Max's fling uncovered by mystery source

Max Branning will panic next week when he realises that somebody knows about his fling with Lucy Beale.

The worrying moment for Max (Jake Wood) comes as he continues to pursue Lucy, not wanting to lose her to newcomer Lee Carter (Danny-Boy Hatchard).
Feeling jealous, Max shows up uninvited to an open day that Lucy (Hetti Bywater) is holding at the Walford Common flats as part of her new lettings agency business.

Lucy isn't impressed by Max's behaviour, but it's not long before she gives into his charms.

Although Lucy later turns her attentions back to Lee, it seems that the damage has already been done when Max receives a shocking email.

The anonymous sender makes it clear that he or she knows Max's secret by including a picture of him and Lucy together earlier. Who has sent the message?
EastEnders airs these scenes on Tuesday, April 15 at 7.30pm on BBC One.

Lucy Beale secret to be exposed by Cindy

Cindy Williams causes problems for her half-sister Lucy Beale by exposing one of her secrets next week.

In the build-up to Lucy's shock death, mischievous Cindy (Mimi Keene) becomes irritated when she notices that Ian seems to be continually favouring Lucy over Peter.

This becomes especially apparent when the Beales receive a visit from a reporter to help promote their new business plans. While speaking to the journalist, Ian (Adam Woodyatt) boasts about Lucy's recent success but dismisses Peter.

After helping to hide a secret for Lucy, Cindy finally betrays her and advises Ian to look in his daughter's jewellery box. When Ian does, he is left stunned.
While we can't reveal what the secret is, it is separate from Lucy's fling with Max and leaves Ian desperate to confront her.

When Lucy (Hetti Bywater) finally returns home the next day after spending the night with Lee Carter at the restaurant, Ian has a heart-to-heart with her and reveals that she is the child he is most proud of. 

Unfortunately for both of them, Peter (Ben Hardy) overhears every word of this and storms out of the house…
EastEnders airs these scenes in Lucy's final episode on Friday, April 18 at 8pm on BBC One.

Hetti Bywater on Lucy's death, show exit and future plans

It's the end of an era for the Beale family on EastEnders next week as Lucy is killed after an eventful few days.

Following tensions with a number of Albert Square's residents, Lucy heads off alone one evening after receiving a mysterious email. Not long afterwards, Lucy's lifeless body is left on Walford Common - marking the beginning of a dark new chapter for the Beales.

Here, Hetti Bywater - who played Lucy - speaks about the shock storyline for the first time and reflects on her two-year stint with the BBC soap.

Lucy's fling with Max came as a surprise! Does she have real feelings for him?
"I think she's just a bit unsure about everything. Lucy has got to a point in her life where she's having a bit of a breakdown and nothing is really certain in her head. She's just in a really muddled place with everything that is going on at the moment. She's following her instinct rather than figuring out if something is right or wrong or figuring out what her true emotions are, which is why she is getting herself in more and more trouble. 

"Lucy has a lot of problems with her dad and feels that her dad does not believe in her and isn't supporting her, so in a weird twisted way, it's almost as if Max is giving her that fatherly support.

"From Max's point of view, I think that the fact it's a secret makes it more exciting, but on Lucy's part I think it's excitement at the beginning and it's a rush, but the excitement goes away very quickly. She doesn't know what her emotions are. The excitement goes when the guilt comes."
Does Lucy see the letting agency as a fresh start in life? 
"Definitely. It's something to aim towards. She wants to grow up quickly and she hasn't really had a childhood. She has her dad constantly telling her that she can't do things because she's too young and naïve, and she just wants to prove everyone wrong and be a person that other people can look up to." 

Lucy takes a chance on Lee, even after she spots him kissing Whitney behind her back. Why does she do that?
"Because she feels that everyone in her life lies to her and they can't be trusted. She has a lot of trust issues with her friends, obviously with everything that's going on with Max and her family, so she's not getting on with anyone. 

