It’s the battle of the breakfasts that’s gripping EastEnders. Proprietress of Peacock Palace Elaine Peacock (Harriet Thorpe) goes to war with her enemy Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt), who is about to turn the heat up on their business rivalry. Has Elaine bitten off more than she can chew?
In a soap chock full of murder, stalking, and heartbreak, we all need a bit of gloriously camp comic relief at times. Elaine and Ian’s spicy business feud serves us up double portions.
The tension between them since Elaine launched her new ‘boutique hotel’ venture (don’t you DARE call it a BnB), has risen so much that you could cut it with a greasy spoon.
Ian doesn’t take kindly to competition, so he’s resorted to dirty tactics to make sure Elaine’s breakfasts do not steal punters from his beloved café – including getting the council involved by checking she has the right license to operate.
This isn’t just business. It’s about to get personal. In upcoming episodes, Elaine is rocked by the discovery that her ex-husband George Knight (Colin Salmon) is expecting a baby with Nicola Mitchell (Laura Doddington). And when Ian makes a cheeky jibe at her expense, he ends up bearing the full brunt of Elaine’s rage as she lashes out.
The gauntlet has been thrown. Revenge! Wanting to get even, Ian puts a call into the press about the antagonistic Councillor Barker’s upcoming visit to the Peacock. Thanks to Ian’s little stunt, soon Elaine is front page news.
As the war between Ian and Elaine is set to escalate, actress Harriet Thorpe shares some insight into why the business means so much to her character.
‘Peacock Palace is everything to her because she is endlessly evolving and changing no matter what life throws in her way’ Harriet explains.
‘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. As a woman in her late 60’s, redefining herself proudly again, it’s so important.’
‘It means a lot to her. It’s her part. Being behind the bar at The Vic was like being on stage, and it’s the same thing with Peacock Palace. She has a front, she has a set, she has her costumes that are glittery, and that to her, means she is valid.’
Scorned Elaine vows revenge against Ian, but things soon get out of hand and Kathy Beale (Gillian Taylforth) gets caught in the crossfire. This only spurs The Beale on as he plots his rival down for good.
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Despite Elaine’s best efforts to smooth troubled waters, the Beales are in no mood to forgive and forget.
After another row in the café, Ian later heads to Peacock Palace to unveil his evil plan to Elaine – he plans to run for Councillor Barker’s vacant seat and when he gets on the council board, he will make it his mission to close Peacock Palace.
Steady on, Ian! It’s just a BnB! Is there any lengths this man will go to make sure nobody in Walford ever tastes Elaine’s full English again?
Harriet isn’t ruling anything out: ‘I think there’s no end that Ian will not go to, to try and get rid of Elaine’s success. I think Elaine is there to fight. She is Joan of Arc, she is Boudica, she is Elizabeth I, and she’s not going to be stopped.’
Can’t wait for the next twist?
Hi, I’m Calli Kitson, Soaps reporter at Metro. I cover Emmerdale, EastEnders, Corrie and more.
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EastEnders fans have relished the rivalry between these two entrepreneurs which has led to a number of flirty exchanges.
Who could forget quiz night at the Vic, where Ian demanded the champion should get a reduction on haddock and chips from his fish shop and Elaine deliciously replied. ’Nothing says festive generosity like discounted haddock.’ Sadly, that kind of pant-dropping romantic one liner feels a million miles away for this couple now. Harriet Thorpe agrees.
‘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’.
But Elaine’s about to play Ian at his own game by running for Councillor Barker’s seat! Surely the battle of the Albert Square breakfasts can only get worse from here?
‘Oh hugely’, Elaine teases. ‘it’s war’.
