8 EastEnders spoilers next week: Harry and Nicola Mitchell exact twisted revenge plot on Ravi Gulati
Julie makes a decision for Nigel, Sam prepares for her operation and Linda meets an old face.
Tensions boil over in EastEnders next week as Harry Mitchell (Elijah Holloway) decides to get revenge on Ravi Gulati (Aaron Thiara), who lured him into a drugs operation that made him dependent on narcotics.
As with most Mitchell dramas, it isn't a one-man job – as Nicola (Laura Doddington) soon intervenes and devastating consequences follow.
Meanwhile, amid Nigel Bates's (Paul Bradley) worsening cognitive ability, his wife Julie (Karen Henthorn) leaves Walford to secure finances for his care.
Elsewhere, a newcomer is arriving in Albert Square, as Linda Carter (Kellie Bright) catches up with an old friend...
Here's everything happening in EastEnders between Monday 5th January and Thursday 8th January 2026.
8 EastEnders spoilers for next week
1. Phil Mitchell and Julie Bates take Nigel to visit a care home
Phil Mitchell and Julie Bates take Nigel Bates to a care home to talk through options for people living with dementia, and are told that if they want him to have a place, they'll have to make a quick decision.
This is, understandably, quite distressing for Nige, and they have to take him home and continue their search elsewhere.
Phil argues that his pal should have a say in what his next moves are when Julie begins to look for other care homes, and later the men have a heart-to-heart. Nigel explains that he'd love to go to the beach.
Julie is forced to make a difficult move and sell their family home in Scotland, so that they can raise the funds to support their care for Nigel.
2. The events of Christmas continue to cast a shadow over the Slaters
After a particularly eventful Christmas Day, which saw Anthony Trueman (Nicholas Bailey) murdered and Zoe Slater (Michelle Ryan) arrested, the fallout continues, and it's not a pleasant time for the Slaters!
Kat Moon (Jessie Wallace) heads on a mission to help imprisoned Zoe - could it be connected to the recent return of Chrissie Watts (Tracy-Ann Oberman)?
Elsewhere, Jean Slater's (Gillian Wright) mental health takes a backward step as a result of all the family dramas.
Following interventions from Lily Slater (Gillian Wright), Eve Panesar-Unwin (Heather Peace) and Yolande Truemam (Angela Wynter), Alfie Moon (Shane Richie) tries to get Jean to open up - but her behaviour is a cause for more concern.
- Read More: EastEnders star Nicholas Bailey breaks silence after Anthony Trueman killed off in grisly murder
3. Sam Mitchell prepares for her lumpectomy
After receiving her cancer diagnosis before Christmas, Sam Mitchell (Kim Medcalf) is finally given a date for her lumpectomy.
In emotional scenes, she confides in Alfie about her health.
Sam is later seen in images speaking with big brother Phil.
Will Sam get the support she needs from her family?
4. Ravi Gulati is spiked by the Mitchells and lashes out after a scary night...
A vengeful Harry Mitchell has his eye on Ravi Gulati, but mum Nicola Mitchell (Laura Doddington) warns that he should wait for the right opportunity. However, after seeing the Gulatis' perfect family life, he's triggered into putting his plan into action.
Nicola steps in to stop him from using violence and decides to make her own plan that will make Ravi pay for what he did.
The next day, while the rest of Ravi's family attends a meeting with Suki Panesar-Unwin (Balvinder Sopal) and her wife, Eve, relating to their adoption process, Ravi is left alone and heads to Harry's Barn to drown his sorrows alongside a grieving Patrick Trueman (Rudolph Walker). There, scheming Nic spikes his drink with drugs.
Ravi later staggers down Turpin Road, and Harry leads him to The Arches, where he begins to suffer hallucinations. Harry's plans are interrupted by his uncle Billy Mitchell (Perry Fenwick), however, leaving Ravi alone.
Later, Ravi's partner Priya Nandra-Hart (Sophie Khan Levy), half-brother Vinny Panesar (Shiv Jalota) and son Davinder "Nugget" Gulati (Juhaim Rasul Choudhury) are all concerned when Ravi doesn't return home, unaware of the state he's in, and head out to look for him.
At The Arches, Ravi has collapsed into the pit, and while he manages to climb out and make his way to the Square, his visions are intensifying, and he lashes out, leading to terrible consequences...
5. Linda Carter takes a trip down memory lane
Johnny Carter (Charlie Suff) hears that his mum Linda is conflicted about attending her school reunion and urges her to go, accompanied by pal Honey Mitchell (Emma Barton).
The women head to the event, under the pretence that Honey is 'Bea' - another former pupil that Linda once knew. However, they get more than they bargained for when the real Bea (Ronni Ancona) is already inside the venue.
Linda isn't best pleased either when Bea begins to reveal what Linda was like during her school days - and they have very different recollections of their teenage years.
6. Elaine Peacock declares war on Ian and Kathy Beale
The tension continues to bubble over between Elaine Pecock (Harriet Thorpe) and Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt) next week as their rivalry kicks up a gear.
Ian and his mum, Kathy Beale (Gillian Taylforth), discover that Elaine is launching a special breakfast offer and Peacock Palace - and is even badmouthing Kathy's Cafe in her leaflets!
We can't imagine the Beales will take this lying down.
7. Romance for Penny Branning and Vinny Panesar?
Storylines - and romance - have been quiet for both Penny Branning (Kitty Castledine) and, especially, Vinny Panesar (Shiv Jalota).
However, this looks set to change as next week, Penny's new flatmate and Jimmy Beale's fellow godmother, Gina Knight (Francesca Henry), reveals that she spied Penny with Vinny on New Year's Eve.
Penny rebuffs Gina's implications, describing what occurred as a "one-off".
Could the lady doth protest too much? We'll have to wait and see if there's hope for romance for Vinny...
8. Max Branning seeks to make positive changes
Following the dramatic and somewhat toxic events of last week, Max Branning (Jake Wood) reaches out to oldest children, Lauren Beale (Jacqueline Jossa) and Oscar Branning (Pierre Counihan-Moullier).
However, both want little to do with their father after the events of Jimmy's Christening and New Year's Eve the week before.
Desperate to prove he can be a good father, Max seeks to make some positive changes and heads off in search of a job.
Can Max Branning ever be redeemed? Either way, after New Year's Day flashforward episode, we'll have some clues...
Read More:
- EastEnders confirms no early BBC iPlayer release for explosive New Year's Day episode
- EastEnders icon Jake Wood reveals who he really thinks Max Branning’s true love is
- EastEnders boss teases love triangle scenes for Vicki Fowler as disturbed Joel Marshall finally goes to trial in 2026
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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.