"This boy comes along who is a little bit cheeky, he's from the army and very confident, but isn't afraid to tell her how it is and be honest with her with everything. With Whitney he's upfront and when Lucy asks him what is going on, he tells her straight and makes a joke about it, and she likes that. Yes he might be kissing Whitney on the side, but he's honest about it and that's refreshing and is almost endearing about him."
Next week we see that Cindy knows one of Lucy's secrets. Is Lucy worried that she knows the truth? 
"It's a weird relationship. I don't think she trusts her 100%, but I think she hopes that Cindy would be almost afraid to tell anyone her secret and wouldn't cross Lucy in that way."

Lucy's final week on-screen also sees Peter overhear Ian telling her that she's the child he's most proud of. Why does Lucy get so upset on Peter's behalf?
"The twins were always really close in the past - they would bicker but they were a unit and where there was one, there was the other. But now the relationship has drifted apart. Even though they are not as close anymore, that connection is still there - Peter is still her twin. They always say that if one twin is upset the other one instantly knows - they share the same emotions. 

"It's not so much that Peter is upset - it's the fact that Ian would even say that he has a favourite. He's obviously trying to tell her nice things - but I think it's just sad to see, more on Ian's behalf, that he would do that." 
How would you describe Lucy's relationship with Ian? 
"It's complicated! It's just a general fatherly daughterly love/hate relationship, although it's actually more like a motherly daughter relationship. Lucy can hate him so much, but then if he sheds a tear or is upset, she can't help but feel sympathy. It's really difficult for her - to have all that hatred that can go away in a second if he breaks down. That's what she's about and that shows that she does have a heart and she can be emotional. 

"That's a really nice part to their relationship - it does work both ways. In their heart-to-heart next week, she's being so harsh at the beginning and as soon as Lucy breaks down, it's reciprocated and he does exactly the same. It's love/hate. She loves him but she thinks he can be an idiot!"

We learn a lot about Lucy next week. Is there still more to learn? 
"Yes definitely, there's going to be a lot to learn about Lucy!"

What does it mean to you to have such a big exit storyline? Did you expect it to have such a big response when it was revealed? 
"When it was announced it really did go everywhere! I think it's such a big deal for viewers because not only is Lucy an iconic character because she has been in the show for 20 years, but also the whole Beale clan is so iconic and that's why it makes such a big impact. And splitting twins up is so horrific. 

"It's going to be a great story for the Beales and start a new dark chapter for them. That's what the focus is going to be on - it's not going to be so much about the death, it's going to be about afterwards. It's going to be about the implications of it and everyone's journey. 

"It's a bit scary and overwhelming, and the fact that it's going to go on for so long. I am ecstatic that I got given this opportunity, because it's amazing and challenging and great to be part of such a big storyline." 

How do you think viewers will react when they see it on-screen?
"You see deaths on soaps quite a bit and often they tend to be older characters or they tend to be characters with bad sides to them. What's so sad about this is that Lucy is having all these troubles and she's trying to build her life back up and get her stuff together, thinking this isn't how she's going to live her life and she's going to start a new chapter, and that's when it all goes wrong." 

Do you know who killed Lucy?
"No. I thought I was 100% sure and that I had it sussed out in my head, but after talking to everyone else on the cast I'm not sure anymore. Everyone's having little bets and coming up with their own theories."

What was it like to have to keep the storyline secret?
"It was so difficult! I'd known for about five months before it came out. It felt like as soon as I knew, suddenly everyone was coming up to me and asking me what my storylines were and where our characters would be in a couple of years' time. I had to make up things in my head! It was hard. The hardest person to keep it from was Jacqueline [Jossa, who plays Lauren], as we always talk about what we're going to do in the future."

What are your favourite moments from filming?
"What I'm doing right now - the stuff leading up to Lucy's murder. I've had good storylines in the past - throwing the money out of the window was fun. It was odd to hold that much money in my hand! But definitely the stuff I'm doing right now. I don't think I've been challenged as much as what I'm doing right now. 

"Working 12 hours a day every day has been draining, but that's almost helped me do the scenes and getting into that character. I was the most grumpy person on set and that really helped me! It was fun to have to really think about my character and I'd read my scenes weeks in advance and really cared about what I was doing. The end storylines have been the best, they are great scripts!"

Who are you going to miss seeing every day the most?
"Jacqueline definitely, and Himesh [Patel] - he's the most amazing person in the world. I'll miss Adam [Woodyatt] as he's like an embarrassing dad, giving me advice about money and everything. I'll miss Ben [Hardy] as well, as we get on really well. And Shona [McGarty] obviously!"

