5 EastEnders spoilers next week: Vicki Fowler and Zack Hudson targeted by mystery blackmailer
Bea has a date with Ian, Suki learns about Ravi and there's Branning drama.
Vicki Fowler's (Alice Haig) love triangle nightmare escalates in EastEnders next week, when she can't resist a kiss with Zack Hudson (James Farrar) on the night of her hen do.
The incident is witnessed by an unknown Walford resident, who snaps a quick photo and later tries to blackmail them. Will her fiancé Ross Marshall (Alex Walkinshaw) find out?
From one love triangle to another, and Oscar Branning (Pierre Counihan-Moullier) is conflicted over his feelings towards Josh Goodwin (Joshua Vaughan), and sparks fly between troubled Bea Pollard (Ronni Ancona) and Walford stalwart Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt)!
Elsewhere, tensions continue to simmer between Max Branning (Jake Wood) and Lauren Beale (Jacqueline Jossa), and Suki Panesar-Unwin (Balvinder Sopal) clocks something unusual with Ravi Gulati (Aaron Thiara).
Here's everything you need to know about the EastEnders episodes airing between 13 and 16 April.
5 EastEnders spoilers for next week
1. Vicki Fowler and Zack Hudson are blackmailed
On the day of Vicki and Ross’s hen and stag celebrations, romance is in short supply as the pair clash over Joel’s potential return to Walford.
The pair decide to draw a firm line in the sand, though she warns Ross that she won’t marry him if he puts Joel before her.
Meanwhile, Zack confides in Sam Mitchell (Kim Medcalf) about his past fling with Vicki, before being roped into hen party antics at The Vic when Kim Fox (Tameka Empson) recruits him as a last-minute stripper for the ‘60s-themed bash.
Kathy Beale (Gillian Taylforth) soon clocks the chemistry between Zack and Vicki and, horrified, takes drastic action by setting off the fire alarm to intervene.
Undeterred, Vicki and Zack slip outside and share a passionate kiss, only for Vicki to pull away when she hears Ross nearby. Zack is left reeling, and things take a darker turn when it becomes clear that someone is watching from the shadows and has secretly filmed the moment.
In the aftermath, Zack attempts to talk things through, but Vicki shuts him down, insisting nothing can happen between them. She’s later reassured when Ross promises to arrange alternative living plans for Joel.
A dejected Zack drowns his sorrows at Harry’s Barn, where Sam joins him for a heartfelt chat and reveals she’s had good news about her health. Trying to draw a line under events, he tells Vicki he’s moving on – but their relief is short-lived when she receives a blackmail text featuring an image of their kiss.
Panic sets in as Vicki and Zack scramble to identify their mystery tormentor, with suspicion briefly falling on Zoe Slater (Michelle Ryan).
Eventually, Vicki confesses all to brother Mark Fowler (Stephen Aaron-Sipple), who tracks the phone, while a careless remark from Ian raises further alarm bells.
Convinced he may be involved, Vicki confronts him alongside Zack and Mark at No.25, where the truth spills out. Ian learns of the affair and Kathy’s knowledge of their fling, and urges Vicki to come clean to Ross... but the stakes rise when the blackmailer demands £20,000 for their silence.
Meanwhile, unaware of the turmoil, Ross throws himself into planning a romantic surprise, enlisting the men of Walford to rehearse a flash mob for the wedding. With nowhere left to turn, Vicki resolves to tell him everything.
She tries to broach the subject - only for Ross to be called away to a client meeting - postponing the moment of truth.
Who is Vicki and Zack's blackmailer?
2. Bea Pollard hits it off with Ian Beale
Boosted by some encouragement from Walford’s women, Bea agrees to go on a date with Ian. However, her competitive streak soon surfaces when she grows envious of Honey (Emma Barton) and Billy Mitchell's (Perry Fenwick) own romantic plans, going so far as to buy an identical dress.
At Knight Fusion, Bea engineers an awkward double date, insisting Honey and Billy join her and Ian. She decides to play the big spender, covering the bill using the fraudulent credit card she obtained in Honey’s name.
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Later, after visiting Nigel Bates (Paul Bradley) in the care home alongside Kathy, Sam and Louie Beale (Jake McNally), Bea and Ian’s bond deepens, resulting in their first kiss.
Should Ian be worried?
3. Oscar Branning continues to feel awkward around Josh Goodwin
The love triangle deepens next week as Oscar does his best to steer clear of Josh, but Kim has other ideas.
She corners him, insisting that he act as a model for Josh at the salon. The tension between the pair quickly proves unbearable, and Oscar makes a hasty exit.
Will Oscar ever face his feelings?
4. Suki Panesar-Unwin learns of Ravi Gulati's problems
Ravi lends half-brother Vinny Panesar (Shiv Jalota) a hand with manual work at Penny Branning's (Kitty Castledine) new shop unit on Turpin Road, but is mocked by Harry Mitchell (Elijah Holloway) in the process.
His mood darkens when Avani Nandra-Hart (Aaliyah James) and a distressed Davinder "Nugget" Gulati (Juhaim Rasul Choudhury) reveal that a video of Nugget having a seizure has been filmed and shared online.
As viewers know, it was Will Mitchell (Freddie Phillips) who recorded the footage.
Though Priya Nandra-Hart (Sophie Khan Levy) tries to calm the situation, Ravi makes it clear he intends to deal with it himself.
As concerns grow over Ravi’s sleepless state, Nugget discovers Will is responsible and confronts him in the Square, dragging Ravi along. The group, including Honey and Billy, gather at the caff to talk things through, but when Ravi fails to intervene as expected, Nugget storms off.
Later, Ravi confides in Suki about his struggles, prompting her to speak with Priya and offer to fund private therapy. While help is at hand, Ravi is unsettled that Suki now knows the extent of his problems.
5. Max Branning makes a deal with his daughter Lauren Beale
Lauren and Max’s rivalry intensifies at the car lot, with their clashing sales tactics prompting Oscar to put them to the test.
As competition heats up, Max ups the ante by offering Lauren half of the business if she can hit 80k in sales within a month.
Will she feel pressured into dealing with Mark's dodgy motors again?
Read more:
- EastEnders airs Nicola Mitchell twist after Penny Branning blackmail in early BBC iPlayer release
- EastEnders airs major paternity reveal for pregnant Penny Branning in early BBC iPlayer release
- EastEnders confirms Holby City legend cast in pivotal role alongside Zoe Slater's long-lost son for trial storyline
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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.
