Maurice wakes up to find that Sorcha isn’t there. He leaps out of bed and throws on his dressing gown to see if she’s elsewhere in the flat. She isn’t but she hasn’t taken her things so he’s hopeful that she’ll be back. He begins to whistle as he takes out the pancake mix. Elsewhere, Sorcha walks into the graveyard wheeling Eddy in front of her.

Gary is round the pub first thing to tell his mum the good news. He doesn’t get an opportunity to though as a flustered Carol tells him that she’s scattering Emily’s ashes and visiting dullagj. She invites him to accompany her as Janine looks on in disdain. Carol turns around to her, ‘Don’t you worry, I’ll be gone by the end of the day.’

Los swans off on his secret mission, determined to get results as Dan packs his things before texting Lotty to call round later. Lauren prepares to move back in with her dad as Abi calls a family meeting in a bid to sort out her family. DS Wilder is on the Square but what does she want? Ronnie hides her sleeping bag as the gym opens and Dean asks Roxy to move in with him.

Vaslav catches Sharon on her way to [I[Angie’s Den[/i]. Gavin watches them converse from the window as Cora sees if Lauren needs any help moving her things. Vaslav struggles for breath as he blurts out that Carol Hanley isn’t the woman that gave birth to her and he has proof. Sharon struggles to make sense of what he is saying but she gets the gist of it and gives him short shrift. Gavin makes a phone call with a sinister look on his face as Cora is upset to discover she’s hasn’t been summoned to the Branning’s family meeting.

J-B sits in the Laundrette watching the clothes going round and round. Dot senses that he’s down and makes him a brew. Dot quips that he’ll strain his eyes if he stares at them for too long. J-B replies that he’s going blind anyway. Dot is bemused before he explains himself. Dot soon launches into one of her soliloquys, ‘We all see things differently. There are so many ways to see. Sometimes we miss what’s staring us right in the face. I believe the blind can see far greater than any of us. They are are not distracted by the material things in life and can see what truly matters.’ J-B thanks her before grabbing his washing and rushing out.

Sorcha sits at TK’s grave telling Eddy a story about his dad. She hears TK’s voice and turns around.

Carol and Gary wait for the ‘Guvnor’ at Lambeth Pier. Gary states that it would have been cheaper to do it tomorrow but Carol is silent as she stares outwards wistfully. Kim texts him to see if he’s told his mum yet as Denise gushes at the thought to being an auntie, ‘Let’s face it. Daphne wouldn’t want to risk losing her figure.’ Kim squeals that she isn’t going to lose her figure.

Kitty arrives at The Vic looking for her sister but Janine informs her that she’s out all day. Gavin revels in watching his games play out. He takes out a picture of Sharon from his wallet and kisses it. Cora startles him from behind as she asks if he wants a glass as she breaks open the brandy. Over at The Brannings, Abi waits for Max to finish in the toilet before commencing the meeting.

Lotty is gobsmacked when Dan tells her he’s leaving Walford….today! At the Mitchells, Sharon arrives back with some groceries for dinner, ‘I’ve invited Ian, Ben and Bobby for Sunday dinner. I bumped into Denise and she said we’re going to be aunties so I invited Gary and Kim as well.’ Phil grunts that he doesn’t care as long as Ronnie doesn’t show her face. Roxy states she can’t make it and that she’s moving in with Dean.

Sorcha stares tearfully at TK, ‘I’m at a loss. I’m lost. I wish you back so much… so much that it hurts. My next birthday, I’ll be older than you were when you passed. It’s not right. It’s not fair.’ TK urges her to move on with her life, she can find happiness with Maurice ‘He’ll treat you right…like you deserve to be treated. Follow your heart and stop being so hard on yourself.’ Sorcha cries that every time she tries to move on, she gets knocked back ‘I don’t know how much longer I can keep getting back up.’ Sorcha picks up Eddy’s dropped dummy and rubs it. When she turns around, it’s Maurice standing there. Sorcha grips him tightly, ‘You’re the one person who has never given up on me. You’re always by my side through thick and thin.’ Maurice kisses her and she reciprocates.

Abi chairs the Branning meeting. She begins by telling her father that she and Lauren have organised for him to attend a special sex clinic. Max is dumbstruck but he breaks down as he admits that he’s addicted to sex. Abi weeps that too many women have been hurt in the process, ‘Enough is enough.’ Lauren nods ashamedly in agreement as Abi leaves the room and makes her way to the gym. She greets Ronnie in her office before issuing her with a stern warning, ‘If you go near my dad again, I’ll batter ya.’ Ronnie stares at her coldly until she exits.

Carol is taken aback by the sight of a broken dullagj. He is standoffish with her as she tries to reach out to him. ‘You’re dead to me. You think locking me up here will help?....the only person I want to see is Janine!’ Carol watches tearfully as he walks away from her. Back on the Square, Gavin unnerves Vaslav when he advises him to keep his nose out of matters that don’t concern him in an intimidating manner.

Over at the Mitchells, Gary and Kim arrive fashionably late. Phil tells Ben that he’d like him to move back in but Ben states that his brother needs him. Ian compliments Sharon’s cooking as Bobby spits it out. Kim breaks the awkward silence by asking Ben if he’s been at any musicals lately…Sharon congratulates the pair and raises a toast. Gary helps with the washing up and soon clashes with his sister, ‘Just remember that anything mum does, she does to protect you. She has her reasons.’


Dan tells Lotty that he’s got a new job on a Trollbusting network, ‘They’ve a massive troll they’re trying to stop, ‘eTwit’ and I was recommended to them. Don’t worry, I won’t kill them this time.’ Lotty grips him tightly, tears streaming down her face. Dan asks her to let go of him or he’ll start ‘1 word. Skype….I just want to take one last walk around Walford before I leave.’ He runs into DS Wilder whose skulking in the shadows. Dan states that she’ll be glad to learn that he’s leaving Walford but she laughs that she’s got bigger fish to fry, ‘The White Haired Man is in Walford. We’ve been following his movements for years waiting for him to slip up.’

Carol Hanley arrives back to Walford exhausted and begins to pack her things. The other Carol tries to convince Janine to change her mind. David and Mick call for a female hand behind the bar and Janine leaves. Carol Jackson states outright that her days of being a nanny and a skivvy are over. ‘Mine too’ Ms. Hanley smiles, ‘I’m done putting myself last for my kids only to have it thrown back in my face. I’m putting myself first for once!’ As she zips up her case, she’s startled to see Kitty in the doorway, ‘Gavin said you were in trouble.’ Carol H. asks how she’s in contact with him…..’You told him where I was, didn’t you? You b!tch.’ Carol rushes out of the pub and drops her suitcase on the ground. Bursting at the seams, the zip breaks and it bursts open. She looks up and sees Dan. Kitty retreats back inside having followed her. She asks David for a large one as Janine spits that it won’t be the first time she’s aired her dirty laundry in public.

[Loved Me Back To Life] plays in the background.

J-B tells Harlowe that he’s going to enjoy every day as it comes and he hopes she’ll join him, Shirley thanks Dean for helping her get her life back on track and states that she’ll never abandon him again, IanMandy tells Cindy that they may not have much but this is the happiest that he has ever been, Scrabbler scribbles his recommendations down as he sits in his poorly lit office determined to go out on a massive high, Paula massage’s Mo mouse’s back, Los presents Vald with one of her son’s addresses and hands Toni the keys to their new flat, Priscilla, Mona and Sez watch Roxy move her stuff into Dean’s, a smartly dressed MrJames moves into Lauren’s flat and looks out onto the Square, what is he letting himself in for? Sorcha and Maurice snuggle up on the sofa to watch Homeland, Jay and Abi enjoy some peace and quiet and Phil smiles at an old picture of himself and Sharon.

Dan attempts to help Carol H. but she asks him to leave her alone. He tells her that she doesn’t need to leave Walford, he is. She snipes back that it’s nothing to do with him. Sharon follows Gary to the pub. Gavin and Cora are also en route, Gavin ushers the half-cut lush inside and seizes his opportunity with Carol. Carol jumps which makes Dan jump. Carol cries that she wishes everyone would just leave her alone. Gavin slyly smiles that she didn’t think she could hide from him forever, did she? ‘You’re going nowhere!’ Vaslav is sitting on his lonesome in the Square Gardens eagerly watching proceedings. DS Wilder calls Gary over to her car as Sharon goes to help her birth mother. Janine and Kitty emerge as Carol collapses. Sharon screams for them to ring an ambulance as DS Wilder adds that Gavin is the man who ordered TK Mazin’s murder. A floored Gary looks over as Gavin puts his arm around Sharon in a comforting manner, ‘Ello Sharon.’ Sharon looks at him in utter bewilderment.

4 months later
The 30th anniversary celebrations for EastEnders are well underway in The Vic as Scrabbler prepares for his Live swansong to air. A round of applause rings around the pub as the credits roll. TheRedHood, CherryRose, O…O, Keyser, Skye, Angie Princess, Vaslav, Janine, Tracey, Sez, Priscilla and Mona all watch on. Scrabbler takes great pride in introducing the new producers of the show….Daniel Kilkelly and Kris Green and toasts to the next 30 years!

Duff duff: The screen fades to black

Thanks to everyone who has read and commented. I've thoroughly enjoyed writing it! #EndofanEra

Round of applause Mr D! Now go write a submission to the EE writing room. If Rory wotsit can do it you deffo can!

**bows awkwardly**

Thank you!

New sting trailer: ‘Way Down We Go’ Kaleo

**flashes of Dan, Gavin, Sorcha, Vaslav, Vald, Janine, Maurice, Scrabbler, Gary, Carol Hanley, Sharon**

DS ENDERS is back Monday 13th June 2016 and the aim of the series is to tie up many of the loose ends.

Excited? You should be!

Gavin sits silently at the kitchen table. Cora enters the room nursing a nasty headache. She throws some dissolvable tablets into a glass of water and downs it in one. She searches around for her shades but fails to locate them. She turns on her heels and looks at Gavin. Gavin tells her to stick on the kettle as he enquires about how much she remembers about last night. ‘What have you done to the Hanleys?’ she spits. Gavin throws a wad of cash on the table and tells her to stop asking questions.


Police cordon off a crime scene on Spring Lane. DS Wilder is informed that a lifeless body has been recovered from an alleyway and forensics are certain that they were killed. Under pressure, she downs her instant coffee and gets to work. She is even more surprised when she recognises the person in question.


Scrabbler is enthusiastically waving his hands around as he chairs a meeting on the 30th anniversary. Becoming more and more animated, Angie is on standby with a fan in case he collapses with the excitement. ‘Just as we blow open the show’s biggest ever secret and kill off Nick Cotton, we begin a massive new story to hook in all these viewers tuning in for the live. The mystery of Bobby Beale. What has happened to Bobby? Is he alive or dead? It’s a community based story that will grip the nation and ensure we are firing on all cylinders as we enter our 30th year.’ Scrabbler sits down to take a breath, his heart pumping in his chest as he scans the room to gauge the reaction.


Sharon and Phil sit at the breakfast table with Jay and Denny. Jay leaves to open the Arches and states that he’s meeting Abi after work. Denny makes his way over to Ian’s. Sharon sees him on his way, reminding him to be polite to Ian and Bobby. Sharon rakes over last night, ‘I don’t know if I should go to the hospital? Show my face. Gary texted that she’ll be fine but...’ Phil stops her in her tracks and advises her to wait until she gets home. ‘She doesn’t have a home Phil. Oh it’s such a mess.’ Phil tells her that he’s going over to The Arches to check the books and reward the boys for keeping the business going in his absence, ‘I’m still worried about Jay.’ Sharon smiles and kisses him on the cheek as she makes a start on the dishes.


Gary sits by his mum’s beside in the hospital. As she wakes up, she smiles as she sees that he has stayed there all night. He tells her that she should get home today but she needs to take it easy, ‘You’re overdoing it. You need all the rest you can get now, especially with a grandchild on the way…’ She looks at him wondering if she’s misheard him or if she’s forgotten some important detail amid all of yesterday’s hullabaloo. ‘You mean?’ she stutters as she gathers her thoughts. ‘Yes mum. Kim’s having a baby. This family is long overdue some happiness!’ A tear trickles down her cheek as a smile breaks across her face. Gary hugs her tightly and kisses her on the forehead.


Also tonight, Los and Toni settle into their new flat. Under pressure J-B bumps into 0…0’s stall and gives her a piece of his mind. MrJames hops on the Tube for work and Cindy asks Ian for work at the restaurant.


Gavin and Cora stare at each other across the table, a wad of cash in between them. ‘I ain’t going to be no one’s gangster’s moll. Ya hear me?’ Cora sternly states as she wonders what she’s let herself in for. Gavin smirks, ‘Cora, darling. Hear me out before you start throwing accusations. Do you want to live in a grubby bedsit getting by on a paltry pension? Do you? Is that how you want to end your days? You have had a hard life. I can see that. I’m giving you the chance to see out your days in luxury. You can have whatever you want. Anything. Just name it.’ Cora gives him a perplexed look. ‘Where’s it coming from Gavin? I don’t want your blood money!’ Gavin laughs, ‘I grew up with nothing. I didn’t have a shoe to put on my feet. Knocked up a girl in my teens and thought f**k it, I’m not gonna end up like my old man. So I took the only way out and turned to crime. I’ve done things I ain’t proud of. Who hasn’t? But crime pays **looks at cash** and I’m the one who calls the shots now. Do you want to make a go of this or not? Your faghag can stay, for now.’ Cora reiterates that she wants to know why the Hanleys detest him.


Dan wanders back into Walford and sits down on the Swings of Sorrow. Ben is closing up The Arches and notices him sitting on his lonesome, the weight of the world on his shoulders. Ben sits on the other swing, Dan remains staring at the ground. Ben tries to get him to open up to him, ‘I know what it’s like to be the pariah of the community. The gay convicted murderer.’ Dan lifts his head and looks at Ben, ‘I’ve lost control. You did your time. I didn’t. My husband is in jail because of me. He wants me to move on with my life but I can’t. I tried. I really tried but……..’ Ben puts a comforting arm around his shoulder, ‘It still haunts me, what I did to Hev. A moment of madness and I’ll have to live with it for the rest of my life but you have to get on with your life, keep living. What other choice do you have?’ Dan takes the conversation off on a tangent, ‘When you were getting away with it? Did you get a thrill? I got away with killing Emily and it felt so good. They know I did it but they can’t pin it on me. I saw that b!tch on the Square yesterday, already conceded defeat and moved onto her next crime. She shouldn’t have underestimated me. I’ll never be caught. I’m too clever for them. I don’t sleep. Look at my eyes. LOOK AT THEM.’ Ben laughs at him but goes along with it. Dan plants a kiss on his lips as Ben leads him back to Ian’s.


