Stacey Slater given shock ultimatum after confessing affair in EastEnders
The Five are forced to take action as one of their own spirals.
DENISE Fox’s mental health continues to be on the decline as the memory of Keanu Taylor’s murder haunts her.
EastEnders favourite Stacey Slater is forced to make a sacrifice to keep the Six’s secret intact. Will she go through with it?
Stacey Slater (portrayed by Lacey Turner) bedded another married man in recent scenes of the BBC One soap.
The bap van owner added a third Branning man to her extensive collection as she succumbed to Jack Branning’s charm.
Unfortunately, Jack is no free agent as he is married to Denise Fox (Diane Parish) who, unbeknownst to him, shares an even deeper and darker secret with Stacey.
Viewers of the London-based program know that Denise and Stacey took part in the cover-up that followed Keanu Taylor’s murder on Christmas Day.
And while the former felon has managed to keep it together as this is far from her first rodeo with crime, Denise is crumbling under pressure.
Next week, Stacey is forced by Suki Panesar (Balvinder Sopal) to make a sacrifice in a bid to keep Keanu’s death under wraps.
Denise’s ordeal takes devastating proportions next week as she continues to hallucinate Keanu, believing what she’s seeing is real.
Alerted by Amy Mitchell who asked her questions about bipolar, Stacey goes to see her to voice the teen’s concerns, but Denise tries to brush it off.
However, when Denise finally begins to talk about what she’s seeing and hearing, Stacey recognises the signs and reaches the conclusion that Denise is experiencing psychosis.
Terrified this could mean Denise blabs, she urges her to see a doctor.
Later on, Ricky Branning (Frankie Day) is convinced Denise is having a breakdown when he overhears her saying strange things, but Amy (Ellie Dadd) insists she just needs to sleep.
Denise then rushes out of the back door and hides in a bush, terrified by her own thoughts.
Stacey gets Denise inside, where Yolande Trueman (Angela Wynter) and Pastor Clayton (Howard Saddler) arrive to give her counsel.
In other scenes, Stacey insists to the other members of the remaining Five that Denise needs to see a psychiatrist.
Sadly, Denise has gone to see the only person she believes can help her now – her former husband and serial killer Lucas Johnson.
But much like everybody else, Lucas is very worried by Denise’s behaviour and the things she is saying.
Later, Denise arrives home in an agitated state and frightens the life out of Amy and Ricky.
She explains she must get far away to keep them safe and grabs the car keys.
Amy convinces Denise to let her go too, and they drive off while Ricky desperately tries to reach his father Jack Branning (Scott Maslen).
Elsewhere, Stacey confides in Suki Panesar (Balvinder Sopal) that she’s been seeing Jack and he now believes his marriage is over.
Suki insists she must convince him to stay with his wife and end things for all their sakes as the end of her fragile marriage could push Denise over the edge.
Will Stacey really put an end to her affair with Jack?
Will Jack even accept the breakup?
Viewers will have to wait and see but there’s clear trouble ahead as Denise vanishes.
After rushing out of her home with Amy, Denise and the teen drive at high speed through a wooded area.
Denise then stops the car and rushes off into the night, leaving Amy distraught.
At The Vic, word reaches the punters that Denise is missing, and residents start co-ordinating a search party.
Denise’s daughter Chelsea (Zaraah Abrahams) and Johnny Carter (Charlie Suff) have a tense conversation about Denise.
Linda Carter (Kellie Bright) is then rattled by Chelsea’s questions and struggles to hide it, while Suki is determined she’s going to find a way out of this, no matter what happens.
Suki insists to Stacey that the women need to rally around Denise and look after her in shifts once she is found if that’s what it takes to protect their secret.
But could it be too late for Denise?
EastEnders airs from Monday to Thursday at 7.30pm on BBC One.
