EastEnders confirms unexpected exit for legendary character in the wake of Zoe Slater's lies in BBC iPlayer release

Zoe Slater (Michelle Ryan) has pushed things too far – sparking one resident's decision not to return to Walford.

Last week she admitted to mum Kat Moon (Jessie Wallace) that she had been telling one hell of a white lie concerning the paternity of her twins, who she abandoned in hospital shortly after their birth in 2006. Zoe didn't even wait to learn the fate of her daughter, and as far as we're aware, she passed away.

As for her estranged son, she thought up a quick plan to track him down – by implying that Dennis Rickman (Nigel Harman) was the baby daddy, though this later turned out not to be true.

Vicki Fowler (Alice Haig) was furious, knowing that the wool had been pulled over her sister Sharon Watts's (Letitia Dean) eyes.

Zoe knew that Sharon would be desperate to have any sort of connection to her late husband – even if the child wasn't her own – and in yesterday's instalment, we learnt that she had gone to great lengths, and not just by employing an expensive private investigator.

Following a trip to the Lake District with Vicki, she'd journeyed on to visit her granddaughter Alyssa Lennox in the hope her DNA would be just the key to finding Zoe's son. She'd also cashed in an ISA to fund the search, with Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt) agreeing to help her out.

However, in today's episode, Vicki had to break the bad news via a phone call that Dennis was not the dad.

Sharon reacted terribly, apparently breaking down and feeling like she'd lost her own son Denny all over again.

Needing some space from the horrific incident, she was planning to jet to Florida to visit her old pal Michelle Fowler (Susan Tully).

Vicki was asked to pack youngster Albie's bags and to meet her at the airport. It certainly doesn't sound like this will be a short trip!

As viewers will recall, Sharon was absent for a lengthy period earlier this year in the wake of Martin Fowler's (James Bye) death. She only returned from a 5 month stay in Australia last month.

How long will she be away for this time?

As for Zoe, the drama continued at The Queen Vic as Kat began to wonder whether her wicked ways were driving customers away from the boozer.

She told her daughter to get her priorities in order and stop lying, or to leave. Zoe saw this as a signal that she wanted her out – and she began to pack her bags.

However, before she could walk out into the dead of night, it appeared that she'd been targeted. A photo of Zoe and Kat was smashed and splattered with fake blood.

But who was responsible?

Read more:

• 5 EastEnders spoilers next week: Zoe Slater targeted as Eve Panesar-Unwin's estranged mother arrives
• EastEnders airs Nigel Bates's big confession in BBC iPlayer release – and biggest Jasmine clue yet
• EastEnders star 'to exit soap' following dramatic storyline

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