Gavin takes out a photo of Sharon and shows it to Cora. ‘That’s my daughter’ he smiles, ‘the daughter I never got to see grow up. I knocked Carol up, she was only a kid herself and she put it up for adoption. Anyway, the bloke kept in contact with Carol for the first while until Carol had a family of her own and erased that part of her history. It was only when we met years later, after her husband’s death and rekindled our youth that she gave me this picture and told me how she’d shown up at her door wanting to get to know her and it didn’t work out. Then, her sister Kitty told me that she was in Walford playing happy families and I thought, well if it ain’t too late for her………..I’ve never had another kid. Came close but Sharon’s my only one. If I don’t try now then, it may be too late. This might be my last chance to get to know my daughter. You know how that feels, don’t you Cora? Didn’t you want to get to know Ava? Your own flesh and blood.’ There’s a knock on the door. Cora pulls back the blind and tells Gavin he’s got visitors in a nonchalant manner.


Gary and his mum get out of the Turpin taxi. He tells her that Janine has agreed to let her recuperate at The Vic. Carol smiles but is still weak on her feet. Gary tells her that she needs to eat to get her energy levels up. Carol looks over at Cora’s with a worried look on her face. Gary helps her up the stairs and stays until she’s comfortable in her bed. He thanks Janine with a kiss on the cheek.


Vaslav is deciding which red wine to buy at the Minute Mart following a long day at EEHQ and asks Denise’s opinion. As he heads home, he sees a police car outside. He rushes over. DS Wilder is at the door enquiring about Vaslav. Cora tells her that he’s not home yet. Vaslav gathers his breath as DS Wilder asks him if he can come down the station with her. Vaslav is bemused and wonders if something has happened Bomani. He demands to know what it’s about as he doesn’t want to waste another breath on that homophobe. DS Wilder leads him down the steps before informing him that his ex-boyfriend, Seb, was murdered on Spring Lane last night and they need to talk to him as part of the murder investigation.

DUFF DUFF: Vaslav falls onto the step, dropping his bottle of red wine. He lands on his bottom but remains open-mouthed.

The next episode will be posted on Wednesday.

Vaslav is irate having been held overnight for questioning. His solicitor, RedHood, enters and brings him to the interview room. DS Wilder enters a few seconds later and begins to interrogate him on his whereabouts on Sunday night. Back on the Square, news of Seb’s murder spreads around the market like wildfire. The market traders are visibly shocked as they converse with each other and get set up for another busy day with Spring Lane still closed. Denise can’t take her eyes off the front page as she takes the papers into the shop. Across the Square, Skye turns on the news and is startled by the main headline ‘East End murder – Local market inspector bludgeoned to death in market alley.’ Skye rushes over to EEHQ, taking a shortcut down the side of the Masood’s house. She bumps into Angie at the door who informs her that Scrabbler doesn’t know, ‘He’s had his head buried in scripts in the office. We can’t tell him- It could put the 30th anniversary in jeopardy if he gets ill. He’ll blame himself, like he always does.’ Skye exclaims that it’s better coming from them and brushes past Angie.


Dan wakes up next to Ben. He turns his head towards the bedside table and floor and sees the empty wine bottle and beer cans. He reaches for his phone on the floor but it has run out of battery. Ben stretches beside him, looking pleased with himself. Ben asks if he uses dating apps, ‘they’re popular around here. People love swiping things especially your boyfriends.’ Ben states that he’s got to go to work but they can hook up later. Dan nods, ‘I’d like that’ and grabs his trousers and top off the floor. Ian isn’t too pleased when he sees the pair of them walking down the stairs and averts Bobby’s eyes.

Dot remarks that Gary’s grinning like a cheshire cat. Gary pops the bread in the toaster as Dot places a pot of tea on the table. Gary tells her about his mum getting home last night and how he told her about Kim’s pregnancy. Dot tries to appear pleased for him but she unburdens her own worries, ‘I guess you’ll be moving in with Kim now with the baby coming. I’ll be alone again. Sharon and Ian pop in but they’ve got businesses to run. MyNick may as well be dead, he only shows up when he wants something. The Brannings haven’t had much to do with me since Jim went into the home and everyone else has died or moved away. Tell your mum she’s welcome to stay here, better than pottering around the ‘ouse on my own. I was good friends with Sharon’s mum, Angie, before she moved to America. I still wear that coat she gave me. Keep it for good wear mind.’ Gary assures Dot that he’s going nowhere. Dot smiles and tells him that she is going to knit something in a neutral colour for the baby.

Vald sits on Arthur’s bench in the Square Gardens holding the address that Los gave her. She watches the world go by in a pensive mood. Shirley is outside for a fag and walks towards her. Vald opens up about Los giving her her son’s address, ‘I don’t know what to do Shirley. What if he doesn’t want me to know?’ Shirley is sympathetic to her case and speaks of how reconnecting with Dean is the best thing that she’s ever done, ‘Wouldn’t it be worth it if you could even have a tiny part in his life.’


Also tonight, Mona refuses to leave the house for fear of being murdered. Ronnie watches jealously as Roxy and Dean smooch in the salon. Kim tells Patrick that she feels neglected. IanMandy searches for work but to no avail as Paula tells Mo to get off his backside and find a job.

Ben is called home on his lunch by Ian. His brother berates him for parading his latest conquest in front of Bobby. Ben lets rip at his brother, ‘Is it any wonder Denise left you? Peter’s moved out. Lucy’s moved out. Cindy’s moved out. Ever asked yourself why?’ Ian states that he doesn’t want Ben taking murderers into the house before backtracking. ‘What? Like me?’ Ben cries, ‘Or have you conveniently erased that little fact from your mind?’ Ian adds that he is civil with Dan, ‘I speak to him if he enters the café but I don’t want him staying under my roof. He’s dangerous and I don’t trust him.’ Ben storms out of the house as Ian is left standing in frustration.


Vaslav tells DS Wilder that he was in the [I[Square Gardens[/i] for a time but then, he returned home. Back on the Square, Skye enters Scrabbler’s office cautiously. Angie watches on. Scrabbler is facing the window and turns around in his swivel chair with the Walford Gazette in his hands. He throws the paper on the desk and looks at Skye. Skye asks if he’s ok. Scrabbler puts on a brave face but when she exits, he puts his hands over his face and weeps.

Ian calls round to Phil, hoping that he will be able to get through to Ben. Phil isn’t happy with the company his son is keeping and promises to have a word with him, ‘This is why I didn’t want him to be gay. He’s vulnerable…….I’ll get rid of that Dan myself if I have to.’ Ian finds himself agreeing with his nemesis, ‘His husband is in jail for a murder he committed. He’s bad news.’


Max is outside the car lot and sees Sorcha posting a brown envelope with Eddy. He walks over and makes small talk. He speaks of how awful Seb’s murder is. Sorcha states that it brings back some painful memories. Max adds that he’s going to get professional help, ‘I can’t go on living like this. It’s not healthy.’ Sorcha wishes him the best, ‘I’m just calling into Cilla’s for a cuppa. I’ll see you around.’ Max adds that she left one of her Westlife CD’s behind, ‘Number five keeps skipping.’ Sorcha snorts as she wheels the pram in the other direction before composing herself.

Gary is in The Vic kitchen talking to Janine. He warns her that Gavin is bad news, ‘It’s his fault she’s got into a fluster and ended up in hospital. He got dullag hooked on heroin. He’s poison. Poison.’ He rejects another call from Kim. Upon leaving, he kisses Janine’s forehead tentatively ‘Thanks for listening.’ Sharon enters the bar and asks David if Carol is in. ‘Which one?’ David laughs, ‘Your birth mother is upstairs. The Queen of Sheba is waiting on her hand and foot. Of all the places she could have ended up. Only in Walford, eh?’ ‘A bit like Bianca’ Sharon retorts as she heads upstairs. David watches her until she is out of sight. Upstairs, Carol Hanley is delighted to see her daughter and thanks her for calling round.

Ben ignores Phil’s calls. When he meets up with Dan after work, he realises that he has nowhere to stay and wonders if he’s being used. Ben states that Ian doesn’t want him staying in the house. Dan turns his attentions to Lotty and surprises her outside the surgery. ‘What are you doing here Daniel? I thought you’d be trollbusting by now? ‘ Dan states that he couldn’t leave Walford and asks a favour, ‘Any room at yours?’ Lotty opens the car door for him.

Vaslav is released by the police. He is tearful as he enters Walford. Scrabbler is locking up EEHQ and their eyes meet. Vaslav runs over and breaks down on his shoulder. Scrabbler puts a comforting arm around him. ‘They treated me like a criminal. I deliver killer putdowns not killer blows. Smh….do you fancy heading to Soho?’ Vaslav cries. Scrabbler states that he’s having a chinese with Skye and Angie if he wants to join them. Vaslav smiles and walks home with him. They’re stopped by a young man who asks if they know which house Ben Mitchell lives in. They point him in the right direction. Ben opens the door and is taken aback. ‘Hi Ben’ smirks Aaron Silver.

Ben steals the DUFF DUFF.

The next episode will be posted on Friday. As the market traders plan a candlelight vigil for Seb, is the killer amongst them?

Cora is worried about Vaslav and texts him. Gavin ponders aloud if he could be capable of murder. Cora states the he’s a ‘harmless, deeply hyper sensitive young man who needs a bit of TLC, not a murderer.’ Gavin smiles as Cora touches up her make-up, ‘All dressed up with nowhere to go, eh?’ Cora gleefully informs him that she has a shift in the Laundrette, ‘I won’t be living off your handouts.’ Gavin stares out onto the Square. ‘You need to get on with your business and stop faffing about. It ain’t going to get any easier you know’ Cora utters. Across the Square, Vaslav thanks Scrabbler for helping to take his mind off the Seb nightmare. Skye enters and shows them the MatesGate photos of the memorial that has begun to form on the market.

Kim digs into a tub of ice-cream for breakfast. Denise looks at her. Kim moans that she can’t help what she’s craving, ‘I wish Gary was craving me. He spends more time with Dorothy.’ Denise riles her up, ‘Maybe he’s a friend of Dorothy’s?’ Kim gasps, ‘Oh no! Dee, it’s been staring in me in the face this whole time! What do you get if you take the ‘r’ out of Gary?....Exactly. Who uses their third name anyway? What’s wrong with Chris or Mark?’ Denise tries not to laugh as she heads off to work.

Priscilla and Sez organise a girl’s day out to try and get Mona to leave the house. Mona is reluctant to move a muscle. Priscilla states that they can’t let the killer win and they need to pay their respects to Seb. Mona cries, ‘I’m not even safe here. If you two go out, I’m locking my bedroom door. I haven’t slept a wink since that junkie broke in.’ Sez lends Mona a sympathetic ear as she puts her arm around her shoulder. Mona becomes agitated and launches a tirade of expletives at them. Priscilla exclaims that she was just trying to help.

Ben apologises to Ian for his recent behaviour. Ian is touched and tells him that he was just looking out for him. Ben texts Aaron, ‘Have to go to work. Meet up at the weekend?’ He looks anxious as he exits the Beale’s house. He deletes the ten missed calls from his logs and looks down at the growing floral tribute to Seb on the market. He greets Sharon who is buying fruit on the market. She reminds Peter to visit his dad now and again, ‘Don’t be a stranger to him. He likes to see you.’ The market traders discuss how they can remember Seb. Kat lays a wreath from the market traders, ‘All I ever did was give you grief. Rest in peace Sebastien.’

Also tonight, Phil offers Ronnie money to leave Walford. Kenkennedykenne is appalled by the bad grammar of the written tributes to Seb. Mike Oxgood strides down the market with a folder in his arm, takes out a pressed red rose and lies it at the memorial. Janine is delighted to receive a postcard from Clare in Australia.

Ian has a proposition for IanMandy and calls him to the restaurant. IanMandy is hesitant to enter and assumes it will be regarding the Cindy situation. Ian gives him a warm welcome which makes him even more suspicious. IanMandy sits down and Ian gets straight to the point, ‘I want you to run the chippie for me. It’s been suffering losses since the Chinese opened. I ignored it with Mcklunkeys and I can’t afford to do it again. I think…I know you can turn it around. I’m giving you six months to increase profits starting next Monday.’ IanMandy shakes his hand and accepts it without a second thought. He maintains his composure but cannot help but leap for joy upon exiting the restaurant. He looks over at Beale’s Plaice pensively.

Toni and Los are still finding their feet in their new flat. ‘I didn’t realise….appreciate how much Val did for us’ Los sighs. ‘It’ll feel more like our own place when we finish decorating. You’ve spent too long on the streets.’ Toni states in an upbeat manner. Los looks at her in disbelief. On the market, J-B and 0…0 are disagreeing over how to celebrate Seb’s memory and hold a vote among the traders. 0…0 takes it upon herself to address them and calls for everyone’s attention. ‘We’ll be having a candlelight vigil tomorrow evening at 8pm sharp, here on the market. Sister Kathleen Slater will distribute candles.’ She’s interrupted by the police officers who want to get an idea of how Seb was perceived by everyone and any disagreements he may have had whilst working on the market. Kat hides her knock-off gear hurriedly. DS Wilder takes a detour to Scrabbler’s office and asks him to come down the station. He looks at the piles of paperwork on his desk, ‘You’re a Corrie fan, aren’t you?’


