This article contains spoilers for tonight’s episode of EastEnders, which airs on BBC One at 7.30pm or can be streamed now on iPlayer.
We’re well and truly into spooky season now, and Albert Square is no exception, with Zoe Slater (Michelle Ryan) finding a blood-smeared and smashed photo of herself and her mum, Kat Moon (Jessie Wallace) at the climax of todays visit to Walford.
Picking up immediately from the end of yesterdays episode, Zoe shrunk in the furious faces of Vicki Fowler (Alice Haig) and Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt), retreating upstairs and leaving Kat and Alfie Moon (Shane Richie) to attempt, yet again, to clear up her mess, after Kat revealed to Vicki (and, accidentally, the entire pub) that Zoe was lying about Dennis Rickman (Nigel Harman) being the father of her child, in order to use Sharon Watts’ (Letitia Dean) to fund the search.
With Ian threatening to recoup every penny that Sharon had spent on the search and promising Kat that her family would be hearing from his solicitor, Kat seemed to have finally had enough of her wayward daughter, declaring to Alfie that Zoe was ‘ruining them’.
Finding twins Bert and Ernie (Elliot and Cody Briffett) sat at the bottom of the stairs, it became apparent that the unrest among the Slaters was affecting everyone, with Bert confirming that Tommy Moon (Sonny Kendall) had told them that requesting an end to the fighting would be pointless. Struck, Kat promises that the calamity would come to an end, and sent the boys back to bed.
As mother and daughter went head to head once again, Zoe found it was a very different Kat she was up against, as her mum had completely steeled herself. As Zoe attempted to use the horrific circumstances of her conception, Kat reminded her that Zoe had been brought up in a safe, kind and loving environment and lambasted her for talking badly of her grandparents.
Every excuse Zoe could muster, Kat skilfully put down, and when Zoe resorted to a low blow, bringing up Alfie’s baby with Hayley Slater (Katie Jarvis), Kat levelled Zoe with a finisher, finding her baby won’t fix the absolute mess she’s made of her life and her constant string of trouble causing and self-sabotage has to end.
Telling Zoe to either pay Sharon back and make things right or leave, Zoe chooses the latter and begins to pack.
As Zoe shared a tearful farewell with Mo Harris (Laila Morse), Kat and Alfie discuss the ultimatum Kat has laid down for her daughter, with Alfie unsure what the best course of action truly is.
Furious, Zoe burst into the bar and threw a smashed, bloodied picture of herself and her mum at Kat, accusing her of doing it. Kat presumed this was yet another of Zoe’s games, but when her face broke into sheer terror, the women and Alfie looked chilled at the thought of somebody making a threat to Zoe’s safety.
Zoe’s certainly not short of enemies, but who would go to these lengths? How much danger is Zoe in?
