BBC EastEnders drops huge clue to who a.t.t.a.c.ked Cindy Beale – but fans are not convinced
EastEnders has dropped a huge clue as to who a.t.t.a.c.k.e.d Cindy Beale, with the culprit confirmed to be unmasked during the show's 40th anniversary week
EastEnders has thrown another curveball in the who a.t.t.a.c.k.e.d Cindy Beale plotline, as she was brought out of her induced coma in the most recent episode.
Viewers can already catch these scenes on BBC iPlayer, and they will be broadcasted on BBC One on Thursday (January 9) night. Peter Beale (played by Thomas Law) stumbled upon his sisters Anna (Molly Rainford) and Gina Knight (Francesca Henry) attempting to dispose of evidence that George Knight (Colin Salmon) participated in an unlawful fight.
The sisters were compelled to reveal George’s secret to their brother, casting doubt on whether their father could have been the one who assaulted Cindy. Peter questioned George’s guilt, unconvinced that he wasn’t the one who hit his mother with a shovel on Christmas night.
Later, Peter confronted Ian about his absence from the hospital, implying that it made him appear guilty. Ian, however, was indifferent, but Peter maintained that he knew Ian still had feelings for Cindy, despite everything she had done to him, and therefore didn’t believe his dad was the attacker, reports the Manchester Evening News.
Left alone, Ian received a call from Cindy’s doctor, informing him that Cindy had been brought out of her induced coma.
Tasked with breaking the news to his family, Ian’s expression quickly turned grim. In her hospital bed, a conscious Cindy whispers just one name: “Ian…” The moment leaves EastEnders fans questioning whether Cindy saw Ian attack her, or if her words reflect genuine love despite past pain.
Despite subtle hints from EastEnders that Ian Beale might be behind Cindy’s violent encounter, the theory hasn’t wholly convinced viewers.
Following Thursday night’s episode, which they streamed online, one viewer speculated on X, the social media platform previously known as Twitter: “On the Cindy front I’m more convinced than ever that George is covering up for Kojo after seeing him kill her.”
Another chimed in with: “#EastEnders Reiss could of smacked Cindy.” A third added: “Ngl I hope it’s Peter that hit Cindy. At least make it interesting #EastEnders.”
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The mystery of who attacked Cindy will not remain unsolved for much longer, with the grand reveal scheduled for the soap’s 40th-anniversary celebration. Talking about the upcoming plot twists, Executive Producer Chris Clenshaw reveals: “Our 40th anniversary storylines have been in the works for some time, but even at the very start of planning, we knew that we wanted to reveal the identity of Cindy’s attacker as part of this.”
“Many characters currently find themselves in the line of question, but over the coming weeks, the audience can look out for clues themselves to who may be the culprit. Cindy’s attacker reveal is just one of many stories we have planned for the anniversary as it is set to be a week of explosive drama for the audience to remember.”
EastEnders airs Monday to Thursday at 7.30pm on BBC One and available to stream on BBC iPlayer from 6am
