EastEnders boss teases love triangle scenes for Vicki Fowler as disturbed Joel Marshall finally goes to trial in 2026
Ben Wadey reveals all on Vicki's love triangle and the next development in Joel's story.
It's been an eventful year for Vicki Fowler (Alice Haig) in EastEnders. Arriving in Walford alongside partner Ross Marshall (Alex Walkinshaw) and his son Joel (Max Murray), nobody could quite predict the sinister turn her life would take.
Joel – who had become entwined in a vicious online community of misogyny – began to berate her, tearing shreds off her character and claiming she'd failed as a woman because she'd never had children of her own.
She was fully aware of his various crimes and misdemeanours, even going as far as paying off one of his victims to protect him.
This, however, had disastrous consequences. Vicki and Ross's enablement of his actions made Joel feel indestructible, and he lashed out towards her, knocking her to the floor and repeatedly kicking her lifeless body.
Recent scenes have shown him profess his innocence, and it's not the end of the story, as executive producer Ben Wadey confirmed to RadioTimes.com and other media at a recent press screening.
"After the misogyny story this year, Joel was arrested. We've got his trial coming up, so we're going to see him again as he faces the consequences of his actions," he explained.
Want to see this content?
We're not able to show you this content from Google reCAPTCHA. Please sign out of Contentpass to view this content.
"He's pleading not guilty, and I think everyone's struggling with why on earth he put everyone through a trial. Vicky's really going through the wringer of that.
"Vicky wants to be committed so badly to Ross, but now associates with everything that happened with Joel."
It's not just Ross who is trying to win over Vicki, however. Zack Hudson (James Farrar) has been desperately flirting with her, and the two even shared a kiss following a heart-to-heart.
Wadey has confirmed this will now be a fully-fledged love triangle in 2026.
"Vicky's eye has been wandering slightly towards Zack. So we've got a big, soapy love triangle in the mix of the New Year," he teased.
So, are we team Ricki or team Zicki?
Visit our dedicated EastEnders page for all the latest news, interviews and spoilers.
Add EastEnders to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more.
Check out more of our Soaps coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guideto find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Authors
Michael Adams is the Soaps Editor at Radio Times, covering all of the hot gossip and spoilers from Weatherfield to Walford, Emmerdale to Hollyoaks and everywhere in-between. He joined the team from Metro, where he spent two years as a Soaps Reporter and previously worked on the sets of both Coronation Street and Emmerdale.
