EastEnders fans are fearing for Lauren Branning’s safety after rapist James Willmott-Brown threatened her last night.
The soap villain, who raped Kathy back in the Eighties but still denies it, made a sick comment to Lauren’s dad Max.
He warned him to keep his daughter in line after she discovered Weyland & Co’s plans to redevelop Albert Square – which would see many of her friends and family lose their homes and businesses.
“Nice girl, better make sure she stays on message. Naughty girls go over my knee,” Willmott-Brown creepily said to Max last night.
Viewers were horrified by the remark and now fear Lauren’s days are numbered.
“Get your eyes off our Lauren,” one told Willmott-Brown while another said they had “a horrible feeling” the mum will now be his next victim.
It’s no secret that Lauren, played by Jacqueline Jossa, is being written out of the soap along with her onscreen sister Abi, played by Lorna Fitzgerald.
In another shock axing, Ben Mitchell (Harry Reid) will also depart in dramatic scenes over Christmas.
He’s also become embroiled in the world of Weyland thanks to dating Willmott-Brown’s son Luke, who has proved to have a nasty streak just like his dad.
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The company have been able to wheedle their way into the Square thanks to Max as part of his long-running revenge plot.
When the character, played by Jake Wood, returned this time last year after being wrongly jailed for the murder of Lucy Beale, he vowed he would get back at everyone who wronged him.
So far he’s sent Jane Beale backing, bumped off Steven Beale and convinced the Carters to sell their freehold on The Vic, which they now face losing unless they can raise thousands of pounds.
EastEnders bosses have promised the storyline will be the focus of the much-anticipated Christmas episodes and viewers are on the edge of their seats to see where Max’s loyalty really lies.
Will he really allow Willmott-Brown’s wicked plan to come to fruition so he can have his revenge and be with his daughter Fi?
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Or will the threat to his own daughter be enough to make him turn on his boss?
Whatever happens, it doesn’t look like it will be a happy Christmas in the square.