EastEnders spoilers - Ian Beale finds his misdeeds catching up with him when he's attacked but with his enemies stacking up, including his own mum Kathy Beale, who was it?
Ian Beale has finally pushed someone too far as he is assaulted by a mystery attacker in Friday’s episode of EastEnders (8.05 pm, see our TV Guide for full listings).
Ian Beale is gloating over his latest clever plan, thinking this time he really has outsmarted a seething Max Branning. With Max and his threats now seemingly out of the way, Ian boastfully talks to news reporter Elliot, fully expecting Elliot to write a glowing article about him in the Walford Gazette!
While Max plots his revenge against Ian, there’s more trouble in store as Ben Mitchell turns up at the Queen Vic with a bee in his bonnet. A crossed Mitchell is never a good one! There’s a shock in store when the police burst into the pub. After regular brushes with the law, Ben assumes that they are after him. But everyone is stunned when instead they arrest Ian!
After marching a horrified Ian out of the pub, the police take him back to the station for questioning. Despite a recent falling out with Ian over his duplicitous behaviour, Ian’s mum Kathy Beale is alarmed. She rushes to the police station to find out what’s going on. It’s lucky that Ian still has someone on his side, as his eldest Peter Beale is ready to wash his hands of him, telling brother Bobby Beale that Ian doesn’t deserve their support.
After seeing Kathy at the station, instead of being grateful to his mum he lashes out, accusing her of causing his arrest. It’s the last straw for Kathy, who blows up at her son. She insists that he’s finally gone too far and she hits him with some hard truths. It looks like Ian has no one left to turn to, as Peter is counselling Bobby that they need to get Ian out of their lives. Despite standing up for his dad in the past, Bobby can see that there is truth to Peter’s words and he finally sees him for who he truly is…
Ian has also made an enemy of Rainie and Stuart Branning after maliciously telling Whitney Dean about Tiffany Butcher-Baker’s decision to be Rainie and Stuart’s surrogate. Now that Whitney has put doubts in Tiff’s mind, Rainie is desperate, sure that she’ll never be a mum. Seeing Ian, Rainie has a go at him, accusing him of ruining everything. Ian wastes no time in hitting back at Rainie with some nasty words, leaving Rainie devastated. If a protective Stuart didn’t completely hate Ian before, he’s now furious with him for hurting his wife’s feelings and he has revenge in mind…
Meanwhile, Tina Carter is talking to nephew Mick Carter about her grand - and misguided - plan to get Mick the pub back. She’s taken aback when he lashes out at her instead of being grateful. An upset Tina heads off after Mick insists she doesn’t understand what he’s going through, on her way to the Vic...
Later that night, all is quiet in the Queen Vic. A motionless Ian lies badly injured on the floor. But who could have attacked him?
EastEnders continues on BBC1 on Monday 8 pm.
