EastEnders reveals Eddie Knight's dying wish in troubling return story in early BBC iPlayer release

Nicola Mitchell (Laura Doddington) has received a huge shock in EastEnders, after coming face-to-face with partner George Knight's (Colin Salmon) vile adoptive father Eddie (Christopher Fairbank).

Eddie has been in prison since 2024, when he was sent down for the historic murder of George's birth father, Henry Asare. Initially arriving in Walford alongside wife Gloria (Elizabeth Counsell), it quickly transpired that their motives for reuniting with their son were deeply sinister.

George discovered that he was adopted from West Africa as part of a baby farming agreement, and when Henry was sent to the UK to collect him, Gloria pleaded with Eddie to do whatever it took to stop him.

With a number of his racist cronies, Eddie beat Henry to death before stuffing his body into a suitcase and throwing it into the canal. A young George witnessed the incident, unaware of Henry's true identity.

In court, George gave Eddie a damning character reference, and he was put behind bars. On the same day, Gloria became unwell and passed away.

He took control of the funeral arrangements, banishing George from attending the ceremony and not telling him when it was taking place.

George has had no contact with Eddie since, though that could be about to change.

In today's episode, he returned home from hospital with Nicola and their newborn daughter Ivy, and were surprised to see the extended Knight-Mitchell clan hosting a surprise party for them.

It became apparent that Nicola was fearful of premature Ivy becoming unwell, and refused to allow Honey Mitchell (Emma Barton) to hold the child. The atmosphere could be cut with a knife, and Nic' ordered everyone to leave.

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Later that day, she shared a heart-to-heart with Gina Knight (Francesca Henry), and admitted that her mother and sister were always overbearing during her first two pregnancies, and she feared that happening again.

George then asked where his phone was, as he'd handed his number over to the community midwife so that they could keep in touch on Ivy's development. Nicola found the device, and was shocked to see a series of missed calls.

She assumed they'd come from the hospital, though the person on the other side of the line was much worse.

"Where is he? Tell him he's got to come and see me. It's his dad," Eddie grunted down the phone.

Nicola charged over to the hospital to confront him, seeking answers about why he so desperately wanted to reconnect with George after almost two years of estrangement. She branded Eddie a scumbag, and said that as far as George was concerned, he was still inside.

Eddie explained that he had terminal cancer, and begged her to help him "make things up with [his] boy" before he dies.

How will Nicola react?

Read more:

• EastEnders confirms return of S Club 7 star for Nigel Bates's emotional funeral scenes
• 7 EastEnders spoilers this week: Twisted villain Eddie Knight returns and drops a huge bombshell
• EastEnders first-look pictures reveal Grant's return – and Mitchell family reunion after 10 years
• EastEnders reveals Vicki and Zack's blackmailer in early BBC iPlayer release - and it's not who you'd expect

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