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EastEnders airs 2 shock arrivals in Walford and showdown over Gray Atkins in early BBC iPlayer release

Warning: Contains spoilers for Thursday's episode of EastEnders, which airs tomorrow at 7.30pm on BBC One or can be streamed now on BBC iPlayer.

Toby-Alexander Smith as Gray Atkins sat on the floor in EastEnders.

BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron

Published: Wednesday, 15 July 2026 at 11:52 am

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Denise Fox (Diane Parish) has faced off with Sheila Atkins (Sheila Ruskin) in EastEnders - and there's been two unwelcome arrivals on Vicki Fowler (Alice Haig) and Ross Marshall's (Alex Walkinshaw) doorstep.

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The Albert Square action picked up from yesterday's cliffhanger, which saw Denise spot daughter Chelsea (Zaraah Abrahams) chatting with Sheila outside of The Queen Vic.

She questioned who she was, and younger daughter Libby (Belinda Owusu) was forced to admit the truth. She's murderous Gray Atkins's (Toby-Alexander Smith) grandmother, and has been helping financially with Jordan Fox's (Jahsaiah Williams) care.

It's safe to say that Denise wasn't happy, and was furious with Chelsea, Libby, sister Kim (Tameka Empson) and partner Jack Branning (Scott Maslen) for keeping the secret.

After sitting the family down, she demanded an audience with Sheila.

Denise wearing a green head wrap and a white hoody in a scene from EastEnders

Diane Parish as Denise Fox. BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron

Chelsea nervously phoned the pensioner, but before she had an opportunity to explain herself, Denise grabbed the mobile and ordered her to come over.

It was a tense moment as she shuffled through the door, and Denise made it clear that she wanted to be alone with Sheila. Chelsea and Libby left, and the interrogation began.

Denise wondered whether Sheila could see any comparison between Gray and Jordan, and also whether she had any indication of his abhorrent behaviour that would emerge as he grew up. Sheila denied everything, and said that she was just glad to finally be able to meet him.

The women then bonded over their shared experience of living with cancer, and when Denise started to feel unwell, Sheila rushed to her aid.

However, when Chelsea and Libby turned, Denise had come to the conclusion that they didn't need Sheila in their lives and asked her to stay away. She darted over to the prison to inform Gray, and he encouraged her to find an alternative way of seeing Jordan.

What does she have planned?

Sheila Ruskin as Sheila in a scene from EastEnders

Chelsea Fox (Zaraah Abrahams) made contact with Sheila Atkins (Sheila Ruskin) some weeks ago. BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron

Across the Square, there was a frosty atmosphere in Sharon Watts's (Letitia Dean) house when Vicki and Ross returned from their honeymoon.

They excitedly detailed their trip, but felt awkward when a half-naked Zack Hudson (James Farrar) strolled in. It wouldn't be practical for the newlyweds to live with the man Vicki cheated with, and she knew that they'd have to move out.

While going through her belongings, she found a pair of trainers that Ross had bought for his troubled, abusive son Joel (Max Murray). Zack attempted to comfort her, though she pulled backwards and said that he didn't have the right to do that anymore.

Max Murray as Joel Marshall in EastEnders

Max Murray as Joel Marshall in EastEnders. BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron

Later, in the pub, Vicki broke the news to Sharon and the men that she'd agreed to sublet a room at the Slater house.

Zack was embarrassed and offered to move out instead, much to Ross's relief.

But the drama didn't end there. When the couple and Sharon headed home, a knock at the door was about to change everything.

Ross's ex-wife Cleo (Mazz Murray) was on the other side of the door, and stepped to one side to reveal Joel.

Why has she brought him back to Walford?

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Authors

Michael Adams wearing a white t-shirt and beige gilet against a white background

Michael AdamsSoaps Editor

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.

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