An emotional time is made 10x worse in EastEnders next week. It’s Nigel Bates’s (Paul Bradley) funeral, and as the Mitchells gather to support Julie Bates (Karen Henthorn), they soon realise that Mark Fowler (Stephen Aaron-Sipple) has been kidnapped.
Amid his dealings with a drugs gang, he desperately tries to make up the £30,000 debt that he owes by roping Lauren Beale (Jacqueline Jossa) into his dodgy car scam.
Fortunately, in Phil (Steve McFadden) and Grant Mitchell’s (Ross Kemp) absence while they try to track Mark down, Julie has son Josh Saunders (Jon Lee) and step-daughter Clare Bates’ (Gemma Bissix) shoulders to cry on.
Elsewhere in Albert Square, Oscar Branning (Pierre Counihan-Moullier) finds himself trapped in his love triangle again, Gina Knight (Francesca Henry) has concerns about grandfather Eddie’s (Christopher Fairbank) presence, and Denise Fox (Diane Parish) has more worrying symptoms ahead of her blood cancer diagnosis.
Here’s everything happening in the episodes of EastEnders airing between Monday, 18 and Thursday, 21 May.
5 EastEnders spoilers for next week
1. The Mitchells unite as Mark Fowler is held hostage
Suspicions rise at the car lot when Max Branning (Jake Wood) learns that some of their vintage cars have been found burnt out in a quarry.
Lauren heads to speak to Mark, and when he denies involvement, Sam Mitchell (Kim Medcalf) provides a false alibi that shifts suspicion onto Max.
He’s deeply hurt when Lauren accuses him, and her false allegations couldn’t come at a worse time – he was just about to sign off on equal partnership of the business.
When Mark learns that Lauren is struggling with her finances again and could do with a cash boost to afford a nursery place for baby Jimmy, he manipulates her into the possibility of selling illegitimate vehicles. The offer is just too good to refuse.
Meanwhile, with a 30k debt still looming over Mark, Grant manages to sell his bar in Portugal so that he can help out financially. Mark rejects his offer, determined to make things right himself – while Lauren presses him for more information about the car scam.
Max is sceptical and asks brother Jack Branning (Scott Maslen) to investigate, and it’s not long before his previous dodgy dealings are uncovered. But Mark has far bigger fish to fry, as the gang he owes money to deal a menacing warning and he’s forced to ask Priya Nandra-Hart (Sophie Khan Levy) to help him gain access to the car lot safe.
Before taking any money, a message from Lauren leaves him guilt-ridden and he storms out towards Phil’s house. His keys fall across the floor, and before he can ask Grant for help, some masked men bundle him into a car and drive off into the night.
The next morning, the Mitchells are concerned about his absence, and are trying to focus on the day ahead: Nigel’s funeral.
Vicki Fowler (Alice Haig) is similarly worried, and asks Phil and Grant to step in and help. Crime boss Russell Delaney (Anthony Skordi) calls and demands full payment of the debt, and matters escalate when he hears Sam in the background – the two have history.
Phil is insistent that they go to the service first, with Grant and Sam reluctantly agreeing. However, with Mark’s life at risk, they realise that they haven’t got a moment to lose and alongside Billy Mitchell (Perry Fenwick), head off to find him.
Will they make it to the funeral in time?
A tense standoff breaks out with Russell, and when Grant returns to The Vic, he has a heated argument with Harvey Monroe (Ross Boatman) which leads to Kat Moon (Jessie Wallace) throwing him out. Meanwhile, Lauren is chuffed to have sold enough cars, and hands her dad the cash.
He congratulates her on winning their deal, though wonders where the cars came from and warns her to be careful in future. Still left with unanswered questions, Max stumbles across Mark’s keys and asks Priya what happened.
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2. Oscar Branning struggles to keep his distance from Josh Goodwin
Oscar joins girlfriend Jasmine Fisher (Indeyarna Donaldson-Holness) and her twin brother Josh Goodwin (Joshua Vaughan) at the park, and the trio soon bond while playing a childhood game.
However, it soon becomes apparent that the love triangle is emerging once again, and Oscar can’t deny his attraction towards Josh. Things quickly turn sour when Jasmine realises that Josh played their game with his adoptive mother Sandra Goodwin (Dawn Steele), and feeling hurt, she storms off.
Oscar tries to calm down a guilty Josh, and the lads soon share a charged moment. Despite pulling away and agreeing to keep their distance, Oscar confides in cousin Penny Branning (Kitty Castledine) about what happened and later that day, he can’t contain his jealousy when Josh entertains another man in The Prince Albert.
3. Gina Knight is worried about Eddie
With Eddie now installed in No. 1, Gina expresses concern to her dad George Knight (Colin Salmon) about him.
She’s made it clear that she disapproves with her vile, racist adoptive grandfather being a part of their life, and has no idea that Nicola Mitchell (Laura Doddington) only agreed to allow him to stay so that he would save her businesses from financial collapse.
By next week, has she discovered the truth?
4. Denise Fox struggles ahead of her blood cancer diagnosis
It was revealed last week that a heartbreaking story for Denise is on the horizon, which will see her diagnosed with a form of blood cancer.
The character has been experiencing unexplained tiredness in recent episodes, and has been prompted by Sam to seek medical attention. She will be eventually be diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia.
In forthcoming scenes, while helping Sam cook for the Mitchells, Denise admits that she’s unexplainably tired and brushes off the concern.
5. Clare Bates and Josh Saunders return for Nigel Bates’s funeral
It’s a sad occasion for the EastEnders as they bid farewell to one of Walford’s finest. Following his death from pneumonia, which was stemmed from his young-onset dementia, Nigel passed away last month.
While tragic, long-term viewers will undoubtedly be satisfied by the on-screen reunion of Julie with her son Josh and step-daughter Clare after almost three decades. While Gemma Bissix reprised her Clare role earlier this year, this is the first time that S Club’s Jon Lee has been part of the cast since 1998.
On the morning of the funeral, Phil and Julie are interrupted by their arrival. She’s still struggling to write her husband’s eulogy, though with their support, she manages to write a beautiful speech.
After everyone has gathered at the church, Julie and Phil share another heartfelt moment, though Sam barges in and demands time with her brother.
That night, Julie finally opens Nigel’s letter. What will it say?
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