibly well coiffed) needle in a (devilishly glamorous) haystack, it seems Zoe\u2019s fate is sealed as tightly as the door on her prison cell.<\/p>\n Perhaps not quiet, as another blast from the past is about to rock up, this one a lot more welcome than his former paramour. Jake Moon (Joel Beckett) is back in Walford<\/a>.<\/p>\n Jake\u2019s initial exit saw him presumed dead in a botched gangland revenge mission courtesy of mob boss, Johnny Allen (Billy Murray), though he staged an unexpected return to the show in 2024<\/a> to reunite with long-time love Chrissie, who\u2019d been released from prison after twenty years, with the couple seemingly receiving a happy ending as they drove off, together at last and free of any obstacles.<\/p>\n The last time we saw Chrissie, though, during her 2025 Christmas return, she was actively ignoring Jake\u2019s messages at Christmas, and a solo return to Walford for Mr. Moon doesn\u2019t indicate that the pair managed to last, especially with Chrissie\u2019s quick descent back into evil.<\/p>\n \t\t With Jasmine unreachable, though, will he become the Slater\/Moon\u2019s biggest opportunity to set Zoe free?<\/p>\n Jake was always an anti-hero. He made bad decisions and frequently did stupid things, but, when it mattered, he did the right thing. He even shot his own utterly-crazed brother, Danny (Jake Maskell), as he tried to execute Phil <\/a>and Grant Mitchell<\/a>\u00a0(Steve McFadden<\/a> and (Ross Kemp<\/a>) after murdering Dennis Rickman<\/a>\u00a0(Nigel Harman<\/a>).<\/p>\n He was also fiercely loyal to his family. That family includes Alfie Moon<\/a> (Shane Richie<\/a>). Who\u2019s the husband of Kat. Who\u2019s the mum of Zoe. Do you see where I\u2019m going with this?<\/p>\n \t\t\t\tDon’t miss a Soaps scoop! Add us as a Preferred Source\t\t\t<\/p>\n As a loyal Metro Soaps reader, we want to make sure you never miss our articles when searching for stories. We have all the latest soaps news, spoilers, videos, and interviews, with a vibrant community of highly engaged readers.<\/p>\n Click here<\/a> and tick\u00a0Metro.co.uk\u00a0to ensure you see stories from us first in Google Search.<\/p>\n \t\t The closest thing the Slater\u2019s currently have to a conduit to Chrissie is Jake. Will he sacrifice his (former?) true love for the sake of Alfie\u2019s step daughter?<\/p>\n Can he find Chrissie? Can she help uncover the truth of what really happened on Christmas day?<\/p>\n \t\t Or will his ties to Chrissie prove too strong to break? Chrissie is manipulative beyond the telling of it and, after doing a twenty stretch for coldly murdering her ex, Den Watts (Leslie Grantham), hardened to a degree that would make concrete look malleable.<\/p>\n Even if Jake wanted to enlist Chrissie\u2019s help, would she do so willingly? Probably not, considering her hate for Zoe still burns strong twenty years after their feud began.<\/p>\n Could she manage to get under his skin once more? Sever his loyalty to Alfie and ensure that Zoe is left in prison to rot?<\/p>\n Is Jake the knight in shining armour that Zoe needs? Or just another muppet in tinfoil?<\/p>\n Arrow Arrow Arrow![\"Kat](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/544577-2e45.jpg\")
\n\t\tThe Slater family is in a mess\u2026 (Picture: BBC\/Jack Barns\/Kieron McCarron)<\/p>\n![\"Zoe](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/544580-fc09.jpg\")
\n\t\t\u2026and it seems that there\u2019s no way out for Zoe (Picture: BBC\/Jack Barns\/Kieron McCarron)<\/p>\n![\"Jake](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1769797335_210_SEI_221305498-7020.jpg\")
\n\t\tIs Jake exactly what the Slaters need? (Picture: BBC\/Jack Barnes\/Kieron McCarron)<\/p>\n![\"Soaps](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1769797335_692_SEI_278522320-46a3.jpg\")
\n\t\tNow you can ensure you never miss a story from the Soaps team<\/p>\n![\"Chrissie](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/SEI_278893557-6d1a.jpg\")
\n\t\tWhere will Jake\u2019s loyalties lie? (Picture: BBC)<\/p>\n
\nMORE: There are far too many villains in soap \u2013 the bad guy fatigue is real<\/a><\/p>\n
\nMORE: Patrick spirals as Zoe drops a bombshell about Anthony in EastEnders<\/a><\/p>\n
\nMORE: In pain Patrick furiously confronts Kat over her actions in EastEnders<\/a><\/p>\n