BBC EastEnders: Spot major clue Kathy isn’t Cindy’s attacker after explosion

Some EastEnders viewers still aren’t convinced that it was Kathy Beale who attacked Cindy Beale on Christmas Day.

Cindy (played by Michelle Collins) had been left for d.e.a.d after being hit over the head with a shovel outside the Queen Vic on the BBC show. Fans have been waiting weeks to find out who almost k.i.l.l.e.d the long-running character.

There have been a number of suspects and Tuesday night’s episode saw Cindy confront her former partner Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt) with a gun amid her concern that it was him. He assured that it wasn’t him and suggested that the assailant had been their son Peter Beale (Thomas Law).

Kathy (Gillian Taylforth) then appeared and said that she had attacked Cindy at Christmas. There was immediately suspicion among fans that she’s covering for someone else, despite the show suggesting that the mystery is now over.

Some fans however remain unconvinced and pointed out a detail in Wednesday’s hour-long 40th anniversary episode that could cast doubt on Kathy being the attacker. During the episode, Kathy and Cindy were seen trapped inside the Queen Vic following an explosion at the pub recently.

Viewers saw them talking as they lay among rubble at one point, just weeks after it was revealed that Cindy had cheated on Ian once again. Sharing her thoughts, Kathy said: “I’m ashamed of my mistakes, but you, you revel in them. Have done your whole life and that is why I went for you.”

Kathy – who watched Cindy push Ian in front of a car earlier this week, moments after he accidentally got shot by her – later decided to attempt to get out of the pub. She didn’t initially appear interested in taking Cindy with her.

Cindy however pleaded against being left behind. She said: “I didn’t mean to hurt him. I just lost it.” Kathy responded: “You shoved him in front of a moving car.” Cindy then said that Kathy “left her for d.e.a.d,” prompting the latter to say back: “You’d think that would have taught you a lesson.”

Further pleading, Cindy told Kathy that she would end up dying if she was left, revealing that she was bleeding out. She went on to warn that Kathy wouldn’t want her d.e.a.t.h on her conscience, adding: “If you leave me to d.i.e, you’ll never be able to live with yourself.” Kathy decided to rescue Cindy, who was seen in the back of an ambulance later on, and said to her as they fled the pub: “Don’t you dare d.i.e on me!”

Some fans have however questioned why Kathy would save Cindy following the explosion after everything they had been through in recent weeks. The query has been noted by viewers on social media platforms including Reddit.

Suggesting that it was a “clue” towards Kathy’s innocent, one fan wrote on the platform: “So in tonight’s episode Cindy convinces Kathy to help her because Kathy couldn’t live with Cindy’s d.e.a.t.h on her conscience. But Kathy was the one who supposedly tried to k.i.l.l her the first time. Now she’s got a conscience? This entire thing is Cindy’s fault, she tried to k.i.l.l Ian, this should have made Kathy an even colder person, but she can’t leave Cindy to d.i.e? Hmmmmmm.” Someone replied: “I agree, Kathy was adamant on leaving her but never once did she describe it as ‘finishing the job’ which is what I was expecting to be the final confirmation that she did it – still holding out for a ‘oh actually it was Peter!’.”

There was similar speculation on X, with one viewer writing: “So if Kathy was the one who whacked Cindy, why did she save her tonight?? Makes no sense.” Another said in a post about the scenes: “Find it hard to believe Kathy hit Cindy over the head with a shovel leaving her to d.i.e but then saved her from the vic?!? Still reckon it’s Peter tbh.”

Someone said: “FYI, I absolutely don’t believe Kathy was the initial Cindy whacker. She had ZERO remorse yesterday – and today she saves her life, after Cindy literally tried to make Ian soup? Not buying it.” One fan wrote: “Right so Kathy tried to k.i.l.l Cindy on Christmas which was risky, but she then goes out of her way to save her tonight when she could’ve d.i.e.d?? It’s not adding up.” Sharing their thoughts, another said: “Also I even more don’t believe that it was Kathy after she saved Cindy from the pub. Ian had the locket and said it was Peter, and how or why would he think or do that if it was actually Kathy?”

EastEnders continues tomorrow night from 7.30pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.