EastEnders is about to deliver one of its most dramatic weeks yet, plunging viewers into chaos with an intense kidnapping, a terrifying car crash, and a life-changing paternity revelation that shakes the Mitchell family to its core.

Everything kicks off when Zack Hudson, played by James Farrar, announces that he’s pressing ahead with his controversial plan to take young Barney Mitchell out of Walford. Zack believes this is the only way to shield Barney from the toxic grip of his manipulative mother, Nicola Mitchell (Laura Doddington). Despite strong warnings from Ravi Gulati and Vicki Fowler, and Linda Carter advising he involve the authorities, Zack remains determined to take matters into his own hands.

Things take a sharp turn when the police do get involved, and Nicola is arrested. Her son Harry (Elijah Holloway) watches her being taken away with a smug smile, a reaction that convinces Zack he might be able to trust Harry with a monumental secret: the truth about Barney’s biological father. Zack, perhaps too eager to build an ally, confides in Harry about the boy’s paternity, hoping it will help solidify plans to remove Barney from the escalating family drama.

However, the move proves to be a dangerous misstep. Rather than supporting Zack, Harry betrays him almost instantly. After revealing everything to his parents, Harry takes matters into his own hands in a shocking act of vigilante justice. He forces Zack into the trunk of a car and speeds off, setting in motion a frantic chain of events.

Teddy Mitchell, played by Roland Manookian, is horrified when he learns what his son has done. Recognizing the danger Zack is in and fearing what Harry might do next, Teddy turns to Billy and Honey Mitchell for help. The pair had just been heading out to celebrate Nigel Bates’ birthday with a trip to the cinema, but those plans are scrapped when Teddy pleads with them to follow Harry’s car in an attempt to prevent disaster.

While this high-stakes drama unfolds on the road, life in Albert Square carries on, oblivious to the danger some of its residents are facing. Barney, unaware of the life-threatening situation surrounding him, finds himself dealing with a different kind of turmoil. His friend Avani Nandra-Hart is distraught over cruel messages spreading online, most of which are linked to her recent encounter with Joel Marshall.

Barney tries to comfort her with kind words and support, but Avani initially pushes him away, unwilling to listen. Later, however, she recognizes how deeply her actions have hurt Barney. Wanting to make amends, she gently kisses him on the cheek, signaling a turning point in their friendship—or perhaps the beginning of something more.

But Barney doesn’t have time to process Avani’s gesture, as news spreads like wildfire through Walford: one of the cars from earlier has crashed into a lake. Emergency services scramble to the scene, and survivors are desperately trying to free those still trapped inside the sinking vehicle. The community is thrown into panic as families await word on who has made it out alive.

In the midst of this chaos, Vicki Fowler steps up and drops a massive bombshell on Barney—one that appears to devastate him. The details of the revelation remain a mystery, but his reaction suggests it’s something he wasn’t prepared to hear. What truth did Vicki reveal? Could it be the truth about his parentage, or something even darker?

As the storyline intensifies, the residents of Walford find themselves tangled in a complex web of lies, loyalty, and danger. The Mitchells, in particular, are left reeling as the fallout from Zack’s secret, Harry’s betrayal, and the lake crash converge to put multiple lives in jeopardy.

This action-packed week in EastEnders promises unforgettable twists that will ripple through Albert Square for weeks to come. From the heart-stopping kidnapping and explosive revelations to romantic sparks and traumatic aftermaths, fans are in for a thrilling ride where no one is safe, and every secret could change everything.