![\"Ned](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/SEI_309366149-e329.jpg\")
\n\t\tThe new faces arrive (Picture: BBC)<\/p>\n
\t\t
\n\t\tThe new faces arrive (Picture: BBC)<\/p>\n
Nicola Mitchell<\/a>\u2019s (Laura Doddington<\/a>) family come hurtling into Walford next week in EastEnders<\/a> \u2013 and they\u2019re ready to cause trouble.<\/p>\n The Hawkins clan are made up of Nicola\u2019s sisters Gemma (Patricia Potter) and Jodie (Anna Constable)<\/a>, mum Rose<\/a> (Marian McLoughlin<\/a>), Gemma\u2019s partner Ned (Jamie Bamber)<\/a> and their son Ryder (Felix Uff).<\/p>\n Previous scenes have allowed viewers to discover that Nicola doesn\u2019t have the best relationship with her family<\/a>.<\/p>\n She\u2019s chosen to keep them at a distance due to their complicated and troubled childhood, which was largely impacted by Rose\u2019s abusive husband.<\/p>\n Nicola doesn\u2019t have a choice but to confront her past<\/a> soon when Gemma and Jodie appear with Ryder. They manage to convince a reluctant Nicola to let them stay but she has one condition \u2013 her mum Rose must stay away.<\/p>\n \t\t Her ultimatum is short lived however, when Ned and Rose rock up.<\/p>\n Refusing to let them stay at her house, Nicola forces Gemma and Ned to find other arrangements, while Harry Mitchell<\/a> (Elijah Holloway<\/a>) offers Ryder and Jodie a place to stay.<\/p>\n Outside, Ned tries to smooth things over with Kat Slater (Jessie Wallace) about the commotion, but he\u2019s soon very surprised to see an old friend\u2026Alfie Moon (Shane Richie).<\/p>\n Keen to help his mate out, Alfie offers Ned and Gemma a place to stay, much to Nicola\u2019s annoyance.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\tAsk Metro<\/p>\n Use AI to go deeper into the stories you care about \u2013 powered by Metro and trusted publications.<\/p>\n They\u2019ve arrived with a bang<\/a>. What will happen next as Nicola tries to adapt to her family being in town?<\/p>\n And will we learn more about how Alfie and Ned became friends?<\/p>\n \t\t Teasing the dynamic between Nicola and Gemma, star Laura Doddington said: \u2018There\u2019s something, isn\u2019t there, once you\u2019re an adult, you know, Nicola made a decision to separate herself from her family and to distance herself for protection or for whatever she has psychologically decided, gives that gives her, it\u2019s a turbulent relationship with her mother, but she loves her sisters. <\/p>\n \u2018What we sort of talked about a lot, me and Tish (Patricia Potter, who plays Gemma Hawkins) was that there\u2019s like this feeling of going back to being children or teenagers. Those different sides.\u2019<\/p>\n On the relationship Nicola has with her mum, Laura added: \u2018I think they\u2019re cut from a similar cloth, Nicola and her mum. It\u2019s one of the reasons they probably don\u2019t get on is because they are quite manipulative women. I think we\u2019ve seen that from Nicola over the last two years. <\/p>\n \u2018She\u2019s a queen manipulator, and she\u2019s learned that somewhere. I would imagine we can see more of that without giving too much away.\u2019<\/p>\n Arrow Arrow Arrow![\"Nicola](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/SEI_307883976-6b33.jpg\")
\n\t\tShe\u2019s in for quite a shock! (Picture: BBC)<\/p>\n![\"Nicola](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/SEI_308912659-2821.jpg\")
\n\t\tNicola doesn\u2019t have the best relationship with her family (Picture: BBC)<\/p>\n
\nMORE: What happens next in EastEnders as Craig is caught out? Spoilers for next week confirmed<\/a><\/p>\n
\nMORE: EastEnders\u2019 Laura Doddington is not ruling out a Nicola and Eve romance<\/a><\/p>\n
\nMORE: All EastEnders spoilers for next week as Priya and Max are \u2018caught out\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n