Lauren Branning To Cause Mayhem In EastEnders 35th Anniversary Week

It’s been 35 years since the BBC’s most popular soap first began. Whilst there’ve been plenty of changes over the years, one thing that’s always stayed the same is that the serial is just as dramatic as ever. This week will be no exception as most of Walford are set to attend a boat party on the Thames – and at least one person won’t be making it out alive…

Several big storylines are expected to come to a head in this week’s special episodes, as the boat party is hosted by Queen Vic landlords Linda and Mick, who are in the midst of a brutal divorce battle as Linda’s alcoholism spirals out of control. Meanwhile, Friday’s episode saw Whitney Dean stab stalker Leo King in self-defence. Spoilers have revealed she’ll go to Mick for help – but is Leo really dead?

Phil Mitchell is also set to make a return, after he ran off to Portugal to escape the police who’d become suspicious following Keanu Taylor’s disappearance. Now that Keanu (who Phil thought was dead) is back and holding Ben Mitchell’s boyfriend Callum hostage, there’s sure to be a colossal showdown. Oh, and just to add to the high stakes, Phil’s estranged wife Sharon is due to go into labour with Keanu’s baby at any moment.

It’s also set to be a big week for Ian Beale, as his youngest son Bobby is left for dead in an Islamophobic attack. As Bobby fights for his life, older brother Peter is set to show up – now played by new actor Dayle Hudson. Whilst it’s not yet confirmed whether Peter’s return means his on/off girlfriend Lauren Branning (played by Jacqueline Jossa) will also be back, new spoilers have revealed she plays a big role in this week’s episodes.

Although she’s not expected to be making a physical appearance, Lauren’s dad Max and uncle Jack are set to come to blows as Jack reveals a secret about Lauren that he’s been keeping from his brother. As the brothers get into a fistfight, could one of them be headed overboard to become the shock death?