Yolande Trueman (Angela Wynter) is questioning her faith again after learning Pastor Clayton’s (Howard Saddler) funeral will take place on Christmas Eve.
Some of the BBC soap’s most harrowing scenes ever aired earlier in the year, when church-leader Clayton sᴇxᴜᴀʟʟʏ ᴀssᴀᴜʟᴛᴇᴅ Yolande in a store room at the community centre.
She bravely spoke up about her ordeal to friend Elaine Knight (Harriet Thorpe), and then found the courage to report his crime to the police.
Unfortunately, due to a lack of evidence, there was little that they could do.
However, soon after, a second survivor of his abuse came forward, with the CPS charging him with two counts of sᴇxᴜᴀʟ ᴀssᴀᴜʟᴛ.
Their bravery was noted by a third woman, who also came forward, prompting Clayton to barge his way into Yolande’s house in an attempt to get her to drop the charges.
Later that night, the police arrived and she assumed he’d spread more vicious lies about her. They were actually there to reveal that Clayton had taken his own life.
Since then, Yolande has tried to rebuild her life and reconnect with her Christian faith – something which she abandoned following the sexual assault.
In tonight’s episode, Albert Square was abuzz with excitement as they prepared to turn on the Christmas lights in the gardens.
Yolande’s life partner Patrick (Rudolph Walker) was trying on his best clothes, whilst Kim Fox (Tameka Empson) was excited for the night ahead with boyfriend Howie Danes (Delroy Atkinson).
Sadly, Yolande didn’t share the same enthusiasm as her family.
She told Patrick that she had no intentions of attending the switch-on, and that he could attend alone.
Later, the couple arrived at the Queen Vic for an afternoon drink, blissfully unaware that bad news was about to come their way.
Landlady Elaine started gossiping about something she’d read in the paper, assuming that Yolande had also seen it. It was an obituary for Clayton, including the details of his funeral.
Yolande was taken aback, realising that his burial was going to overshadow a religious celebration and gave her less reason to enjoy it herself.
As the episode drew to a close, Patrick stood alone in the square as the lights were switched on.
Will Yolande find peace?
