EastEnders airs frightening development for Linda Carter in early BBC iPlayer release

The BBC One soap has aired a difficult time in the past week for The Six after Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean) returned to Walford just as the cafe floor caved in, the body of Keanu Taylor (Danny Walters) was discovered, and Sharon was subsequently arrested on suspicion of her late fiancé's murder.

In Monday's episode, an exhausted Sharon woke up in a police cell asking after her lawyer. Back in Albert Square, a suited and booted Johnny Carter (Charlie Suff) prepared to go and defend Sharon as her lawyer, but was verbally lambasted by Keanu's sister Bernadette Taylor (Clair Norris) and step-cousin Felix Baker (Matthew Morrison) for doing so, both convinced of Sharon's guilt.

Prior to joining Sharon at the station, Johnny collected his drunken mother from the apartment of Sharon's half-brother Zack Hudson (James Farrar) and his partner Whitney Dean (Shona McGarty) and all maintained Sharon's innocence. At the same time, Zack refused to allow Sharon's son Albie to be cared for by his biological father Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden).

Upstairs in the Queen Vic, Johnny tried to instil calm among the rest of The Six. Still, a panicked Kathy Cotton (Gillian Taylforth) also revealed that her imprisoned husband Tom 'Rocky' Cotton (Brian Conley) had called her asking more questions after seeing about the body on the news and remembering seeing Sharon entering the cafe on Christmas night. Additionally, Kathy was stressed as she was aware her absent son Ben Mitchell (Max Bowden) was appearing in court in the US on charges of credit card fraud.

Johnny encouraged the women to stick to their stories as they would all be re-questioned and promised to get Sharon freed from custody.

At the station, Sharon maintained her innocence as she was questioned and Johnny lambasted Walford police for their lack of evidence against Sharon, and questioning their record, including regarding Keanu's staged kidnapping of Albie last year. However, the police maintained that the same staged kidnapping was merely another motive for Sharon to kill him.

The police also learned from Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt) that the tarpaulin from the skip outside Beale's Eels had gone missing on the night of Christmas night and Keanu's body had been wrapped in a sheet of tarpaulin.

Despite Johnny's efforts, Sharon was kept in custody and he was forced to return to the Square without her, but Johnny learned from her that Kathy was now in possession of the meat thermometer, the murder weapon.

Elsewhere, the community supported Bernie as she revealed she had not told her half-brother Keegan Baker (Zack Morris) or mother Karen Taylor (Lorraine Stanley) about Keanu's murder and her friends encouraged her to head to Spain to tell Karen as soon as possible and the community would help fund her journey.

As Sharon's guilt was questioned and assumed by some, her ex-husband Phil overheard and spoke up in her defence and defended her fleeing to Australia alongside Martin Fowler (James Bye).

Felix then turned on Phil and accused him of potentially aiding Sharon in murdering Keanu. However, Phil's estranged wife Kat Mitchell (Jessie Wallace) spoke up in his defence and offered and alibi for him on the night of Christmas Day.

Later, Phil thanked Kat for her kind words but she maintained that their marriage was over, she would be living full-time platonically with ex-husband Alfie Moon (Shane Richie) and their children, and suggested that no one would want to join Phil in his home any more.

However, upon overhearing that Denise Fox (Diane Parish) was struggling to live with Bernie's grief and didn't want that around her son Raymond, Phil then stepped in to offer Denise a place to stay with their son Raymond. Denise, having rejected a reconciliation with her husband Jack Branning (Scott Maslen) agreed but would pay rent, only feed her and Raymond, and maintained this was a temporary measure and should mean nothing more to Phil.

At the Queen Vic, the rumour mill continued to work overtime as Sharon's involvement was debated and Linda came to her best friend's defence and verbally sparred with Cindy Beale (Michelle Collins), questioning her record as an attempted murderer and mother.

Finally, at the Beales' home, Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner) responded to an invitation by Suki Panesar (Balvinder Sopal) and Kathy who debated whether they could rely on Sharon, Denise, and Linda and had given up too much to lose everything now.

When Johnny turned up without Sharon and asked if Kathy had disposed of the weapon, Kathy was evasive and the other ladies tried to leave but when pressed on it, Suki then revealed that the weapon was still in their possession.

They revealed that they were keeping hold of the weapon as an insurance policy and if they were implicated in the murder, they would utilise it to get plea deals and would help send down Linda if necessary!

As the story continues tomorrow, Linda will be left in shock when Johnny tells her about the plans of Kathy, Stacey and Suki and comes to an emotional decision about her future.

What will she decide and will the other women go along with her plan?

Read more:

• EastEnders cast: Who is joining, leaving and returning to the soap?
  
• EastEnders airs tearjerking final scenes for iconic couple in early BBC iPlayer release
• EastEnders’ Ben Mitchell exit was saved by emotional final scene
• EastEnders’ Gillian Taylforth reveals Kathy “has words” with Sharon amid body discovery
• EastEnders confirms massive classic boxsets to be added to BBC iPlayer in 2024
• EastEnders’ Dean Wicks gaslights Jean in evil plot – but has Harvey rumbled him?
• EastEnders’ Denise Fox finally dumps cheating Jack Branning – and plans divorce
• EastEnders characters recall memorable affairs amid Stacey and Jack scandal

EastEnders airs Monday to Thursday on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

Visit our dedicated EastEnders page for all the latest news, interviews and spoilers. If you’re looking for more to watch, check out our TV Guide and Streaming Guide.

Try Radio Times magazine today and get 10 issues for only £10 – subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.