It’s a devastating week in Walford as Shakil Kazemi loses his life after being stabbed to death by a gang on the day of the Royal Wedding.
While the locals celebrate, Shakil’s friend Keegan Taylor makes the mistake of stealing a bike from a gang of thugs.
When they come looking for him, it’s Shakil who ends up paying the price for Keegan’s stunt.
Both schoolboys are knifed, but as Shakil stumbles around trying to find help, Mick Carter thinks he’s drunk and sends him away.
Unknown to Mick, Shakil’s condition quickly gets worse and the teen collapses out of sight.
Later Mick finds a severely injured Keegan who tries telling him about Shakil, but as they wait for an ambulance, Keegan takes a turn for the worse and Mick decides to take him to hospital himself.
But on the way there, disaster strikes.
Meanwhile Shakil is missing but by the time he’s found it’s too late.
Doctors tell Carmel and Kush that Shakil’s injuries were so severe they couldn’t save him.
They are devastated. Will life on the Square ever be the same after the shocking events?
EastEnders announced they would be tackling the issue of knife crime earlier this year.
The show’s writers and producers worked alongside former EastEnders actress Brooke Kinsella MBE who tragically lost her brother Ben to a knife attack ten years ago.
Since losing Ben, Brooke has tirelessly campaigned for harsher rules to bring knife crime under control in the UK.
She said of the controversial storyline: “The pain will never go away. I commend EastEnders for choosing to portray the realities of knife crime. It destroys lives.
“This storyline will bring home how it damages lives of victims, offenders, their families and friends for ever.”
EastEnders boss John Yorke added: “The episodes are heartbreaking and dramatic.”
Ben was stabbed to death by a gang of three youths in June 2008 when he was just 16 years old.
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EastEnders airs Monday and Friday at 8pm and Tuesday and Thursday at 7.30pm on BBC One