Ian Beale is already reeling from the recent death of his son Steven – and now his killer son Bobby leaves him faced with another dilemma.
While Ian’s already lost two children in the space of just three years, he’s now wondering whether to cut the younger one out for good.
Could Ian have decided that he’s faced enough heartache?
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Bobby (Eliot Carrington) is in prison for killing his sister Lucy (Hetti Bywater) in 2015 – an act that Ian and his wife Jane covered up – and now he’s been back in contact by adding Ian to the list of people he wants to visit him in prison.
But Ian (Adam Woodyatt) is due to visit on the day of Steven’s funeral.
When Sharon Mitchell (Letitia Dean) is helping the family with funeral arrangements, she comes across an email confirming the visit – and realises that Ian has no intention of going.
It seems that Ian is blaming Bobby for all the family troubles. But Kathy steps in and tries to encourage him to maintain a relationship with his son.
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Steven’s funeral will provide even more drama. On the day that he’s laid to rest, his girlfriend Lauren Branning (Jacqueline Jossa) will also discover that twisted Steven didn’t have a brain tumour after all.
And she’ll soon find out that her late boyfriend got her sister Abi Branning (Lorna Fitzgerald) pregnant.
The explosive storylines will lead to the departures of Jacqueline and Lorna from the soap.
Said a spokesperson: “They have both been wonderful to work with and we wish them all the best for the future.” said a spokesperson.
Aaron Sidwell had returned to play Steven Beale to coincide with Jacqueline Jossa returning from her maternity leave. Said Aaron: “I was happy to be asked back, it was the right time for me and the right time for the character.”