Chelsea Fox (Zaraah Abrahams) is forced to confront her fate following her involvement in the recent club crush in EastEnders next week – and it could mean a spell behind bars for the popular character.
As fans know, Chelsea inadvertently caused the incident at Peggy’s earlier this year when she tampered with the club’s online booking system in an attempt to sabotage Penny Branning’s (Kitty Castledine) night, after Penny stole her job as manager.
After many people – including her step-sister Amy Mitchell (Ellie Dadds) – were left seriously injured, Chelsea has been racked with guilt, but has kept quiet about her involvement, letting Penny take the fall.
She did, however, admit the truth to her mum Denise Fox (Diane Parish), who urged Chelsea to confess.
Things reach a head next week as Denise begins to rekindle her relationship with Amy and Penny’s dad and her estranged husband Jack Branning (Scott Maslen).
When Chelsea finds out her mum has spent the night with her ex, she pleads with her to keep her distance, worried about what it might mean for her secret.
Meanwhile, at the hospital, Amy gets upset at the rate of her recovery and an argument between Penny and Amy breaks out.
Later, Penny makes the decision to leave Walford, and arrives at No.27 as Jack and Denise are trying to buoy Amy up.
As the situation escalates between Penny and the rest of her family, Denise finally outs Chelsea and reveals the truth.
The Brannings are left reeling as a furious Penny heads over to No.20 to confront Chelsea.
Realising she has nowhere to hide, Chelsea admits what she did and Jack demands she hand herself into the police, but she refuses.
However, Chelsea later changes her mind when Amy shares some harsh truths with her older step-sister.
Will Chelsea soon find herself banged up like her murderous ex Gray Atkins (Toby-Alexander Smith)?
Actress Kitty Castledine, who plays Penny, has also teased that there is plenty more drama to come for the whole family.
‘She’s genuinely shocked, and deeply hurt,’ Kitty says. ‘I think there is also this sense of betrayal, not only from Chelsea, but also from Denise for keeping it a secret for weeks.
‘Penny is meant to be going back to Paris, and is literally thinking this is the end of her life, her career, everything. So she feels this great sense of betrayal with Denise.
‘Shortly after, she has a massive burst of rage, and she is not afraid to show it. I think she gets that from her dad.’
She adds: ‘The drama is only just beginning for Penny, and there is a lot to unravel between Penny and Jack’s relationship.’
EastEnders airs these scenes from Monday 14 October at 7.30pm on BBC One and from 6am on iPlayer.