Gary and Janine have another late night chat as Carol H. dozes off to sleep. Janine states that it’s exhausting running a pub and cracks open a bottle of wine. ‘It’s lonely up here’ Janine remarks as she sips from the wine glass. Janine adds that Gavin has been sniffing around the bar, asking questions. Gary divulges to a gobsmacked Janine that Gavin is Sharon’s father and she hasn’t joined the dots yet, ‘That’s not all. DS Wilder told me he ordered the murder of TK Mazin………she’s asked me to help her bring him down. I agreed. But I’m regretting it now. It’s stressing me out. When I stalked Scrabbler, I went too far and almost ended up in jail. I can’t afford to do that with a baby on the way and mum needs me.’ Janine is floored by his revelations and states that she’ll help him in whatever way she can.

Vaslav returns to a concerned Cora. Cora tells him that he could have called or texted to let her know he was ok. Vaslav apologises, ‘I had to take my mind off it. I met some mates for a pizza.’ Gavin snaps at him to drop the act. Vaslav retaliates back at him, ‘I don’t f**king understand what I’ve done to upset you. What is it? I don’t know what I’ve done.’ As tempers flare between them, Cora separates them and asks Gavin to give them some space. Gavin dusts himself down and heads outside. Cora calms Vaslav down. ‘Sorry Cora. I hate people getting involved in things that have nothing to do with them’ he whines. Cora sternly states that he’s not the only one with problems and he can’t take it out on those around him.

IanMandy is ecstatic as he announces his new job to Cindy. Cindy can’t quite believe her ears and hugs him tightly. IanMandy smiles that this is his chance to prove himself and put all the bad things he has had to endure to bed once and for all, ‘I’ve got big plans. Student/kiddie deals, Fish Fridays, MatesGate competitions. That’s just for starters. That fish stall will out of business by Christmas.’ He asks Cindy to help design some fliers and posters. He scribbles down some ideas of his own and looks gleefully at his plans.

[CLOSING MONTAGE]

Mona shakes as Sez enters with a hot water bottle for her, ‘I can’t move Sezzy. I can’t physically move.’ Kim tells Patrick that she’s going to issue Gary with an ultimatum. Scrabbler is anxious as he has no alibi for the night of the murder. Toni lies alone in bed, tears streaming down her face. Gavin makes a phone call outside Cora’s with a menacing look on his face before re-entering the house. He tells Cora that he wants her to help him con Janine out of her fortune, ‘Help me and we can spend the rest of our lives in luxury abroad. There’s nothing for us around here. I can’t be a father. Sharon doesn’t need me. She’s better off without me. Will you help me?’

Cora steals the duff duff.

The next episode will be posted tomorrow. There’s a storm coming….

Janine makes Carol Hanley some breakfast. Carol hobbles into the kitchen, ‘I’ve never felt so old. My body ain’t what it used to be.’ Janine tells her to pace herself, ‘If you’re found at the bottom of those stairs, they’ll hold me responsible.’ Carol laughs but Janine is deadly serious. Janine goes downstairs and asks David what time the vigil is commencing at, ‘We need to make sure they all come in here afterwards.’ David states that he’s going out to grab some breakfast and will find out. Janine gives him an innocent look as she reminds him that a barrel needs changing.

J-B complains to Harlowe about 0…0 taking over the vigil arrangements. J-B adds that he didn’t want it to be held at night because of his poor vision, ‘I’m not going to give her the satisfaction. I’ll be there. Even if it’s the death of me!’ Harlowe consoles him and insists that she’ll be holding his hand every step of the way, ‘How else do you think I’m going to walk in these heels?’ J-B smiles lovingly at her. Over at the market, gobby Tracey tells 0…0 to keep the Walford lot separated from the Spring Laners or it’ll be anarchy.

Mona looks out her top window. She frets about the amount of people she doesn’t recognise who are wandering around the Square. She sees Ben and points, ‘murderer.’ She sees Dan and points, ‘murderer.’ Then, she sees Stacey and cries, ‘for god’s sake.’ A hooded figure then walks through the gardens and she watches anxiously as he acts suspiciously. She begins to shake and jumps as Priscilla and Sez leave the house. She rushes over and locks her bedroom door. In distress, she holds her head and weeps as she looks swiftly in every direction of the room.

Kim smiles through gritted teeth as she greets Janine on the Square. Janine shows Kim her new designer handbag that she bought on the high street the other day. Kim feigns interest as Janine tells her that it cost a grand. Gavin is listening in as he shows interest in the fruit stall. Kim enquires about Gary’s mum, adding that it feels like she never sees him these days. Janine states that she’s on the mend. Janine is forced to move on as Scarlett becomes restless. Gavin follows Janine as Kim heads to the Laundrette. Dot can sense that Kim’s troubled and sticks on the kettle. Kim asks if she thinks he’s gone off her now she’s pregnant, ‘I’m starting to think he doesn’t even want this baby. Has he said anything to you Dot? He opens up to you.’ Dot smiles and reassures her, ‘He’s been a busy lad lately what with his mum collapsing and everything. You can tell a lot by the way a man treats his mother. Open up to him. Tell him how you feel!’ Over at the park, Gavin ‘bumps’ into Janine and sweet talks her but she plays him at his own game.

Dan lurks in the Square but he’s seen by Gary. Gary is unnerved to see that he hasn’t left Walford after all and confronts him. ‘What do you think you’re playing at? Hanging around here like a bad smell. You’re not welcome around here’ Gary spits. Dan revels in the attention and states that his job fell through, ‘I had nowhere else to go.’ He notices the newspaper in his hand with jobs circled, ‘You know how that feels, right?’ Dan adds. Gary seethes as Dan waltzes off. Gary enters the pub through the cellar and reveals that Emily’s killer is still roaming around Walford to his mum. Carol’s more worried about the fact that Gavin is still in the area but Gary states that he’s dealing with that problem. Carol sternly tells him not to engage in any vigilante justice, ‘Look where it got you last time….I don’t want you being banged up in a cell next to your brother. Sometimes the best way to rile your enemies up is to treat them with kindness. Don’t let them see that they’re getting under your skin. They’ll get what’s coming to them…..eventually.’ Gary changes the subject slightly, ‘Mum, you have to tell Sharon about Gavin. If she finds out he’s her birth dad from someone else…..she’ll never forgive you…..you owe it to her……I know he’s a barsteward but she has a right to know.’ Carol frets that he’ll hurt her, ‘That man cares about nobody but himself. Sharon has had enough hurt in her life to last her lifetime.’

Back at the park, Gavin encourages Janine not to be duped by the Hanleys, ‘I bet them paupers have told you what a bad man I am. Take everything they say with a pinch of salt. There’s a reason they’ve got so friendly with you. Nothing to do with your money. Of course. Sleep with one eye open. Carol likes to play the victim but she’ll stab you in the back when you least expect it.’ Gavin leaves Janine with his words ringing in her ears. On the Square, mona anxiously awaits the return of her housemates. She jumps at every sound followed by a tirade of expletives. She looks at her Shirley posters before tearing them down in anger and falling to the floor in a heap, sobbing uncontrollably.

[Daylight fades and the market traders close up early.]

A sea of candles light up the market as everyone gathers at the floral memorial for the candlelight vigil for Seb. Priscilla and Sez worry for Mona as she proclaims that the killer will be in attendance to claim his next victim. Gary escorts his mum outside for the first time since her accident. Sorcha is in a solemn mood as she approaches with Maurice. Cora thanks Gavin for accompanying her, he keeps himself amused by watching Vaslav play chief mourner in the front row. Sharon remarks the posters for The Vic afterwards and whispers, ‘That woman has no shame.’ Scrabbler arrives fashionably late accompanied by his work colleagues. Mormon Girl shows Kat her ‘I love EastEnders’ t-shirt as she hands her a candle. J-B gives 0…0 the nod to get started before it rains. Mona stares out the window before opening it to let some air in. Mo mouse passes by and she points at him. Mousey waves at her, muttering ‘this place never fails to surprise me.’

0…0 commences the vigil with the help of Reverend Stevens. She thanks everyone for coming. A woman and child are invited to the front as the reverend states that Seb’s parents couldn’t make it. Vaslav and Scrabbler are shocked when the child is revealed to be Seb’s son. She talks about how Seb was a great friend of hers who was taken in the prime of his life, ‘Sebastien wasn’t interested in the female sex but he knew how much I wanted a child and I can never repay him for helping me. His memory will live on and I can’t put it into words how comforting it is to see all of you gathered here tonight in his memory.’ The crowd claps for her as Vaslav weeps to Scrabbler ‘I’m wondering how well I really knew Seb.’ Dan is taken aback by emotion and stumbles into the alley beside the pub. The Square lights up to its fullest as DS Wilder arrives on the scene, ‘When the candles go out, we make the arrest. This cannot wait. My job is on the line if we don’t catch the killer.’

Sorcha and Maurice sneak off early as they plan to make the most of their babysitter, Lauren. Sorcha seizes the day and asks Maurice a question, ‘Maurice Selwyn, will you marry me?’ Maurice looks at her in disbelief. An awkward silence prevails and they sit down in the Square gardens. ‘TK, Emily, Seb…..life’s too short. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Let’s make it official. Sorcha Selwyn has a ring to it. Don’t you think?’ Maurice smiles and kisses her, ‘Yes. Yes, I’ll marry you!!’ They kiss passionately as Dot passes with her vaporiser. Sorcha shares the good news. Dot is delighted for them. Sorcha quips that it’ll be around the Square by morning.

Scrabbler is arrested by DS Wilder for the murder of Seb as the vigil comes to a close. The rest of the crowd watch in shock as he’s taken away.

[MONTAGE: STAND BY ME- FLORENCE VERSION ]

Scrabbler is taken away in the police car. Angie, Skye and Vaslav hold each other. Lotty finds Dan in the alley and holds him as he weeps. Mona sobs surrounded by ripped Shirley posters. Sorcha sits with her head leaning on Maurice as they look to the stars. Gary takes Carol back into the pub as Gavin watches through the corner of his eye, arm in arm with Cora. Scrabbler stares out of the car as it makes its way to the station.

Scrabbler gets the duff duff.

The next episode, ‘Psyche’, will be posted tomorrow.

The crowd begins to disperse into the pub. The reality hits Mormon Girl and she screams that they cannot arrest the Executive Producer of EastEnders. Kat escorts her into the café. Marie is working and exclaims that she thought someone was watching her birthing video. Back on the market, Angie tells Skye that they need to stay calm, ‘This is going to attract press attention. We need to be prepared.’ Vaslav sighs that he needs some alcohol and heads to the pub. Angie agrees to stay at Skye’s.

Lotty instructs Dan to breathe in and out before trying to get to the bottom of what’s bothering him, ‘Has the vigil brought back memories for you? Have you realised the enormity of what you’ve done?’ Dan stares at her with a blank expression on his face. She is unnerved by the silence and guides him over to the surgery, putting on the kettle to make some tea. Dan stares into space as Lotty desperately tries to make small talk.

Mona is back at the window. Shivering with the cold, she tries to get the window to close but it jams. Priscilla and Sez are making their way back to check on Mona when they bump into Maurice and Sorcha in the gardens. They share their good news. Sez is surprised that Sorcha took the leap of faith, ‘It’s not a leap year.’ Mo mouse approaches them and tells the quartet that Mona was pointing at people out her window earlier like a mad woman. Priscilla ushers him away but as she does, Mona begins to drop her ripped posters from her bedroom window. Priscilla and Sez rush inside as Dot emerges to see what all the commotion is. Angie and Skye arrive on the scene and watch with Maurice and Sorcha as Mona is guided away from the window. Sorcha feels helpless, ‘I don’t want to intrude.’

Kat is interested in Mormon Girl’s autism and asks her some questions to take her mind off tonight’s drama. Mormon states that it causes her to ask a lot of questions, which sometimes makes people angry and she’s a bit obsessed with EastEnders and Harry Potter, ‘My dad will be here to collect me in a few minutes. Thanks for the milkshake.’ Kat smiles. On the market, J-B and Harlowe help 0…0 with the clear-up. 0…0 is downbeat following the arrest and they try to lift her spirits, assuring her that she did a great job.

Over at The Vic, there’s a hive of activity and Janine calls Sez into work. Sez stumbles on her words as she tries to explain her predicament but Janine threatens to sack her if she doesn’t come in. Gary sees that Janine is under pressure and helps out. As Sez exits for work, she frantically asks Sorcha and Maurice to assist Priscilla. Skye rushes in with the pair as Dot emerges in her fur coat vaping away, ‘Oh I say! What on earth is going on in there?’ She converses with Angie Princess as Skye emerges from the house, ‘I have to get Shirley!’

Lotty hands Dan a mug of tea. She urges him to open up about what’s troubling him, ‘Is it Ben? Has he done something to you?..........what is it Dan?........you know you can tell me anything….it can’t be worse than what happened with Emily!!’ Dan looks at her, his eyes tearing up. ‘Promise you won’t judge me. Promise,’ he cries. Lotty is visibly worried but unprepared for the bombshell he’s about to drop. ‘Lotty, I……I……..I killed Seb!’ Lotty gasps and runs over to the sink to be sick. She looks at him from the mirror above the sink. ‘I don’t recognise you Dan! What have you become?’ she spits. Lotty goes to exit the surgery but she is stopped in her tracks. Dan stands in the doorway as she cries that she’s going to the police, ‘I’m going to do what I should have done a long time ago. All I’ve done for you Dan.’ Dan pleads with her to hear him out and she eventually relents.

Skye knocks repeatedly on Shirley’s door and is distracted when Dean answers it wearing nothing but a towel. ‘Is your mother in?’ she gasps as she gathers her breath. Dean states that she’s gone out for a takeaway but he’s unsure where she went. Skye sprints to the end of the market and stares over at Mc Klunkey’s which is swamped with a gang of youths. She gathers her breath again as she walks towards Beale’s Plaice. IanMandy is outside and asks if everything is alright. Skye asks if he’s seen Shirley but he hasn’t. He accompanies her back to Mona’s as she fills him in on what’s been going on.

