If there’s one thing that’s guaranteed to boost ratings on a TV soap, it’s a good old-fashioned murder plot.
EastEnders viewers could be in for a very gripping story in tonight’s episode.
Evil Max Branning (played by Jake Wood) has been blackmailing his future son-in-law Steven Beale (Aaron Sidwell) into helping him get rid of some difficult residents, and tonight it’s time to put the plan into action. But will Steven commit the most heinous act of all – murder?
The ruthless businessman knows all about Steven’s little secret – that his alleged ‘terminal brain tumour’ is all a ruse to get Lauren to stay with him.
And he’s been milking that fact for all its worth, threatening to tell his daughter about Steven’s deceit unless he does Max’s bidding for him.
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The ‘bidding’ in this case is murder – Max wants to dispose of some residents who are refusing to leave one of his properties, and he reckons Steven is exactly the man to do it.
But when the moment comes in tonight’s episode, will the younger man carry out the crime or will he lose his bottle?
And that’s not the only dilemma facing Steven at the moment. He’s terrified that Lauren will find out about his affair with her sister Abi.
He embarked on the fling after fearing that Lauren (Jacqueline Jossa) had the hots for her boss, Josh.
But Abi developed feelings for him and, knowing it isn’t reciprocated, has threatened to expose their misdemeanour.
Will the pressure coming from all sides finally get to Steven and force him to come clean to Lauren?
Read more: Coronation Street: Has Phelan targeted his next murder victim?
Meanwhile, Aaron Sidwell has revealed that filming the ‘fake tumour’ plot has been difficult, as a real-life friend of his recently died of cancer.
Speaking to the Radio Times, the 28-year-old said: “It wasn’t easy. He was such a young man with two beautiful little girls – a couple of years younger than mine. It was very tough personally.
“As actors, we can’t always do what we want… but it’s part of what we do.
“I was able to talk to Jaqs [Jossa] the entire time. We have a very close family life as well as the work one, so it was good.”