Lauren Branning (Jacqueline Jossa) has been through so much in EastEnders recently and sadly, there’s not any positivity on the horizon for her just yet.
Following the birth of baby Jimmy, Lauren realised that there was something wrong with his eyes. No-one took Lauren seriously though whenever she tried to investigate the issue, leading to her causing a scene out of frustration and exhaustion.
A doctor then confirmed that Jimmy has optic nerve and chorioretinal coloboma. It means the back of his eyes have not properly formed and as a result, he is severely sight impaired.
In upcoming episodes, Lauren starts to wonder if things could soon change for the little lad. She comes across a treatment plan online and starts to look further into it, unaware it’s a complete scam.
This plot will air as part of BBC’s Safe Scam Week. A special week of programmes will aim to highlight what viewers are able to do to protect themselves and people they know from being scammed.
Lauren’s story will shine a spotlight on scammers taking advantage of people’s vulnerabilities and emotions regarding healthcare.
Kate Phillips, BBC Chief Content Officer, said ahead of Scam Week: ‘The BBC is dedicating a full week to being a trusted destination for advice, insight, and engagement on how to spot and stop scams.
‘At the BBC, we remain deeply committed to tackling disinformation and empowering our audiences with facts they can trust. With fraud making up over 40% of all crime in the UK, raising public awareness has never been more essential.
‘Our 2025 Scam Safe week will equip people with the knowledge and confidence they need to protect themselves – and drive a vital national conversation. With our unparalleled access and expertise, we’re proud to stand with communities across the UK in the fight against fraud.’
Last year, EastEnders aired another storyline in Scam Week that involved Jean Slater (Gillian Wright).
Jean unexpectedly came into some money after finding out she had a pension pot she knew nothing about.
She realised that a sudden windfall of £12,000 would change her life forever, though the supposed ‘advisors’ on the other end of the phone suggested that she should invest the cash to maximise profit.
That would help pay for her dream of retiring to Greece one day.
She was spurred along by new pal Kojo Asare (Dayo Koleosho), who agreed that the opportunity to become a partner in an Australian tea farm was too good to refuse.
Unfortunately, it was revealed to be a scam, meaning Jean had lost everything.