Janine is rushed off her feet at The Vic and Gary insists that she takes a break. Kim is wallowing over her drink and Denise has had enough of Gary ignoring her. Denise goes to the bar for drinks and takes the opportunity to confront him. Gary is busy watching Gavin like a hawk and is caught off guard when Denise lets rip at him. Gary acknowledges that he has been neglecting his lover and vows to put it right. Sharon comes down the stairs and tells Janine that Carol is asleep. Gary goes straight over to Kim as Janine returns from her break and watches on. He whispers sweet nothings in her ear and they exit the pub. Gavin is afraid that a drunken Cora will spill the beans to Sharon and is pleased when Sharon also exits the pub. Cora tries to get another drink but Sez refuses to serve her. Cora sends Vaslav to the bar and Janine warns him not to trust Gavin.

Maurice tells Sorcha to ring an ambulance but Sorcha is aghast to take control of the situation and notices a missed call from Lauren on her phone. IanMandy arrives with Skye and asks to speak with her alone. Priscilla emerges from the room stating that she needs to see a doctor immediately. Outside, Gary tells Dot to get inside before she catches pneumonia. Kim says that he needs to start putting himself first as she stumbles into the B&B. Back inside, IanMandy tries to calm Mona and sits across the room from her. IanMandy empathises with her and she soon opens up, ‘I’ve spent so long living my life through Shirley that I’ve forgotten how to lead a normal life. I’m unable. I can’t function. I can’t even leave the house now. It’s pathetic. For f**k sake, why can’t I just be normal? Something bad is going to happen to me. I just know it and no one would care if it did. I’d soon be forgotten….Shirley hasn’t visited me once since I moved in here. The walls are closing in and I can’t breathe.’ IanMandy says that it’s very easy to enter this mental state but she needs to accept the help, ‘Look at me. I’ve turned my life around. You can too!’ Priscilla dials for an ambulance as Sorcha and Maurice make their excuses and leave.

Dan fills Lotty in on what happened the night he killed Seb, ‘I wasn’t lying about the new job but I bumped into Seb and he tried it on with me. I wasn’t interested but he thought he was god’s gift to men and women. I led him down the alley and bludgeoned him to death by Spring Lane. Before I knew it, I was back here….I didn’t plan it but I enjoy the thrill of not getting caught. I feel invincible…..the power it gives me….I didn’t know he had a child. That threw me.’ Lotty looks at him in disgust, ‘You’re sick. You make me feel physically sick. No one has the right to take a life. No one. I don’t care what they’ve done. It’s not up to you to decide who lives and dies.’ Sorcha notices a light on in the surgery and knocks on the door. Lotty races to the door and takes in a big breath of fresh air as she opens the door. Sorcha asks her to help Mona. Over at the station, DS Wilder states that they’ll leave Scrabbler to sweat for a couple of hours before questioning him. Scrabbler sits alone in his cell.

Dan makes a run for it as Priscilla and Skye greet Lotty. IanMandy sits with Mona while they wait for the ambulance. Lotty knocks on the bedroom door but Mona doesn’t want to see her. ‘I’m scared’ she cries. IanMandy reassures her as the ambulance pulls up outside. She begins to sob as the paramedic enters the house. Lotty states that she’ll have to be sectioned if she doesn’t comply with them. Mona hugs Priscilla and IanMandy as she emerges from her bedroom, ‘Thank you.’ She’s led into the ambulance by the paramedic as Priscilla, IanMandy, Skye and Lotty watch on.

Mona gets the duff duff.

Shirley wakes Priscilla with persistent knocking on the door. She wants to know how mona is but Priscilla states that it’s a bit a late to start caring about her, ‘You abandoned her. Just like you abandon everything!’ Shirley asks who went in the ambulance with her, ‘Dot told me that you all watched as she went by herself.’ Priscilla fumes at her, ‘Who do you think you are? You used her and spat her out. Don’t act like you care…..coming round here and judging me. Do one!’ Priscilla closes the door in her face as Sez comes down the stairs in her dressing gown. Mona is also the topic of discussion at Dot’s house, as she and Sharon converse in the kitchen. Dot states that she was taken away in a ‘tiger twosie……you know those ones that look like a giant baby gro. The poor girl.’ Talk soon turns to Gary and Dot hasn’t a bad word to say about him. Sharon is pensive as she states that she’d like to get to know him better.


Lotty closes the surgery for the day unable to face anyone. Newly released Scrabbler sends her a message to thank her for turning Dan in. Lotty watches the news as it states that Dan is a wanted man currently on the run in the East London area. He is not to be approached and anyone with information should contact their nearest police station. Lotty breaks down in tears at how events have panned out.

Vaslav whispers to Cora that he bets Dan heralds from a dynasty of executioners as Gavin enters the room looking worse for wear. Gavin is in a foul mood and keeps his ear plugs in to stop Vaslav’s verbal diarrhoea. ‘I can’t believe he had the nerve to show up at the vigil. What a sicko! I could have spent my forties being some hairy bear’s b!tch!’ Vaslav cries. Gavin quips that he’d want to lock all the doors as he could be his next victim. ‘Shut up Gav. You’re as useful as a vibrator with flat batteries!’ Vaslav spits.

Sorcha calls round to Priscilla’s with Eddy. Priscilla fills her in on her confrontation with Shirley earlier. Sorcha states that Mona is in the best place, ‘Imagine her today with the knowledge that Dan is on the run and Halloween coming…..it was only going to get worse! You did the right thing!’ Priscilla is grateful for the reassurance and thanks her for getting Doctor Charlotte. Sorcha lightens the mood by asking her to be chief bridesmaid, Priscilla gleefully accepts.

Sharon asks Gary if he could look after Denny this afternoon as Phil has a hospital appointment. Gary is happy to oblige, eager to take his mind off the fact that Emily’s killer has struck again. Sharon states that she’s there for him if he wants a shoulder to cry on. Gary smiles that he’ll be relieved once he is finally put behind bars but until then, he just wants to take his mind off it as best he can. Over at the Beales, Ian & Ben also have Dan on their mind. Ian is unbearably smug at being right about him but Ben is worried about his mental state, ‘That night we spent together. He was saying some weird things. He needs help. In a twisted way, I feel sorry for him.’ Ian remarks that it could have been him next, ‘You can’t have sympathy for these psychos Ben….This was no accident.’


Also tonight, Keyser gets a job in the betting shop. Max attends his first therapy session. IanMandy is excited ahead of his first day in charge at the chippie. Janine sets about organising a Halloween party and asks Blue to make some fliers.

The market is still reeling in the aftermath of Seb’s murder, the wrongful arrest of Scrabbler and the manhunt for killer Dan. Kat tells them that they need to carry on as normal. Peter adds that he’s unlikely to come back here where everyone knows him. J-B recalls the time he shared a cab with Dan, ‘I thought he was a top lad. I give him the benefit of the doubt with Emily. He was defending himself but this is barbaric.’ 0…0 squeals that she doesn’t want to hear that man’s name uttered ever again and asks everyone what they’re dressing up as for Halloween. Winston states ‘Hannibal Lecter’ followed by an awkward silence.

Sharon is surprised to find Carol on her doorstep. She invites her in whilst looking at her watch. Sharon mentions that she has to take Phil to the hospital and she’s asked Gary to look after Dennis. Carol is pleased but her mind is clearly preoccupied. Carol makes conversation by mentioning Janine’s new bag, ‘She paid a grand for it. Is she mad?....I’d never dream of spending that much on a handbag…..even if I did have the money! What a waste!’ Sharon laughs that she’s more of a shoes than a bag lady. Carol is soon ushered out as Sharon brings Denny around to the B&B.

Lotty quits feeling sorry for herself and asks Scrabbler to meet her at Joanna’s café off the Square. Lotty opens up about Dan confessing to her, ‘He is like my surrogate son and I wanted to protect him. When he told me about Emily, I kept schtum. I thought that Bevis had been having a bad influence on him but this one has knocked me for six. I feel partially responsible.’ She starts to weep and Scrabbler grabs hold of her hand. Scrabbler states, ‘I spent years beating myself up over letting my lover drink and drive and ultimately killing someone. It got me nowhere…..you can’t beat yourself up over this. You’ve given all the information to the police and got me freed….Sharon and Janine are having rival Halloween parties on Friday. I say we go out and enjoy yourselves.’ Over at the B&B, Kim watches as Denny and Gary compete on the games console. She rubs her bump as Gary catches her watching from the door.

Sez asks Priscilla at the pub if they should put Mona’s room up for rent. Priscilla says that she should be out by Christmas, ‘Unless we rent it for two months…..she might go mad if we touch all her stuff though….she’s a bit of a hoarder.’ Sez sighs that they can’t afford not to, ‘Sorcha is not going to hang around. We’re going to need to save for the wedding and Christmas!’ Priscilla grabs a beermat and scribbles down what they’ll need to include, ‘Right. I’m sticking this on the Minute Mart window.’ Ben meets up with Aaron in the pub. Aaron says that he’s sticking around Walford for the foreseeable. Ben adds that he’s a brave man as Walford isn’t a place for the faint hearted. Aaron places his hand on Ben’s leg but Ben casually brushes it away and goes to the bar.

Dan looks at a flier for the Halloween party in Angie’s Den’s from a dark alley. His watery eyes narrow as he lifts his head up. Over at the Mitchells, Phil is happy to have been told that the treatment has worked and he is now in remission. Sharon states that she feels like a weight has been lifted off their shoulders, ‘This calls for a family get together!’ Sharon proceeds to fill up the washing machine and is unnerved when steroid tablets fall out of a jacket belonging to Jay just as Phil is about to enter the kitchen. She goes to pocket them, not wanting to ruin the happy atmosphere. Phil coughs which causes her to jump.

Phil gets the duff duff.

Halloween is coming….

Phil is opening The Arches and sees Ronnie. He lays into her about Jay and states that he’s still getting steroids from her gym users. Ronnie remains nonchalant. Phil issues her an ultimatum as he sees Jay approaching, ‘Either you leave Walford or I’ll make sure you go back to jail. You’ve brought nothin’ but trouble to this family!’ Ronnie walks off calmly as Jay asks what that was all about. Jay is sheepish as Phil states that it was about drug dealing at Ronnie’s gym. Phil puts Jay in charge for the day as a hungover Ben arrives late.

Carol and Janine are in The Vic living room. Talk soon turns to dullag and Carol drops a hint that Janine should visit him. Janine is against the idea, ‘He doesn’t want to see us. It’ll make it harder for him. I hate the places….Bring back bad memories.’ Carol cries that she just wants to know that he’s ok. Janine bites her lip and leaves the room as Scarlett cries for her mum.


Sorcha and Maurice are talking about the wedding over breakfast. Maurice enquires about the Healys but Sorcha tries to change the subject, eager to set a date. Maurice asks if she wants her family there or not. Sorcha’s face reddens and she looks into her cereal bowl, ‘Moz, trust me its best they don’t come. The last family wedding I was at was my cousin Aoife’s and she was jilted at the altar. Never heard the end of it. She was marrying my ex’s brother. You don’t know what they’re like. No one is good enough for me’ she replies. Maurice states that he wants his family to be there. Sorcha is called into work by Sharon and Maurice says that he’s in the homeless shelter all day.

Dot and Harlowe sit in the doctor’s waiting room. Lotty takes a deep breath as she prepares to face her first patient since the Dan debacle. Dot is first in line and shares her delight in the re-opening of the surgery, ‘Dr. Charlotte helped me to quit the cigs. She said she wouldn’t see me anymore if I didn’t stop…..I should’ve done it years ago.’ Dot shows Harlowe her vaporiser as she wonders what brings her there, ‘are you in the family way?’ Harlowe laughs before pulling up her sleeves to reveal her sores.

Phil sighs heavily as he looks in the bathroom mirror. Sharon is deciding what to wear tonight in their bedroom and Phil enters. ‘I got a fright when I looked in the mirror this morning and saw an old man staring back at me’ he croaks. Sharon smiles that she still sees the man she fell in love with all those years ago and kisses him. Sharon states that she can’t be upstaged by Janine tonight, ‘Make sure the boys are there tonight. Won’t you? Denny is having a sleepover with Bobby. Ian said he’d take them trick or treating.’ Phil adds that he issued Ronnie with an ultimatum, ‘She can go somewhere else if she wants to be a drugs pusher and spread her legs with a grimace on her face.’


DS Wilder rings Gary enquiring about the progress he is making on getting dirt on Gavin. Gary stutters as he tells her that he’s been watching his every move but he has not seen any suspicious activity. Gary asks if they’re any closer to finding Dan as the headline ‘Manhunt’ flashes across Sky News on the television in front of him. DS Wilder states that there have been sightings but nothing substantial, ‘We are convinced that he is still in the East London area. Hence the big police presence in Walford.’

Also tonight, Mike Oxgood works out in the gym. Harlowe is referred to a dermatologist by Lotty. Ronnie texts Jay that Phil is on to him. Vald sits alone watching Hocus Pocus. Aaron moves into Mona’s room.
.
The Halloween parties get underway in The Queen Vic and Angie’s Den. Janine is dismayed at the poor crowd in the pub and asks David to take to the streets with the fliers, ‘Preferably people under 60 *stares at Cora, Gavin & Patrick*’ Janine asks Cora what’s Gavin’s game as she approaches the bar. Cora quips that he’s taken before glancing over at Carol Hanley. Over at the gym, Ronnie is closing up when she hears some noise and investigates. She is greeted inside by desperate Dan who begs her not to ring the police.

Jay and Abi slag Ben about his new boyfriend as he introduces them to his old friend, Aaron. Sharon is happy to see them and offers them their first drink on the house. Abi snorts that Lauren is stuck babysitting. Vaslav’s costume raises a few eyebrows and 0…0 asks if he has come as Daffyd. Vaslav tells Toni that she’s far too good looking to be a lesbian but she doesn’t get the joke and J-B has to stop Los from hitting him and almost knocks Vas’ bacardi and coke. Scrabbler is in high spirits and Angie remarks to Skye how good it is to see him letting his hair down, Skye adds that she’s loving this new side to him. Sorcha compliments Roxy’s cat-suit.

