EastEnders spoilers follow for Tuesday’s (August 18) episode, which can now be streamed on BBC iPlayer. The episode in question will air at 7:30pm.
Teddy Mitchell (Roland Manookian) staged an unexpected on-screen EastEnders return, appearing in prison as he tried to get a hold of Nicola (Laura Doddington) on her dark day.
Nicola, as viewers know, struggles on the anniversary of the death of her father, who she had a difficult relationship with due to his abusive nature.
This year, the anniversary was somewhat more overwhelming due to the unexpected arrival of sisters Gemma (Patricia Potter) and Jodie (Anna Constable), who tasked Nic with helping teach a thug a lesson.
And the subsequent introduction of mum Rose (Marian McLoughlin) is what proved most challenging of all for Nicola, though the reason for their damaged relationship was unknown at this point.
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There are few people on this earth who know Nicola as well as Teddy and thus, worried about her what is historically an emotional day, he decided to reach out.
Teddy was last seen on screen in December after he was jailed for life for the murder of Okie (Aayan Ibikunle Shoderu), who son Harry (Elijah Holloway) accidentally stabbed.
Not wanting Harry to endure any further torment, Teddy decided he would take the blame for the crime.
Back in the present, Nicola ignored Ted’s calls and thus George Knight (Colin Salmon) picked up the phone instead, with Teddy urging the former Queen Vic landlord to talk to his partner, revealing that there is much more to why Nicola detests this day than meets the eye.
Without wasting a second, George did as he was told, confronting Nicola on the matter. The Harry’s Barn manager broke down in tears as she reflected on the day her dad died, revealing that prior to the crash she’d found him attacking her mum Rose.
‘I knew my dad was a lot of things,’ she said through tears, ‘but that?’.
Nicola revealed that her dad ‘went white as a sheet’ when he was caught while her mum Rose branded the situation ‘none of her business’.
Nicola told her father to get out, otherwise she’d call Teddy. Her dad, who was drunk, did as he was told, getting into a car and driving off. Rose responded to the by saying that if anything happened to her husband, she’d never forgive her.
The abuser subsequently died and Nicola confirmed that Rose remained true to her word – so much so that she attempted to turn her sisters against her.
Can Rose and Nicola mend their broken relationship?
EastEnders airs Mondays to Thursdays at 7:30pm on BBC One or stream from 6am on BBC iPlayer.
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