Walford is on fire this week — not with flames, but with secrets, heartbreak, betrayals, and a jaw-dropping pregnancy that will change lives forever. EastEnders isn’t holding anything back, throwing its characters into high-stakes emotional warfare that threatens to tear families apart, reignite old grudges, and reshape the power balance of Albert Square. At the heart of it all? A fierce battle for the soul of The Queen Vic.

Kat Slater is charging toward a dream — owning The Vic. But this is Walford, where no dream comes true without a price. With fierce competition from the Beales and a property developer breathing down her neck, Kat’s ambitions are put to the ultimate test. Backed by the support of her family — at least at first — Kat’s hopes are shattered when Stacey delivers a crushing blow: she can’t lend her the money.

The emotional gut punch leaves Kat reeling. But just when all seems lost, Jean — in her usual chaotic wisdom — misinterprets Stacey’s doubts and pushes her to reconsider. Stacey, moved by family loyalty and maybe a bit of guilt, makes a last-minute decision that could turn the tide. With the Slaters stalling the auction and tension crackling in the air, Kat holds her breath. Could she finally reclaim The Vic and take her rightful place behind the bar?

But The Vic isn’t the only battlefield. The Panesars are falling apart at the seams.

A bombshell drops like a grenade into the family: Avani Nandra-Hart is pregnant. Young, scared, and feeling invisible, Avani turns not to her family but to Barney for solace. In a hidden moment at Harry’s Barn, the test confirms it — her life is about to change forever.

But Avani’s secret won’t stay buried for long. Suki, already unraveling under the pressure of Ravi’s arrest and a sudden police raid on their home, senses something’s off. When she catches Avani browsing family planning websites, the truth spills out. Avani is pregnant — and she’s made a life-altering decision: she’s not keeping the baby.

Suki is blindsided. Her attempts to stay strong are crumbling, especially with Vinny throwing verbal daggers at her after announcing he’s attending Ash’s engagement party behind her back. Suki lashes out, desperate to hold her family together, but all she manages is to drive them further apart. The once-feared matriarch of the Panesars is now a woman lost in the wreckage of her own collapsing world.

And as if one unraveling family wasn’t enough…

Linda Carter is facing her own truth — and it’s one she’s buried for far too long. Annie’s paternity has always been a loaded subject, and now Linda is ready to come clean to Oscar. But Oscar, blindsided by the revelation, believes Max Branning deserves to know the truth as well. That suggestion alone threatens to drag up ghosts Linda has fought to keep buried.

Linda turns to Lauren, pleading with her to convince Oscar to stay quiet. But with tensions rising around every corner, silence may be a luxury they can’t afford. Because Oscar’s own past is catching up to him — and it’s not a peaceful reunion.

A menacing figure from Oscar’s history, Mike, shows up uninvited and unhinged. After a one-night stand and a stern warning from Jack to stay out of Lauren and Peter’s way, Oscar tries to make amends by babysitting for the couple. But Mike’s sudden reappearance turns the night into a nightmare. Though he disappears before the couple returns, he leaves behind a threatening message that chills Oscar to his core. His past isn’t done with him yet — and now it’s putting everyone he cares about in danger.

Back in the chaos of the Beales, Cindy catches wind of Ian’s desperate plan to sell Beale’s Eels to fund the Vic bid — and she’s not having it. Shots are fired between the pair in classic EastEnders style, another power couple cracking under the strain of ambition and betrayal.

Meanwhile, Nicola makes her own dangerous move. Discovering Harry’s shady connections to Ravi, she steals his phone and tips off Jack to a criminal deal in motion. The result? A dramatic police bust that ends in Ravi and Okie’s arrest — and the Panesars’ world crumbling further into chaos.

Even Nigel’s storyline is laced with tension. After going missing, he’s tracked down thanks to the unlikely team of Jay, Callum, and Yolande. But Nigel’s care situation creates new friction between Phil and Julie. Their clashing visions spark yet another conflict — one that could have serious consequences for their future and Nigel’s wellbeing.

By week’s end, everything hangs in the balance.

Will Kat finally get the keys to The Vic, or will the Beales snatch victory away at the last moment? Will Avani’s decision bring her peace — or pull her further away from the Panesars? Can Linda and Lauren keep Oscar’s secret from detonating, or has the time for silence passed? And how long before Mike returns to finish what he started?

This week in Walford isn’t just explosive — it’s transformative. Families will fracture. Secrets will come to light. Loyalties will be tested in ways they never have before. And by the time the dust settles, nothing will be the same.

With the auction hanging in the balance, pregnancy revelations ripping through families, and old enemies resurfacing in dangerous ways, EastEnders is delivering a masterclass in high-stakes soap storytelling.