[Thunder rumbles]

Ronnie and Dan chat in the gym and empathise with their respective situations. Dan shows little remorse and says that Seb got what was coming to him. Ronnie adds that she’s been frozen out by her family for no reason as she asks what he thinks of her Elsa costume. She hands Dan a spare costume, ‘Here. I’ve no one to take to the party so you may as well take this. Find your Robin…..there’s a party on at Sharon’s bar but they shouldn’t recognise you under this mask.’ Dan smiles and thanks her profusely. He’s anxious as they pass the police presence on the Square but Ronnie makes him feel confident by linking arms with him. They pass the doorman, Ben Dover, with ease. Dan uses a different accent when ordering a drink and is soon partying away with the crowd. Dean smiles as Roxy blanks Ronnie. Ronnie commends Sharon on the event.

Dan doesn’t recognise Aaron and gets talking to him. Aaron tells him that he has just moved to the area and asks who lies under the mask. Dan makes up a name and gives him false information. Dan also notices a connection between Ben and Aaron and becomes unnerved as Ben joins the conversation. They’re soon interrupted by Sharon who announces the best dressed man and woman. Roxy is ecstatic to win but Dan is surprised when ‘Batman’ is called out and looks around the room frantically. Aaron pushes him to go onto the stage and Dan reluctantly agrees. As the crowd cheer him, Sharon urges him to take off his mask pondering who lies under the costume. Dan acts shy and shakes his head but as he stands on the stage, Roxy pulls off his mask….

Dan gets the duff duff.

[Thunder rumbles]

Roxy is taken aback as Dan is revealed to be the man under the Batman mask. Sharon is frozen in fear as she looks down at the crowd of people in front of her. Dan pulls out a handgun from his costume and grabs hold of Roxy, ‘If anyone moves, I’ll put a bullet through her head!’ Ronnie looks on in despair. In the toilets, Sez, Lucy and Lola apply lippie and touch up their make-up, unaware of the chaos that is ensuing a few metres away.

Keyser is outside Angie’s Den but Ben Dover tells him that they’re not letting anyone else in as they have reached full capacity. Keyser hears screaming from inside, ‘Sounds epic in there. Is it a 3D experience?.....this is down to Phil. Bet he’s blacklisted me!’ Ben Dover locks the door and enters to talk to Sharon. Over at Beale’s Plaice, IanMandy is chatting to MrJames. MrJames condemns himself for living off take-outs but he cannot bear to cook for himself. IanMandy smiles that it’s only when you leave the family home that you discover your true eating habits. At the B&B, Denise looks after the guests as Gary and Kim enjoy a quiet night in. Gary ponders if she should check on Dot but Kim assures him that she’ll be fine.

Ben Dover is stopped in his tracks as he enters to see Dan brandishing a gun. Dan orders the crowd to make a pathway down the middle, get on their knees and put their hands behind their head. Upon seeing the doorman, he orders him to approach him and give him the keys and his phone. ‘If you don’t follow my orders, Roxy will be first to get it’ Dan shouts in a frantic manner. Sez and the girls hear the commotion and lock themselves in a cubicle and dial for help. Lola is worried that she might never see Lexi again, Sez remembers the time that Michael took the pub hostage. As some of the crowd become restless, Dan shoots at a glass as a warning shot. Some of the glass hits Abi’s head and she begins to bleed. Sharon screams and Dan orders her to go to the safe and put all the money in a bag. Jay and Ben fuss over Abi as Dan reiterates for everyone to do what he says and no one will be harmed.

Maurice leaves the homeless shelter as he hears the gunshot. He sees IanMandy and David by the chippie and runs over. IanMandy states that he thinks it may have come from the House of Horrors where Heather and Emily were killed. The police are soon on the scene and it’s clear that something has happened in the club. IanMandy tells Maurice to go over as he closes the chippie early. Inside the club, Dan is unnerved to hear the sirens and as Sharon returns with the cash, he accuses her of ringing the old bill. Sharon assures him that she didn’t. As news spreads, a crowd begins to gather outside. Paula ponders if it may be terrorist related.



At The Vic, Carol Hanley tells a drunken Cora that they have more in common than she’d care to admit, ‘The other Carol has filled me in on your past. We both gave up a child, have a child with drug problems, lost a husband and have fallen for Gavin’s lies and false promises.’ Cora sings ‘I can see clearly now Lorraine is gone’ and Janine signals to Gavin to take her home. David enters the pub, soaked to the skin and informs them that there’s been an incident at the nightclub. Patrick listens in with concern. Gavin leaves the pub with Cora and David and makes his way to the end of the market. Cora sticks up an umbrella.

As the rain pelts down, Dan ponders his next move. Scrabbler cries that he cannot sit here and do nothing as ‘that coward threatens helpless women. Mothers.’ Skye whispers that this isn’t a time to play the hero, ‘it’s a matter of life and death.’ Los grips hold of Toni’s hand as Dean looks at Ronnie as if she’s not going to do anything, he will. Sharon tries to reason with him, ‘Dan, if you put an end to this now, the police will be more lenient. You’re only going to make it worse for yourself!’ Dan yells for her to shut up. Roxy cries that he’ll leave a child motherless if he shoots her. Dan revels in informing everyone that it was Roxy’s sister, Ronnie, who got him into the club ‘It was your sistaa who gave me the costume, who linked arms with me past the police, who got me into this club………Ok then, you choose who I shoot first. Go on, choose!’ he states manically. Ronnie yells that he’s lying, ‘He’s a psycho just like dad.’ Dean attacks her which leads J-B and Aaron to pull him off her. 0…0 states that this is exactly what he wants, ‘we can’t turn on each other!’ Dan lets Roxy go and she runs to Dean, gripping him tightly. Dan goes behind the bar and pours himself a drink, before pointing the gun at Sorcha’s head….

Outside, the crowd worries for their loved ones. Shirley grips Phil’s hand as they bond in helplessness. Max tries to get past the police, crying that his daughter is inside. David holds Max back as Maurice quips, ‘Along with half the women you’ve f*cked!’ Cora slurs that it’ll be some addict from the homeless shelter looking for cash. Paula tells Gavin to take his ‘drunken mess’ home. Shirley sobs that people know what their favourite celeb had for breakfast but they don’t even know their neighbours. Patrick returns to the B&B and tells them what’s been going on at Sharon’s club. Gary rushes out despite Kim urging him to stay in with her.

Dean kisses Roxy before strategically moving himself. He leaps up and attacks Dan from behind. Sorcha knees Dan in the crotch and runs to the toilets. A struggle ensues for the gun and Jay, Ben, Aaron and J-B all join in. Scrabbler and Vaslav lead the rest of the crowd towards the door and begin to break it down. The camera pans away as the sound of a gunshot rings around the club.


Phil, Gavin, Cora, Shirley, Paula, Maurice, Max, David, DS Wilder and Gary look on in fear in the pouring rain as a second gunshot rings out. The armed police prepare to enter the club.

A crowd of people begin to flow from the club with looks of poor terror and fear on their faces. Those outside frantically look for their loved ones. Max is alarmed to see blood trickling down Abi’s face but she assures him that she’s fine, just shaken. The camera pans back to Dan sitting on the ground behind the bar, breathing heavily and the gun lying on the ground next to him. The camera pans across the bar to reveal a wounded Dean. Roxy weeps onto his chest as Sharon instructs Ben to keep pressure on the gun wound. A tear trickles down Dan’s face as the armed police storm the club and DS Wilder issues his arrest. Outside, Paula embraces Los and Toni. David is relieved that Lucy is ok and takes her home. Sharon emerges with bloody hands. Gavin is clearly pleased to see her but Phil and Shirley ask about their loved ones and she breaks the news to them that Dean has been shot. Shirley screams ‘NO!!’ as she runs inside in her boots. Phil hugs Sharon tightly, struggling to hold back the tears. Dan is swiftly lead away in cuffs, staring into the distance. Gary spits at Dan as the paramedics arrive to treat Dean. Roxy hugs Shirley as she breaks down, ‘I can’t lose another baby boy!’ Sorcha weeps into Maurice’s arms, crying that she thought she was going to die. Ronnie slips away quietly and guiltily. Shirley states that she’ll go in the ambulance and tells Roxy to go and see her daughter. Shirley cries to Dean, ‘Don’t you DARE leave me!!’

A wounded Dean gets the duff duff.

Dan may be gone but the aftermath of Halloween ripples around Walford in episode #130. An interview will also be posted soon as we reach the half-way mark of series 8.

[High plays in the background of the market scene]

The market traders are still shaken by the events of Halloween night as they set up their stalls. J-B vents that he hopes Dan rots in jail. Kat is chatted up by a news reporter and she tells him where he can stick his poxy article. Shabnam notices that Denise is a bit worse for wear and tells her to go home before she reports it to her regional manager. Shabnam also rings Kim to tell her that she’s sent her sister home. On the market, 0…0 desperately tries to drum up some business with her fish cakes, ‘Free samples of my fish cake here. Come and get my fish cake.’

Shirley sits by Dean’s bedside at the hospital. Mick enters and asks if there’s been any improvement. Shirley states that he’s in a stable condition but it is all her fault, ‘I’ve been a rubbish mum. I don’t deserve this second chance. Kevin did all the hard work and look how he ended up. Life’s not fair, is it? *sniffs* ….I’m willing him to pull through.’ Mick grips her hand and tells her that he’s a strong lad, ‘He’ll pull through. Don’t you worry your little head ‘bout that!’ He informs her that Roxy’s coming up once she drops ‘the little ‘un’ to school.

Roxy hugs Amy who is in her dressing gown. She tells her that Dean will be better in no time and reluctantly gets her ready for school. Sorcha cradles Eddy as the gunshots ring through her ears once again. Maurice enters and asks if she’d like a cup of tea. Sorcha weeps that Eddy could have become an orphan because of another careless shooting and drops a bombshell…..’Maurice, would you like to adopt Eddy?’ Maurice is overcome with emotion as he embraces Sorcha.

Max and the girls are still in a sombre mood over at the Brannings’. Abi says she couldn’t sleep last night, ‘This is worse than the nightmare where I get my head stuck in the railings or Marge dies over and over again. It’s really bad!’ Max adds that it was the worst feeling in the world standing outside helplessly, unsure of what was taking place inside. Next door, Cora tells Vaslav that he was lucky to get out of that nightclub alive. Vaslav sighs that this has set the ‘community’ back years, ‘First Ben killed a cheese-George Michael-loving, single mother. Now Dan’s become the Walford ripper killing anyone who stands in his way. It is because of people like THEM that I was the victim of a homophobic attack.’ Over at the B&B, Paula is surprised to find Toni on her doorstep with a bag ‘Me and Los have fallen out’ she weeps as she breaks down on her mother’s lapel.

Sharon holds back the tears as Denny tells her that he had another nightmare that she was murdered like his father. Sharon assures him that the bad man has been put in jail and cannot hurt anyone else. Denny hugs her tightly. Over at the Beales, Lucy has spent another night not wanting to be alone after the events of Halloween. Ian is visibly pleased to have her back home and spoils her with pancakes for breakfast. He kisses her on the forehead as he states that he doesn’t know what he’d do if he lost his ‘little girl.’

Dan lies in his cell. TheRedHood soon enters and discusses his options. Dan states that he’s going to plead guilty to the manslaughter of Emily Hanley, the murder of Seb and the shooting of Dean, not to mention the hostage stand-off, ‘It’s over. I’m finished. Done. Lock me up and throw away the key before I do anymore damage.’ Time passes and DS Wilder formally charges him with the offences and tells him that a sentencing date will follow in due course. Back on the Square, Lotty is in a bad way and calls into Dot. Dot is taken aback by the house call, ‘Doctor Charlotte, is everything ok?’ Lotty asks if she can come in and Dot obliges. Lotty cries that she feels responsible for the deaths he has caused, ‘I can’t look people in the eye. They blame me and I blame me. I wouldn’t dare walk down Bridge Street.’ Dot sticks on the kettle and pulls out the battenburg, ‘Lotty, you are the best general practitioner this Square has seen since Dr. Legg. Some of the people that preceded you…now they were responsible for deaths. Not you. You tried to help Dan’s troubled soul but some can’t be reached. Like my Nick’s. You mustn’t blame yourself.’ Dot grips Lotty’s hand as a tear trickles down her face.

Ronnie sees Roxy on the Square and tells her that she’s there if she needs any help with the salon. Roxy tells her that Stacey and Lola are running it. ‘I don’t want anything to do with you Ron. No one does. You’re poison…….Dean could have died because of you. I could have died…..you don’t care who you hurt. Do you?’ Roxy screams at her. Ronnie cries that she’s not going anywhere. Roxy continues, ‘I don’t want to be the other Kray sister. We’re not the bloody Walford mafia.’ Roxy is taken aback to see Jay acting suspiciously outside the gym and approaches him.

Gary spreads word that they are raising a toast to the arrest of Killer Dan in The Vic at 5pm. Kim isn’t sure if she’ll make it as she worries about Dee. Patrick states that he’ll look after her, ‘It’s brought back memories of Lucas. She’ll be alright.’ Gary is shocked as Kim fills him on her sister’s torrid past. ‘He locked her in the cellar and faked her death’ he repeats in disbelief. Kim rubs her bump as she says that things can only get better, ‘right?’

[Where Is The Love?/ No one play in the background]

The market traders shut up shop early and all agree to go to the toast in the pub. Keyser picks up on 0…0’s quiet mood but doesn’t comment on it. J-B states that Dan’s been charged with everything. Harlowe adds that Bevis’ sentence should be lessened now. As everyone starts to gather in the pub, Gary downs a drink to calm his nerves. Gary says that he can’t believe that they’re finally getting justice for Emily. Janine rings the bell and Carol looks on with pride as Gary begins the toast, ‘My sister was murdered in cold blood. Our market inspector, Seb, was murdered in cold blood. Our friends and family were put at risk, one of whom took a bullet to the abdomen. I can now confirm that Dan has been charged and justice will be served. To justice and to those who we have lost. Gone but not forgotten.’ The sound of glasses clinking echoes around the pub. Kim arrives just in time with Paula and Toni.

Roxy orders Jay home, well aware of what he is doing. Jay looks to Ronnie for support and Roxy is unnerved to see that Ronnie is in on it. ‘You’re a monster. Wait till Phil hears about this.’ Roxy exhales. Ronnie warns her not to tell him but Roxy states that there’s nothing she can do about it, ‘I’m not going to be your little puppet any longer. Do one.’ Over at the Mitchells, Phil is cooking a meal for Sharon and she’s impressed as the smell wafts through to the living room.

