If you’ve been enjoying the high-camp feud between Elaine Peacock (Harriet Thorpe) and Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt) in EastEnders lately, we bring good news – it’s set to escalate even further next week.
The pair have been bringing some light relief to the BBC soap in recent weeks, as Ian has taken umbrage with Elaine’s new ‘boutique hotel’ business (it’s definitely not a BnB, OK?) with her daughter Linda Carter (Kellie Bright).
Devious Ian has tried to outsmart Elaine by checking she has the appropriate licenses to operate, causing her to get into battle mode by setting up a breakfast offering at Peacock Palace to directly compete with the caff.
Unfortunately for Elaine, however, her gourmet breakfasts haven’t exactly set the Walford culinary scene alight, despite a big promotional campaign.
Next week, Ian bears the brunt of Elaine’s anger after she finds out that her ex-husband George Knight (Colin Salmon) is having a baby with Nicola Mitchell (Laura Doddington) over a drink at The Vic.
When Ian overhears, he can’t help but make a little jibe, which actress Harriet Thorpe, who plays Elaine, says ‘lights the tape up’ and sparks the next chapter of their war.
‘That rocket is about to launch for Elaine,’ she explains. ‘Peacock Palace is everything to her because she is endlessly evolving and changing no matter what life throws in her way, from the sadness and loss of her real love and marriage to George.
‘This now gives her a reason and a purpose to be and the idea that Ian knocks it and sneers at it, is devastating.’
Elaine later discovers she’s made the front page of the Walford Gazette after a tip-off from Ian, and vows revenge.
‘There’s no end that Ian will not go to, to try and get rid of Elaine’s success,’ says Harriet.
‘She’s incensed and enraged by Ian’s pretentious grandiosity of thinking that he knows better than Elaine, about style and glamour, when he runs a fish shop,’ she jokes.
However, things get seriously out of hand when Elaine hits back, causing her to issue a grovelling apology to the Beales.
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Ian being Ian, though, is in no mood to forgive and forget and continues to plot Elaine’s downfall.
Following another blazing bust-up, Ian then reveals he plans to run for a vacant seat on the local council – and his first order of business if he’s elected? To shut down Peacock Palace, of course.
Refusing to go down without a fight, Elaine decides to play Ian at his own game and run for council, too.
‘Elaine is there to fight,’ Harriet adds. ‘She is Joan of Arc, she is Boudica, she is Elizabeth I, and she’s not going to be stopped…’
EastEnders airs these scenes from Monday 26th January at 7.30pm on BBC One or stream first from 6am on iPlayer.
