This article contains spoilers for tonight’s episode of EastEnders, which airs on BBC One at 7.30pm or can be streamed now on iPlayer.
Bianca Jackson (Patsy Palmer) has been declared d.e.a.d by Reiss Colwell (Jonny Freeman) – but not everything is as it seems.
After spending months in captivity, the Walford legend was told by her hostage taker that she must take her own life earlier this week, as he was never going to set her free.
As poor, tormented B’ began to realise that this was the end, Reiss dashed off to the hospital where after discovering his fiancée Sonia Fowler (Natalie Cassidy) was having issues with her pregnancy.
She’d suffered a premature rupture of her membrane, sparked during an argument with her cousin Lauren Branning (Jacqueline Jossa) about Bianca’s guilty plea for a murder that she didn’t commit.
As viewers know, she was forced to make the confession tape to cover for the real k.i.l.l.e.r – Reiss.
Little did he realise, during his rush off to the ward, he forgot to secure the storage lock-up that she’d called home since November.
When Sonia returned home, Reiss insisted that she rest up in bed so that he could sneak off and ensure Bianca had gone through with his suicide plot.
However, in a shock twist, his car broke down on Edward Road and he couldn’t get there.
Sonia, meanwhile, had been visited by Yolande Trueman (Angela Wynter) and was convinced to delete Bianca’s footage so that she could move on with her life.
Although she didn’t believe that her sister was capable of being a cold-blooded murderer, the time had come to accept that her sister knew too many damning details about the death so must have been responsible.
As Son’ hovered over the delete window, she clocked a distinctive dolls house in the background of the video… the very same toy that Reiss had apparently bought in a charity shop for their unborn daughter’s nursery.
When he returned home, she put on a brave front and questioned him about its origins. His story was flawed, and she knew then that something was wrong.
Finally, half a year on from smothering his comatose wife Debbie with a pillow, he admitted to his crimes.
Sonia was horrified and tried to escape, but he blocked her exit and forced her to listen to him.
He went on to explain that he was protecting Bianca after she covered for him, but had since died. At this point, Sonia began to scream for help in the hope of alerting her uncle Jack Branning (Scott Maslen) next door.
It seemed that she would never make it out alive, but at the eleventh hour, Bianca darted in – having broken free from the lock-up – and smashed him over the head with a vase.
Freedom at last.
The women headed next door and pleaded with Jack for help, as they fell into Denise and Chelsea Fox’s (Diane Parish and Zaraah Abrahams) arms.
There was one final issue though, as when Jack went to investigate, Reiss was gone and the back door was wide open.
Sonia and Bianca began to break down as they looked at the floor where his lifeless body had vanished.
Where has Reiss gone, and will he be found?
In next week’s scenes, as the soap gears up to celebrate 40 years on air, the sisters begin to adapt to a new normal in the wake of the incident.
Neither of them are aware that Reiss is lurking in the shadows, and preparing for one final showdown with Bianca!