Shirley is surprised to see Ben walk through the door at the hospital. Ben states that he’s not here to cause any trouble, ‘I just wanted to see how Dean’s doing.’ Shirley smiles and tells him that Roxy said that he and Sharon were great, ‘You kept pressure on the wound until the paramedic came. You saved his life.’ Shirley hugs Ben awkwardly. Back at the Mitchells, Phil is interrupted by a knock on the door, ‘Mum!’ he exclaims.

Peggy gets the duff duff.

There’s a showdown at the Mitchells in #131 and one of them is in for a BIG shock.

DS ENDERS PREVIEW

As a thank you to all those who have voted DS Enders as ‘Best Fanfiction’ once again in this year’s forum awards, I have written an interview teasing what you can expect from the latter half of series eight. So far this series we have seen the downfall of Dan as he committed another murder and took Sharon’s nightclub hostage, Mona had a mental breakdown and was sectioned, Sorcha and Maurice have been planning their wedding and vald has been unsure whether or not she should track down her son.

I will soon be introducing Aaron’s sister, Lea Silver, who has a reckless and tempestuous streak. The Silvers are definitely characters to watch. We also haven’t seen the last of Dan, he will be involved in a mystery that will have you questioning the residents of Albert Square. Relationships will be tested and unrequited love will cause friction between different character groups.

There’s also a lot more drama for the Mitchells as Peggy tries to put her family back together. She underestimates the task and is shocked how far they have fallen in her absence. Ronnie is a woman on the edge and goes to extreme lengths to get what she wants. Jay also shocks those around him by his actions but will it be the wake-up call this family so badly needs?

Sharon is also set to come face to face with her birth father. She has a lot of questions to ask and we will unravel the many facets of Gavin’s character as he becomes a major force as we hurtle towards the series finale. There’s also the small matter of the part he played in TK’s murder. That will blow up spectacularly in his face and he will be left clawing back the fragments of his life desperately as it all comes tumbling down around him.

Vald will come face to face with one of the sons she abandoned but she could be putting herself in danger as she doesn’t quite get the reaction she dreamt of. 0…0 goes to war with IanMandy and accusations will be thrown against a resident who is trying to help someone’s child. Paula will also struggle with her demons as she takes on too much. Sorcha will try to move on from her past but it comes back to haunt her in more ways than one!

DS Enders series 8 continues later this week.

oooh so excited

must say Lea silver sounds like a fabulous character

Good to hear Lea.



Peggy lets herself in and is surprised to see that Phil has become a domestic goddess in her absence, ‘Pigs really do fly!’ She struts into the living room and surprises Sharon. Peggy sarcastically states that there’s no need for her to look so happy to see her. Sharon introduces Denny to Peggy and asks what brings her back to Walford, ‘will you be staying long?’ Peggy states, ‘As long as it takes to put this family back together, now what’s this I hear about you marrying my other son….’ Sharon smiles awkwardly and states that they want to make it official now that the cancer’s gone, ‘He hasn’t got pie-eyed yet!’ Peggy smiles that something smells good, ‘I could get used to this…..I hear a lot’s changed since I left.’ Roxy and Jay burst through the door and startle everyone, Ronnie follows close behind.

Shirley chats to Ben at the hospital. Shirley can sense his unease and urges him to relax, ‘I know you’re sorry for what you did to Hev….I’m never going to forget but we have to move on for both our sakes. You’re a good kid Ben.’ Ben tears up. Shirley grips onto Dean’s hand, urging him to wake up. ‘Ben’s ‘ere now. Aren’t you popular today? You owe him a pint in the Vic…’

Gavin is walking round to the market and notices Carol outside picking up some glasses. She hasn’t time to manoeuvre herself inside and is stopped in her tracks. ‘I’m glad they’ve caught that Dan. Taking lives like that, it’s unforgiveable!’ Carol nods her head in agreement. Gavin continues on, holding her back from entering the pub, ‘The offer is still on the table. You just have to click your fingers. Janine would miss the babysitter more than she’d miss the money.’ Gavin leaves her as Gary watches from the top window.

Ronnie is pleased to see Peggy, hopeful that she’ll make the rest of them see sense. Roxy shouts at Jay to tell Aunty Peg what he’s been up to. Jay retorts that she isn’t his auntie, ‘Is she? In fact, all of you are nothing to me. I’m saving up to move in with Abi if you must know Peggy.’ Roxy tells him to keep going as Phil enters to see what all the commotion is. Sharon sends Denny upstairs to play with Amy. Jay continues on, ‘I’ve been selling steroids on the side at the gym to earn some extra cash. Phil isn’t paying me enough to afford my own place.’ Phil points the blame at Ronnie who feigns surprise, ‘I’m going to get you shut down. **looks at Jay** That’s where you were getting the steroids, isn’t it?’ Sharon pipes in that it explains the stash she found in his jacket, ‘I thought you were using again!’ Peggy slaps Ronnie across the face.


Gary asks what Gavin wanted but Carol tells him, ‘As long as he’s on this Square, I won’t have peace. He’s going to tell Sharon. I know it…..I’m a writing her a letter. I can’t bring myself to tell her face-to-face.’ Carol is visibly upset and Gary makes his excuses and leaves the pub. He walks to the end of the market but there’s no sign of Gavin. He sees Red’s office is open and enters. Red assures him that Dan will be pleading guilty. Gary is visibly pleased and bumps into Scrabbler upon exiting.

Vald is greeted by Los at her door. Los tells her that he and Toni have fallen out and he has no one else to turn to. Vald takes him in and sticks on the kettle. She tells him that relationships aren’t plain sailing, ‘You have to work at them. Moving in together heightens things and you end up falling out over silly things. One of you has to be the bigger person.’ Los thanks her for her words of wisdom and hugs her. He notices the address on the kitchen worktop and asks her if she has visited him. He urges her to. Vald states that she would be opening up a can of worms.


Gavin opens up to Vaslav back at Cora’s flat. He states that the events of Halloween have made him realise that he needs to bite the bullet and tell Sharon. Vaslav sees a whole new side to him and urges him to go for it, ‘you have nothing to lose.’ Outside EEHQ, Gary makes small talk with Scrabbler. ‘You haven’t long left now’ Gary comments. Scrabbler smiles, ‘Yep, I’m on the home straight. I’ll miss it but at the same time, I’ll be glad to see the back of it and move onto pastures new…..It’s great news about Dan. Just a shame they didn’t catch him sooner.’ Gary spits that he hopes he rots in jail, ‘See you later mate.’

Ronnie launches a tirade against the Mitchells and tells them exactly what she thinks of them, ‘Sharon, you’re too busy fluttering your eyelashes and running around after your faux families. Phil, you are using your cancer to excuse your terrible parenting. Roxy and Billy just follow the pack….Jay is old enough to make his own decisions. Just like I’m a single woman and can sleep with who I want. Roxy, you’re the only one I care about. I don’t let my guard down with anyone else. I don’t love anyone else.’ An upset Ronnie storms out as the rest of them sit speechless. Roxy goes to follow Ronnie out but Peggy stops her. Phil asks, ‘who’s hungry?’ Sharon breaks the silence by stating that she needs to go to the club.

Back at the pub, J-B asks Janine if she’ll host his birthday party at the end of the month. Harlowe goes home with a headache while Kim wonders where Gary has disappeared to. Toni tells Paula that she misses Los but Paula states, ‘Hold your ground. He’ll soon come running..’ Cilla is behind the bar and converses with Sez about Aaron, ‘I was like are you single and he was like why? I said I was asking for a mate and he was like ah! Skye said he was with Ben at Angie’s Den. Do you think he’s that young?’ Sez adds that they need to do some more digging and make sure they haven’t rented out to another headcase, ‘I lock my room door just in case. I wonder how Dean is?’ Carol sits upstairs writing a letter while Kim remarks Janine’s face lighting up when Gary returns to the pub.

Sharon is at Angie’s Den inspecting the damage. She makes her way past the police cordon and solemnly looks around the empty club. She sits down on the ground and the camera pans out. She’s startled as she hears a noise. Gavin emerges through the door. ‘How did you get in?’ Sharon enquiries. ‘I said I’m the owner’s father’ he replies. Sharon looks at him in disbelief. Outside Walford, Val walks towards a house with her son’s address in hand. She nervously waits for him to answer the door….

Dean regains consciousness and Ben contacts Roxy to let her know. Roxy rushes home to get her bag and calls a cab. Ronnie nabs her on the way out and asks if she can kip on her sofa. Roxy says that she has to go to the hospital and Ronnie states that she’ll take her ‘It’s the least I can do to make it up to you sis!’ Roxy isn’t sure whether or not she should trust her but seeing Dean remains her priority. Roxy gets into the car with Ronnie but it is soon clear that she isn’t taking her to the hospital…..

A frightened Roxy gets the duff duff.

Coming next, #Reunited.

I prefer the story document structure but I felt this episode would suit the script format.


The episode opens in Angie’s Den. Sharon pours herself a drink behind the bar as Gavin takes a seat on a stool.

Sharon: Why now? After all this time, why choose now to show your face?

Gavin tilts his head and rubs it. He looks Sharon directly in the eye.

Gavin: I’m a coward. I always have been. I couldn’t bear the thought of you rejecting me.

Sharon interrupts him.

Sharon: What? Like you did me,

And finishes the glass.

Gavin: Please just hear me out. You don’t know how hard this is for me. I’ve gone over this time and time again in my head, imagining what it would be like. Dreading it. The stress of it is making me ill. Ask Cora. Standing out there, helpless, the other night has been a wakeup call for me. I couldn’t bear for anything to happen to you. I want to get to know you. If you’ll let me. I want to be a dad. I’m not getting any younger. You’re the only child I’ve been blessed with. I look at you and can’t believe that you’re part of me.

Sharon is visibly touched by his heartfelt speech and comes to the other side of the bar. She sits down on a stool next to him.

Sharon: I want to know everything.

Outside Walford, Val stands nervously as the door opens. She is surprised by the man who stands before her. His pot belly sticks out slightly from his stained t-shirt. His face stubble covers his double chin and his receding hair line ensures he has more hair on his face than his head. The man states bluntly…

Man: What do you want?

Vald: Are you Joseph?

Man: Joe…Joseph. Same thing. What’s it to you?

Vald: I’m Val…….your mother…..birth mother.

The man stumbles backwards and falls onto the step. He holds onto his chest as Val lets herself in and puts her hand on his shoulder.

Vald: Are you ok? I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you. This was a bad idea.

Vald goes to leave but he cries out.

Joseph: Don’t go. Please. You’ve come all this way. Stay.

Vald turns on her heels and smiles. She enters into the grotty living room with her eyes drawn to the empty beer cans and pizza box. Joseph turns the television off and clears a space for her to sit.

Joseph: Sorry about the mess.

Vald. No. Please don’t apologise. It’s fine. You should see my place. It looks like a bomb hit it most of the time. Not that yours does but…

Joseph: How did you find me? I never thought I’d see you.

Vald (laughs): It’s a long story…..I owe you an explanation. **gulps**

Back on the Square, Los is making his way down the market towards the B&B when he’s greeted by a tipsy Toni leaving the pub. She staggers unsteadily on her feet and Los grabs hold of her.

Los: Babe I’m so sorry. Come home with me.

Toni: You look really sexy tonight. Is that a new shirt?

Los (laughs coyly): No. I bought it in the sales but this is the first time I’ve worn it.

Toni: You know what the best part of rowing is?

Los: No. What?

Toni: Here, I’ll show you….

Toni leads Los back to the B&B. Over at Angie’s Den, Sharon pours her and Gavin a drink each.

Gavin: My sister had a baby out of wedlock when she was eighteen. She carried it full-term but when she had it, my mum took it and put it in a bag. She placed the bag in a nearby river and that was that. The neighbours had noticed that my sister was in the family way and were naturally suspicious when nine months had passed and there was no baby. One of the curtain twitchers rang the old bill and my mum confessed to killing the baby and did bird. My dad walked out on us and when I found out Carol was up the duff, I knew I couldn’t support her. She couldn’t support you either so we did what was best for you and gave you to a couple who couldn’t have kids. What my mother did stayed with me, I’ll never forget the malice she showed. I wasn’t going to let that happen to you. I didn’t tell a soul. It wasn’t until years later when I met back up with Carol and she gave me a picture of you while we reminisced that I felt this massive hole in my heart longing to meet you. I never acted on it but then, I heard that Carol was here and had reconnected with you. I wanted a bit of it. I didn’t want to be like my dad and never get to know his kids. I thought well at least I can say that I tried. If you don’t want to know, I understand that too.

Sharon: You’ve been on the Square all this time and said nothing. Not a word. What about the night that Carol collapsed outside the pub?

Gavin: I wanted to say something Sharon. Believe me. It just never seemed to be the right time.

Sharon: There was never going to be the right time though, was there? My business is in ruins and my ex/future mother-in-law has just rocked up on the doorstep calling the shots. Does Carol know?

Gavin looks to the floor.

Sharon: I should’ve known she would. All she’s done is lie to me. If there was an Olympic Gold medal for it, she’d own it. Get out, g’wan get out. We’ll do this on my terms. I need to speak to Carol. This isn’t the time or the place. I’ve been here before and it didn’t end well.

Gavin leaves the club as Sharon falls to the floor sobbing…..Outside Walford, Vald prepares to open up to her son, Joseph.

Vald: I was twenty years old and had two kids with two different fathers. I was a child myself, a teenage tearaway you could say and I couldn’t support you both. I wanted to but I couldn’t. It was the hardest decision I’ve ever made. The couple I gave you both to seemed really nice. Your mum offered to keep me updated but I needed to cut all ties for my own sake….sanity.

Joseph: Nice. Huh? Appearances can be deceiving.

Vald: I suppose. The lad who was staying with me, well he’s undergoing a transition from a woman to a man. I know it took a while for me to get my head around it as well. He wanted to give something back for all the help I’ve given him. I told him about you two and how I had to give you both up. His own parents abandoned him when he said he was transgender and he says it would mean the world to him if they got in contact with him. He’d reconcile with them in a heartbeat……I hope you can see I’m not a cold hearted cow…..

