Elaine Peacock is heading for a dramatic, and deeply embarrassing, week in EastEnders, as heartbreak, humiliation and revenge collide in classic Walford style.
Next week’s episodes see Elaine’s emotions running dangerously high when George asks to meet her for a drink. Believing it’s a chance for a heartfelt catch-up which could potentially rekindle their romance, Elaine arrives hopeful, unaware that George has very different news to share.
George’s real reason for the meeting is to break the news that Nicola is pregnant. While he plans to handle it gently, Bea unintentionally makes things far worse by fuelling Elaine’s secret hope that George might be considering giving things another go with her. With Bea dropping hints and encouraging Elaine not to give up, Elaine convinces herself that this drink could be the start of something new.
Unfortunately, reality hits hard.
When the pair meet at The Vic, George is forced to set the record straight and makes it painfully clear that there is no future for them as a couple. The rejection leaves Elaine mortified, especially as the truth dawns on her in such a public setting.
Humiliated and hurt, Elaine reacts badly, lashing out at Ian Beale in a moment of misplaced anger. Unsurprisingly, Ian doesn’t take it lying down and quickly retaliates, setting off a feud that spirals far beyond a simple argument.
Things go from bad to worse when Elaine discovers she’s become front-page gossip after Ian tips off the press about her private business. Furious at being made a laughing stock, Elaine vows revenge, and she’s not planning to go quietly.
However, her attempts to hit back soon begin to spiral out of control. What starts as a desire to defend her dignity quickly turns into an all-out war, dragging more residents into the drama and pushing tensions to a boiling point.
Kathy Beale is left despairing as Ian becomes increasingly obsessed with bringing Elaine down. He continues to rant about her and openly plots her downfall, refusing to let the feud go. When Elaine tries to apologise and extend an olive branch, the Beales want nothing to do with it, and she’s firmly shut out.
Another explosive row erupts in the café, proving that peace is well and truly off the table. Later, Ian heads to Peacock Palace to confront Elaine face-to-face, and it’s there that he drops a bombshell that raises the stakes even higher.
Ian reveals that he plans to run for Councillor Barker’s vacant seat, and if he wins, he fully intends to use his position to shut down Peacock Palace. It’s a chilling threat that leaves Elaine reeling, as her livelihood and reputation suddenly hang in the balance.
But if Ian thinks Elaine is going to back down, he’s sorely mistaken.
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Determined not to be bullied or humiliated any further, Elaine decides to play Ian at his own game. In a shock twist, she announces that she’ll be running for Councillor Barker’s seat too, turning the feud into a full-blown political showdown.
With both Elaine and Ian battling it out for power, Walford is set for a messy, dramatic and highly entertaining rivalry. One thing’s for sure, when Elaine Peacock decides to take revenge, she does it in style.
