What starts out as a kind gesture from Johnny Carter quickly turns into a gut-wrenching ordeal in EastEnders this week, as Callum Highway is forced to confront old wounds and his father’s true colours in a storyline packed with tension, family fallout, and unexpected tragedy.
It all begins at The Albert, where Callum steps in during a shocking homophobic attack on Eve Unwin. The verbal and physical assault is distressing enough, but things take a dramatic turn when Callum discovers the man responsible is his own father, Jonno, who he then arrests.
Jonno, of course, denies everything. He shifts the blame onto a friend, insisting he had nothing to do with it. But Eve is clear: Jonno was involved. As she stands firm, Suki Panesar arrives to support her, a small but significant moment for the two women, who have been at odds for months.
Meanwhile, Johnny takes it upon himself to reach out to Jonno, despite a warning from Elaine to stay out of it. Johnny’s intentions are good.
He wants to see if Jonno has any interest in repairing things with Callum, and offers legal advice as a way to start a conversation. Jonno is cagey, but when Johnny reveals he’s a Carter, Jonno softens just enough to agree to a drink at The Vic.
It’s a risky move, but Johnny’s gamble seems to pay off, at first. Later, he tells Callum that Jonno wants to meet, and for a brief moment, it seems like there might be a chance at reconciliation.
Callum agrees to the meeting, and the three men gather at the flat. It’s tense, but promising. Jonno appears remorseful, and Callum, always one to see the best in people, begins to hope his dad might actually want to change. But that hope doesn’t last long.
It quickly becomes clear that Jonno’s sudden interest in reconnecting is less about family and more about money. When Callum refuses to hand over any cash, Jonno’s façade drops and his old, toxic behaviour comes rushing back.
Callum sees it for what it is and orders his dad to leave. But just as Jonno heads off, he collapses. In a shocking moment, he suffers a heart attack right there and then.
It’s a brutal twist that leaves Callum reeling. After everything, Callum is left questioning whether he still owes something to the man who’s done so much damage.
Johnny, who only ever wanted to help, is also caught in the fallout. His gesture was meant to bring peace, but instead it has triggered chaos.
Will Jonno survive? And if he does, will this near-death experience finally change anything?
