Is this the moment when cousins Lauren and Joey Branning realise that they have romantic feelings for each other? 

In next week’s EastEnders, Lauren, Whitney and Lucy decide to teach Joey a lesson. The girls are unimpressed by Joey’s carefree attitude towards relationships and come up with a plan to punish him. 

After luring him to the park with a text, Lucy handcuffs Joey to a bar in the playground. And once Lauren and Whitney come into view, he realises he’s been had.

The girls depart with the promise that he’ll be stuck there for a day, but Lauren soon has second thoughts and returns to uncuff him. 

Earlier in the week, Alice has told Lauren that the sure sign that Joey has feelings for a someone is when he tucks their hair behind their ear. So guess what the bad boy does upon being freed? Yes, you’ve guessed it – he toys with Lauren’s hair before uttering the words:

“Lauren, I do know why you don’t want Lauren to take me back, all right. I know.” 

So could this be the start of a taboo love between family members?

Another new relationship (or should that be reheated relationship?) in the offing is the one between Phil and Sharon. Sensing a chance to look upstanding and responsible in front of social services, Phil tries convince Sharon that she should pose as his partner so he can get a residency order for Lexi. 

“Don’t get me involved in one of your schemes again,” she warns.

Yet when it comes to the forms being signed, Phil orders his solicitor Jimmie to put Sharon’s name down on the document – as his fiancée.