Joseph: It really wasn’t for the best. You had good intentions…..you weren’t to know….no one knows what goes on behind closed doors, do they?

Vald looks perplexed as Joseph looks to the floor tearfully.

Vald: What do you mean Joseph? What did they do to you? …….I’ll kill them….They gave me their word!

Joseph: You don’t want to know what went on. Suffice to say, he did a stretch in bird for it and we cut ties with Julia or mum as you call her. Matthew is abroad. He managed to make a life for himself in France…….we always wondered if we have the same dad?……

Vald: Yes. He joined the Royal Navy. His parents made sure of it. To get away from ‘hussies’ like me. He died suddenly in 2002. He had an underlying heart condition. I can tell you all about him. What did your dad do to you?

Joseph stares at Vald with tear-filled eyes.

Joseph: He abused us. He sexually abused us.

Joseph breaks down and a shocked Vald staggers over to comfort him. She kisses his head.

Vald: I’m so sorry Joe. I’m so so sorry.

Vald holds her son while he sobs into her arms. Back on the Square, Sharon storms up Bridge Street market and runs into David who is exiting the pub while on the phone to Carol.

David: Alright Carol. I’ll be home in five. Keep the bed warm…..Sharon, you look like you’ve seen a ghost!

Sharon: Walford’s full of them David. Is Carol Hanley in? I need to talk to her…

Sharon and David sit down on the bench outside the pub.

David: What is it Sharon? You know you can talk to me.

Sharon: It’s Gavin. He claims he’s my father. I need to talk to Carol.

David: What?.......Sharon, whatever you do don’t go in there all guns blazing.

Sharon: Don’t tell me what to do David. I ‘ave enough people in my life telling me what to do. I won’t be a made a fool of.

David: You know you’re sexy when you’re angry? I always wonder how you managed to escape my charms. You can do a lot better than those baldy Mitchell brothers.

David attempts to kiss Sharon but she pushes him away. Janine exits the pub.

Janine: David! Carol is worried about you. She asked me to check you haven’t been jumped by some heavies.

David: Derek’s dead, isn’t he?

Janine sees that Sharon is distressed and gives David the nod to go on home. Janine helps Sharon up from the bench.

Janine: Come here Sharon. I’ll help you home. Us Queen Vic landladies have to stick together.

Sharon (smiles): Thanks Janine. All those times I babysat you are finally paying off.

Janine: Anytime you want to look after Scarlett just ask.

Gavin watches as Janine takes Sharon home. Peggy’s startled by the sight of Sharon.

Peggy: What’s happened her? What have done to her Janine?

Jay hears the commotion and enters. Janine gives him the signal to take Sharon up to bed.

Janine: I heard you were back. Make sure you pop over to the Vic for a G&T. It’s on me. I’m rich now!

Janine smirks and leaves. Peggy watches as Jay struggles with Sharon. Ben greets Janine as they cross paths. Ben enters.

Peggy: What now? It’s like Piccadilly Circus in ‘ere tonight.

Ben: Gran!

Ben embraces Peggy.

Ben: Have any of you seen Roxy? Shirley rang her to say that Dean’s conscious but she never showed up at the hospital.

Peggy: She was here when she got the call and rushed off. I assumed she was still there, she hasn’t picked up Amy yet!

Peggy: Ronnie!

Outside Walford, Joe’s sadness turns to anger and he turns on Vald.

Joseph: It’s all your fault. You put us in the arms of those monsters. Julie knew rightly well what was going on. She turned a blind eye. She was scared of him. We all were.

Vald: I want to make it up to you Joe!

Joseph: It’s too late. The damage is done.

Joseph ushers Vald out.

Joseph: I hope you can sleep at night!

Joseph slams the door in Vald’s face. Vald stands sobbing on the doorstep.

Vald gets the duff duff.

Coming Next #INSOMNIA

I'm really enjoying reading these, DS Forumers in EastEnders mixing with the Walford lot!

Thanks Retro!

DS ENDERS ANNOUNCEMENT:

A special one-off Christmas special has been commissioned. Episode 140 will transport readers to Christmas Day 2015. Exact details are being kept under wraps but the show’s producer, writer, storyliner and creator, dullagj2, has teased that, ‘Christmas is never quiet in Walford and DS Enders’ first Christmas Day centred episode will be no different.’

It has been reported by the Metro and Digital Spy that the series 8 finale will take place on New Year’s Day 2015 but Christmas Day 2014 will be skimmed over. One reporter stated that time jumps have come to be expected from DS Enders and with no mention of a ninth series, this special could be the final episode ever written.

In a preview to fans, it was stated that they will be introducing Aaron’s sister, Lea Silver, who has a reckless and tempestuous streak. The Silvers are definitely characters to watch. We also haven’t seen the last of Dan, he will be involved in a mystery that will have you questioning the residents of Albert Square. Relationships will be tested and unrequited love will cause friction between different character groups.


It was also hinted that we will unravel the many facets of Gavin’s character as he becomes a major force as we hurtle towards the series 8 finale. There’s also the small matter of the part he played in TK’s murder. That will blow up spectacularly in his face and he will be left clawing back the fragments of his life desperately as it all comes tumbling down around him.

Series 8 will reach a thrilling conclusion in the coming weeks. Stay tuned!

[Opening montage] Insomnia plays.

Sharon relives the moment Dean was shot but its Dennis’ head she envisions on Dean’s body. Gavin sits in the darkness. Vald walks into her front garden in a daze, cold and confused. Los and Toni get intimate. Aaron is awoken by his vibrating phone. Peggy flushes the toilet and washes her hands, she looks in the mirror and squints with the light. Janine turns off the lights in the pub. Ronnie stares at an unconscious Roxy.

Sharon is awoken by her nightmare and lies awake in bed beside Phil. Phil soon wakens as she twists and turns. He asks her what’s wrong? Sharon states that Gavin called into the club tonight when she was there. Phil remains confused. Sharon continues, ‘You know the bloke that lives with Cora. Gavin is his name. He said….he says that he’s my dad!’ Sharon looks at Phil who doesn’t know what to say.

Los and Toni are disturbed by Paula and Mo rowing in the adjacent room. Toni tells Los to ignore it but the rowing voices augment and they soon hear a bang, ‘you job shy, good for nothing, piece of…. ’ Patrick knocks on Paula’s door to keep the noise down and there’s soon silence. The situation remains on Los’ mind and he asks her if she thinks that Paula may be knocking Mo about like she did Ken. Toni refuses to jump to conclusions and says she’ll talk with her mum in the morning.

Vald struggles to put the key in the lock, still shaken by the night’s events. She walks limply into the kitchen and places her key on the table. She looks around her immaculately cleaned kitchen with tears in her eyes. She puts on the hall light and walks solemnly to her bedroom. As she draws the curtains, she breaks down and cries as she looks at the bed. Back at the Mitchells, Sharon explains that it all adds up, ‘Carol knew but she didn’t tell me. I don’t want anything to do with her. I don’t want anything to do with either of them.’ Phil plays devil’s advocate by pointing out how difficult that will be with both of them living across the Square. Sharon is adamant, ‘They are strangers. I don’t need them. I’ve got you. I’ve got Denny….Ben, Jay. Ian and Dot… I don’t mind Gary.’ Phil questions if Gary also knew Gavin’s true identity.

Carol is still awake writing her letter to Sharon in the kitchen. Janine makes her way to bed having locked up downstairs. She is startled by Carol. Janine is amused to hear that she is writing a letter to Sharon about her paternity as she looks at the scrunched up paper on the floor and the half-drank coffee mug on the table. Janine puts her out of her misery and tells her that Gavin already knows, ‘He told her tonight. She wanted to talk to you but she was in no fit state. I took her home.’ Carol frets that she has blown it but Janine promises to talk to Sharon tomorrow. ‘I’ll explain why you kept it from her. She knows me’ Janine assures.

Vaslav is frightened as he turns on the living room light to find Gavin sitting pensively in the dark. They both query what the other is doing up. Gavin sighs that he told Sharon he is her father and she didn’t react how he expected her to. Vaslav smiles, ‘What did you think she was going to do? She’s a grown woman who’s lived the best part of her life without you!’ Gavin grows irate before remarking the funeral attire draped over the armchair. Gavin looks knowingly at Vaslav who tearfully implies that it should be him being buried today, ‘You think you’re dealing with it and then it just hits you. Like a ton of bricks. I can’t go. I can’t face it.’ Gavin says he’ll regret it if he doesn’t go, ‘I didn’t go to my mum’s funeral. I wish I did….It’ll give you closure. Cora said she’s going too!’ Vaslav sighs that Cora isn’t exactly the sentimental type; ‘She’ll be eyeing up the buffet even if there’s a butler in the buff!’

Peggy goes downstairs for a glass of water and sees Jay sitting on the sofa. She apologises for uprooting him unexpectedly. Jay states that he’s used to it; ‘I just wanted a place that me and Abi could call our own. Feel like I’d made something of myself. That doesn’t make me a bad person, does it?’ Peggy sympathises with him but urges him to put a stop to his dealing; ‘You’ve got all the time in the world to be a grown up Jay. Trust me, owning your own place isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Dealing isn’t the answer. If you start saving now, you’ll have enough for a deposit in no time. Jase wouldn’t want you putting yourself in danger like this. It doesn’t end well.’ Jay hugs Peggy and promises to stop.

Phil and Sharon are still awake in bed conversing. Phil opens up about his own worries, fearing that he’ll never been the same again following his cancer treatment. Sharon tries to put his mind at rest, ‘It’ll take time to get back to your old self. We’re not getting any younger, are we? You need to take it easy.’ Phil sighs that he doesn’t want to get old, ‘And I feel old. I can’t be a father to Dennis.’ Sharon kisses him and tries to reassure him, ‘I knocked back David Wicks tonight. He made a pass at me. I don’t want anyone else. I want you. You’re a great dad to Denny.’ Phil smiles while quietly seething.

Aaron continues to reject calls from Lea on his mobile. He, Priscilla and Sez are soon woken by incessant knocking. Sez runs into Priscilla’s room and ponders aloud if mona has escaped. Priscilla quips that she can’t see through walls. Aaron pulls up the bedroom window and is taken aback to see his sister, Lea, standing in the front garden. She shouts up to him, ‘Let me in Aaron or I’ll tell the whole Square what you were in juvie for!’ Sez looks at Priscilla. Aaron runs downstairs to let her in while his housemates wonder what they have let themselves in for. Priscilla fetches a spare duvet and throws it over the sofa. Lea smiles, ‘You won’t even know I’m here. I swear. Drinks on me tomorrow!’ Aaron’s brow furrows as they ask for his reassurance about Lea. The girls head back to bed, Sez locks her door.

The sun rises in Walford and the birds can be heard twittering as the milk float enters the Square. Scrabbler is up and ready for the funeral. Skye straightens his tie as he pops his pill with a glass of water. Across the Square, Vaslav can’t face breakfast as Cora puts the finishing touches to her make-up. Cora is surprised to see the amicable relations between Gavin and Vaslav, ‘Has hell frozen over?’ Phil fills his mum in on Sharon’s daddy drama at the breakfast table. Peggy tells him that he needs to step up and be there for her, ‘like she was during your cansa.’ The market is eerily quiet as the traders cease business as a mark of respect.

Roxy is alarmed to regain consciousness and find that Ronnie has parked the car on the edge of a quarry. She pleads with a silent Ron not to do anything hasty, ‘Please. Think of Amy. Think of my little girl.’ A tear trickles down Ronnie’s cheek, she looks at her sister ‘This is it Roxanne. Dad’s haunted me all my life. Not anymore. I won’t let you be controlled by men any longer either. This is the only way. Amy will understand.’ Roxy’s sadness turns to anger, ‘What is this Ron? Thelma and Louise? If you really loved me, you would leave Walford and let me live my life. You’re jealous. You’re jealous of my life. A life you can never have because you are too cold to let anyone in.’ Ronnie cries that Archie made her like this. Roxy quips, ‘So you’re going to let him win after all this time. You need a new start Ron, just like when we came to Walford. A fresh start.’ The sisters grip onto each other as the car teeters on the edge….

Meanwhile, back on the Square, Amy wanders out of the house in her pyjama’s looking for her mum. ‘Mummy! Mummy!’ Amy cries as she walks into the Square Gardens. MrJames is on his way to work and notices Amy walking alone. He talks to her and takes her hand as he recognises her as Roxy’s child. Stacey is leaving Lily to school and is unnerved to see a stranger with Amy. She approaches MrJames, ‘what do you think you’re doing?’

[Closing montage]

Mo mouse leaves the B&B hurriedly but Los and Toni remark his bruised eye. Mo stutters that he fell in the shower before leaving. Los looks at Toni and Kim complains that it’s hard to sleep as it is ‘without them screaming like banshees in the middle of the night.’ Vaslav hugs Scrabbler before getting into the cab. Sharon struggles to get out of bed as the camera pans to a bedridden Vald who also can’t face the world. Lea takes in the Walford sights as Sez bangs on Ian’s door. When Ben answers the door, she demands to know ‘who the **** is Aaron? I want to know who I am sharing a house with!’ Ronnie and Roxy jump from the car as it falls over the edge, they breathe heavily as they lie stretched out on the ground.

Ronnie gets the duff duff.

Coming Next #UNSTOPPABLE

I think I should weep a thousand tears now

You as a sister

I know you love me really

I have made my debut,exciting stuff

Roxy crawls over and stares down at the drop. The camera swoops down to where the car lies smashed on the ground before panning out. Ronnie lies on the ground, staring at the sky whilst catching her breath. Roxy turns around and looks at her sister in anger.

Stacey takes Amy over to the Mitchells having given MrJames an earful. MrJames walks down the solemn, eerily quiet market as the streets seem to close in on him. Phil is bemused that Amy has managed to get out of the house without anyone noticing. Phil thanks Stacey as Denny rushes over to Ian’s. Phil rings Roxy but gets no reply. Peggy enters and tells Phil that Roxy has enough on her plate, ‘Give Amy the day off.’ Stacey and Peggy exchange pleasantries and leave the Mitchell house together with Lily. Stacey asks about Dean but Peggy’s mind is preoccupied by Ronnie.

