It’s set to be an eventful Halloween in Walford, as Nish Panesar’s (Navin Chowdhry) suspicions of The Six grow – and ex-wife Suki (Balvinder Sopal) is confronted head on.
The women – who were all part of Keanu Taylor’s (Danny Walters) murder at Christmas – have so far managed to keep their big secret away from authorities, despite coming clean to his sister Bernie (Clair Norris) in August.
Nish’s suspicions begin to grow (again) when he overhears Kathy (Gillian Taylforth) and Suki chatting, and later rumbles their meet-up where they go over their earlier statements from Christmas.
‘He doesn’t really know what’s going on, but he senses within the group some anxiety, particularly from Kathy to begin with and then from Suki’ Navin told us.
‘It isn’t something that was at the forefront of his mind, but then seeing how suspicious they are behaving, and remembering that he was nearly fatally hurt, he chooses to prod and investigate further.’
As viewers know, they concocted a lengthy false alibi that put Dean Wicks (Matt Di Angelo) in the frame.
Bursting into the Panesar residence, Nish is convinced that something is awry, though the women quickly cover and claim they have nothing to hide.
As a result, he insists on travelling with the group to the police station, where they’re re-interviewed by DCI Arthurs on the events surrounding Keanu’s death.
Will they be able to keep calm?
Later, he visits Suki, knowing that she is keeping something under her hat. She can’t believe his audacity when he confronts her about the truth.
Nish orders her to summon the ladies under false pretences, and upon their arrival it becomes clear that their secret is no longer safe – he knows everything.
On his character’s reaction, Navin added: ‘I think it’s a mixture of disbelief and horror. Anger that this could happen to him and that these people who did this to him are walking around freely getting on with their lives while he nearly died.’
‘So there is a vengeful instinct within him to want to get back at the people that hurt him, but at the same time, the manipulative part of his character sees the opportunity he now has with this information, and it’s probably the best card he’s ever been dealt.’
Suki decides that only she can successfully prevent her villainous ex from spilling, but it becomes clear that he can’t be as easily bought as she first thought.
He’s made it clear on more than one occasion that he owes Suki nothing, stripping her from his will and then discovering her plan to con him out of his various financial assets.
In a sudden turn of events, Nish prepares to move back into the family home. Has Suki caved to his demands?
Suki rejects Stacey’s (Lacey Turner) calls, knowing that her worst fears have been imagined.
As Halloween approaches, party preparations are underway at The Vic, with trouble brewing beneath the surface.
Denise (Diane Parish) has become aware of Nish’s new living arrangements, and calls by at the pub to speak with Linda about their next move.