Are you going to watch the episode where Lucy is murdered when it airs? 
"I don't know. I will watch it in a corner on my own! No one else is allowed to watch it with me. You have to, don't you?!" 

What's next for you? Is there a dream job you would like to have? 
"I wouldn't do musical theatre. People tell me I've got an alright voice but I don't like the sound of my own voice, so definitely no singing. I wouldn't mind doing a serious play - that would be nice for something a bit different. 

"Ideally if I lived in a dream world I'd do a period drama. I love period drama. One day I would love to be in a period feature film, but that's dreaming! But that would be amazing. I'd also love to do something gritty."

Christian Clarke to make brief return

John Partridge is set to make an brief return as Christian Clarke next month, We can reveal.

Partridge was last scene in November 2012, when he left the Square with lover Syed Masood, will reprise as Christian in May for one episode.

An insider told us: "Christian was like an uncle to Lucy. So it's only right he makes an appearance at Lucy's funaral."

The source added: " In what are to be the most emotional scenes ever to be seen, the Beale family will be completely shaken."

The actor previously said: "I'm out of it forever. I didn't get killed or anything. We both left to lead a much better life out of the square."

Fan will know Jane Clarke made a surprise return to the Square in January.

Meanwhile, the whodunnit mystery has began with Lauren Branning as the bookies' favourite.

Derek Martin: 'Cast members want me back on soap'

Derek Martin has revealed that his former co-stars are keen to have him back on the soap.

The 80-year-old said that Jessie Wallace - who plays his on-screen daughter Kat - and Shane Richie have been pleading with the show's producers for Martin's return.
The actor starred as Walford cab driver Charlie Slater from 2000 to 2011, before briefly returning to the role last Christmas.
He told The Sunday Mirror: "The show misses the older characters. 
"Everyone, including Shane and Jessie, have been asking them upstairs, 'When can we have Derek?' and Dominic [Treadwell-Collins] has said he will see how it goes."
Martin previously expressed his desire to permanently return to EastEnders when he reprised his role for the three-episode stint in December.
He said: "Who knows, if Charlie goes down well this Christmas, maybe it will all become more permanent. Nothing's been said but I can't help hoping."

Lee and Whitney Kiss!

Lee Carter quickly develops a reputation as a ladies' man as he charms both Lucy Beale and Whitney Dean later this month.

Lee (Danny-Boy Hatchard) is immediately attracted to Lucy as he settles into life in Walford. When he makes a play for the blonde, they end up spending the night together.

Although their hook-up initially seems like a one-off, Lucy (Hetti Bywater) later decides that Lee might be worth taking a chance on when he invites her out for a drink.

Unfortunately for Lucy, she isn't the only girl who has caught Lee's eye, as he also makes a move on Whitney (Shona McGarty). Lucy is shocked when she spots the pair kissing, but which girl will Lee choose? 

The battle for Lee's affections is the latest twist in the build-up to Lucy's upcoming death and looks likely to make Whitney a suspect in the mystery…

EastEnders airs these scenes on Tuesday, April 15 and Thursday, April 17 at 7.30pm on BBC One.

I had to quit EastEnders!

James Alexandrou says he quit the hit show at 21 because he felt he had to burst the bubble of being in a high-profile TV show.

James is starring as Iago in a production of Shakespeare's Othello in London's West End and told What's on TV that he was desperate to get into theatre after leaving EastEnders in 2007, to learn his craft.

But he has great memories of EastEnders, in which he played Martin Fowler. "Lovely memories, yeah. I wouldn't be here without it, really. I'm under no illusions why my face is on the [Othello] poster. EastEnders has done lovely things for my career. It's put a bit of money in my pocket, gave me a bit of a profile, and I managed to get some nice jobs off the back of it and, yeah, thank you!"

James, 28, continued: "I think when you're in a high profile TV show of any type you end up in a bit of a bubble and, for me anyway, it's about bursting that bubble, about realising that I didn't know everything as I thought I did at 21... I had to go out there and learn from people that knew a lot more than I did."

James is starring in the Grassroots Shakespeare London production of Othello at London's Leicester Square Theatre until the end of April.