Peggy barges into the car lot and asks Max if he knows where Ronnie is. Max is bewildered and states that he has nothing to do with her. Peggy launches a tirade against him as Lucy and David watch on in amusement. ‘I thought you’d have learnt your lesson. All you put poor Bradley through. You just can’t help yourself, can you?’ Peggy squawks. Max senses that something is wrong and heads to the gym where he breaks in to find a suicide note from Ronnie…..Phil demands to know what is going on when Max rocks up on the doorstep with the note. Peggy cries that she didn’t want him to worry. Peggy tells Sharon to get out of bed and stop feeling sorry for herself, ‘We need you to mind Amy. Family emergency.’ The three of them; Max, Phil and Peggy, hop into the Range Rover. Peggy states that it’s a cry for help, remarking the location on the note, ‘Where is this quarry?’ Max quips that he thought Peggy was going to be the sat nav. Talk soon turns to Jay and Peggy suggests that Max should let Jay move in until they have a deposit for their own place.

Roxy grabs hold of her sister and drags her towards the edge of the quarry. Ronnie squirms for her life and promises to leave Walford. Roxy spits, ‘It’s not nice when you’re not in control, is it? You can’t handle it Ron. All my life, you have controlled me. I don’t want to be….I won’t be your puppet any more. Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t throw you over the edge right now!’ There’s a silence as a tear trickles down Ronnie’s face as she stares at her own mortality, ‘Because I’m your sistaa. Anything I do, I do because I love you.’ Roxy gulps as she loosens her grip on her sister.

Janine knocks on Sharon’s door and is struck by the state she’s in. Sharon invites her in and puts on the kettle. Janine assures her that no one told her about Gavin because they had her best interests at heart. Sharon asks if Gary knew and is disheartened to find out that he did. Janine leaps to his defence and drops the bombshell that Gavin was responsible for TK’s death. Sharon takes the news in as Janine reiterates that he’s a criminal that she should stay well clear of. Sharon states that she’s seen the looks between her and Gary. Janine becomes coy before admitting that she’s torn between two brothers. Sharon can’t help but laugh at her situation. Janine tells her to get herself over to the wake later, ‘Amy can play with Scarlett upstairs.’

Roxy lets go of Ronnie and walks off in frustration. Ronnie feels her phone vibrating and sees that she has a string of missed calls. Her phone has little battery left and she rings Peggy. A distressed Peggy is relieved to hear Ronnie’s voice on the other end of the phone and asks for directions. When the trio arrive on the scene, Ronnie is thrown to see that Max is with them. Roxy sobs into Peggy’s arms as Max tells Ronnie that he’s glad she’s ok. Phil rolls his eyes and orders them all into the Rover.

Toni confronts Paula about her treatment of Mo mouse. Paula breaks down as she recounts how she loses her temper and lashes out, ‘I don’t mean to. I fly into a rage. I can’t help myself. Mo hasn’t worked a day in his life. I’m on the verge of being thrown out of here, I can’t afford it and he thinks he can sponge of me. I won’t be taken for a mug. Your father treated me like one for long enough.’ Toni tells her that she needs some anger management classes, ‘You’re just as bad as dad. First Ken, now Mo….you need help mum.’ Paula states that she is going to call time on their relationship. Over at the chippie, MrJames opens up to IanMandy, ‘I tried to help a little girl this morning and I got branded a pervert. I can’t seem to fit in around here. I’m tired of coming home to an empty flat and staring at the same four walls.’ IanMandy states that he’s too busy running the chippie to even have a social life.

Ben texts Aaron that Sez has been round asking questions. Lea is busy getting Sez and Cilla onside when Aaron storms in. ‘Bro, I’m telling them why I call you Dame Aaron. We knew from the cradle. He came out at birth and said I’m never going through that again.’ The girls burst into laughter as Aaron asks to speak to Lea in private. Sez states that he doesn’t have to hide anything which riles Aaron. ‘If you have a question to ask me Sez, ask me directly instead of going behind my back!’ Aaron spits. Lea mimics a cat and tells him to stop getting his knickers in a twist, ‘You never could handle me being the prettier, smarter sibling.’ Aaron tells her not to get too comfortable.

The funeral crowd gather at The Vic for drinks. Gavin is keen to woo Janine now that Sharon has given him the cold shoulder. Gavin tells Janine about his plans to buy the Minute Mart and Laundrette and convert them into a supermarket at the bar, ‘I’m looking for someone to invest. It would bring a lot more business to your pub and the market.’ Janine feigns interest. Sharon enters to pay her respects and texts Phil to meet her there when he gets home. She sits beside Cora who is already worse for wear. ‘You’re drinking yourself into an early grave Cora’ Sharon states, ‘I watched my mother do it.’ Cora downs the rest of her drink, ‘And what? You don’t want to watch your step mum do it? Mind your own!’ Gavin approaches and offers to buy them both a drink. Sharon retorts, standing up and whispering in his ear, ‘I don’t drink with murderers!’ Gavin smirks, looking her directly in the face ‘No you marry them and have their sprog.’ Sharon walks to the bar and tells Janine that she’s struggling to bite her lip. Janine asks her to trust her.

Peggy tells Ronnie to stay in Aunt Sal’s and she’ll arrange flights to Portugal for the end of the week. Ronnie tries to apologise to Roxy but she blanks her and goes to the pub to see Amy. Max shuffles away awkwardly. Phil tells Ronnie that he’ll sell the gym and send her the cash. Ronnie packs her things as Peggy and Phil go the pub. At the Vic, Stacey tells Kat about the Amy incident this morning, ‘You don’t know what creeps are lurking around here.’ Peggy susses out Gavin as Janine gives her a warm welcome. Peggy and Janine raise their glass to Pat. Phil raises his orange juice to David and Carol. Carol Hanley shows her face but doesn’t approach Sharon. David asks Janine what time the fireworks are starting tomorrow. Phil butts in, ‘I don’t know Wicks. Is it before or after you try to make another move on my fiancé?’

Mo mouse arrives back at the B&B with an empty suitcase as Toni and Paula prepare to eat. Mo states that he’s moving back in with Geraldine, ‘She knows her place. She knows how to cook a leg of lamb. And she knows how to iron my y-fronts!’ Paula tries to apologise but Mo blanks her. Back at the pub, Carol Jackson asks if Phil’s claims are true. Phil continues, ‘He tried it on with her last night. One woman never was enough for you Wicks.’ David follows Carol out as Phil sips gleefully from his orange juice. Sharon waits for the ground to swallow her up as Peggy states that he got off lightly.

[CLOSING MONTAGE - UNSTOPPABLE ]

I break down, only alone I will cry out loud
You'll never see what's hiding out
Hiding out deep down, yeah, yeah
I know I've heard that to let your feelings show
Is the only way to make friendships grow
But I'm too afraid now, yeah, yeah

I'll put my armor on,
Show you how strong I am
I'll put my armor on,
I'll show you that I am

I'm unstoppable

Ronnie takes a black cab out of Walford. Mo mouse storms through the gardens followed by his suitcase. Roxy cuddles Amy. Gavin tells Cora that they’ll be sunning themselves by the end of the month. Janine tells Sharon to leave Gavin to her. Toni tells Paula she can move in with her and Los. Carol tells David that she’s going to stay with Bianca and doesn’t know when or if she will be back. David watches as she walks out on him.

David gets the duff duff.

Coming Next #BLOOD #135

Dean breathes in the air of Albert Square once again as Shirley helps him out of the black cab and into the flat where he is greeted by Roxy and Amy with a welcome home cake and banner. They’re all overcome with emotion as Dean embraces Roxy and Amy squeals that she’s made Dean a card. Dean is surprised to see the card is addressed ‘To Dad’ as Roxy assures Shirley that Ronnie won’t be showing her face around here ever again.

David tells Janine that Carol has informed him that she won’t be returning to Walford anytime soon. Janine asks if that means he can do more shifts at the pub. David sighs that they’re flat out at the car lot but ‘I’ll be here for breakfast, dinner and tea.’ Carol Hanley tells Tracey that she’s pleased there’ll be no more ‘Carol’ mix-ups as they set about getting the pub ready for J-B’s birthday party. On Turpin Road, Paula is still residing with Los and Toni. Los is losing patience with the situation and doesn’t buy Paula’s ‘acceptance.’ He states that he’s going to the shelter but he hops on a bus and heads to Val’s.

Lotty bumps into Scrabbler as she does her home visits. She asks how he’s doing as they make small talk about Dan’s sentencing yesterday and Dean getting home. Scrabbler states that he will miss the gym now it’s closed as the exercise has been really helping him to keep on top of his low moods. Lotty encourages him to keep up the jogging and suggests that he gets a jogging buddy, ‘Phil’s buyer might keep it as a gym’ Lotty looks at Dean’s flat with trepidation. Scrabbler adds that he won’t know what to do with himself in a few months when he’s no longer the Executive Producer of EastEnders, ‘It has been my way of giving back to the community whereas Dan’s actions have had an adverse effect on us and we will be feeling the consequences of it for months, even years to come.’ Elsewhere, Harlowe and J-B kiss as they go their separate ways to work, excited for tonight’s festivities.

Carol talks to Gary about Dan’s sentencing when he enters the pub to check up on her. Gary reiterates that life doesn’t mean life these days as Carol states that at least the baby is giving them something to look forward to. Gary adds that Keyser is going to give him some hours at the bookies. Janine asks Carol to look for the other banners in the kitchen but she ends up stumbling across Janine’s letter from dullagj….Gary takes a phonecall from Kim as he exits the Vic upon acknowledging Janine. Kim squeals that she wants a place of her own, ‘This is my first baby. It will probably be my only baby. I don’t want Dee and Patrick interfering!’ Gary says there’s a flat for rent on George Street but it’s out of their price range. Kim adds that he’s going to have to move out of Dot’s once the baby comes, ‘I need my beauty sleep an’ all you know!’

A tired Sharon wonders how long Peggy will be staying and tells Jay that the house is quiet without him when she bumps into him at the café. Jay tells her that he has settled in chez Brannings. Sharon calls into Dean and tells him there’s a free round of drinks with his name on them at Angie’s Den. Roxy asks her if she could check Stacey hasn’t run the salon into the ground and collect Amy from school. A visibly exhausted Sharon reluctantly accepts. Outside the Square, Los is taken aback by the sight of Vald. He can’t believe the mess of the house and opens all her curtains to let some light in before setting about cleaning up the place. Val is quiet and withdrawn as she stares at the cup of tea he’s placed in front of her.

IanMandy’s fish Friday offer has 0…0 fuming as she watches her business venture drift closer to the brink. She lambasts IanMandy for his dirty tactics and putting small businesses like hers out of business. IanMandy tells her to stop moaning and show her business acumen. 0…0 storms back to her pitch, face like thunder and starts selling her fish at cost price in desperation. The rest of the market is anticipating J-B’s birthday according to J-B but he’s secretly afraid that no will show up. Kat quips that she’s surprised he turned up for work today. Peter says that he would miss the attention.

Lotty secretly enters the prison to visit Dan. He is pleased to see a friendly face but he uses the situation to his own advantage and produces a letter he has received from someone on the Square. ‘Someone from Walford is writing to me. They haven’t signed it but the address says ‘Walford e20.’ They want to visit me….’ Back on the Square, MrJames is waiting on his service wash in The Laundrette. Gary enters to tell Dot that he’s got a job and he’s looking at getting his own place before the baby comes. Dot feigns happiness for him as he tells her he won’t be home for dinner. Dot sits down beside MrJames and recognises the loneliness in his face. MrJames opens up to her, ‘I’m in my early 20’s but how come I feel so lonely? I’ve never been good at making at friends and no one has time around here. It’s really getting me down.’ Dot tells him that she’s got a spare room at hers….

At the Vic, Lea rubs Ben up the wrong way when she jokes that he was Aaron’s b!tch in juvie. Carol holds the letter from dullagj in her hand and waits for the right moment to confront Janine. CherryRose is very self-conscious as she enters in her red coat, stilettos and cherry lipstick. One of the punters likens her entrance to an earthquake but she pretends not to hear them and joins the market traders. Sorcha and Priscilla are working behind the bar. Sorcha tells her that her and Maurice want a ‘sten.’ The pub cheers as J-B makes a grand entrance.

Los tells Vald that he has to go to the shelter but he’ll be back. Vald blames him for the state that she’s in, ‘I should have never went there. The past is the past. I should never have listened!’ Los says he’ll bring back some food, visibly concerned for her wellbeing. Los tells Maurice about Vald when he reaches the shelter. Maurice tells Los that he needs to stay with her tonight, he can’t leave her on her own when she’s in such a state. Los tells Maurice that it’s all his fault as he urged her to reconnect with her sons. Maurice comments that he had Val’s best interests at heart, ‘You probably felt guilty cos you left her on her own. You wanted to give something back, for all the help she gave you. Remember?’

Harlowe is busy as she tries to get finished early for the party. She asks the customer if they’re cold, as she shivers but they state that’s why they’re buying a hot coffee. Amid the panic to get home, she feels her rapid heartbeat and struggles to breathe. As Harlowe goes to leave she collapses on the ground. A crowd gathers around her as one of them calls an ambulance. Maurice hears the commotion and runs over to the Pact Coffee shop. He’s shocked as he sees an unconscious Harlowe.

Carol watches as Gavin shows Janine his plans for the supermarket but he can’t get started until he receives her investment. Janine says she hasn’t made her decision yet and will get back to him. J-B is enjoying being the centre of attention and thanks all the market traders for showing up but he watches his watch, still waiting for that special someone to arrive. He’s embarrassed as Josie (mum) and B-J (brother) enter the pub. Josie tells him that Harlowe invited them. J-B keeps one eye on the door. Maurice enters the pub and J-B is alarmed by the look on his face. Maurice gathers his breath, ‘J-B, it’s Harlowe. She’s collapsed in the coffee shop. The ambulance is on its way.’ J-B looks at him in horror as the camera pans around the gleeful pub full of decorations, food and punters.

J-B gets the duff duff.

Coming Next

ooh DJ you naughty boy what have you been up to?

Loving the JB focus but I must have missed his relationship with Harlowe 😮