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The mystery surrounding Joel Marshall’s hammer attack takes another dramatic turn in EastEnders next week, as Barney Mitchell drops a huge bombshell that leaves Avani Nandra-Hart completely stunned.
The teenagers have been living in fear ever since Joel was left badly hurt following the attack, with several of them terrified the police could start pointing the finger in their direction after they humiliated him in a revenge prank shortly beforehand.
And now, Barney makes a confession that changes everything.
Still shaken by everything that’s happened, Avani opens up to Barney about her fears that she’ll be blamed for Joel’s attack. But instead of reassuring her, Barney admits something he’s been keeping to himself.
He reveals that he was the one who hid the hammer used in the attack because he genuinely believed Avani was responsible.
The confession leaves Avani reeling, as she realises just how convinced Barney had become that she’d attacked Joel.
Unable to cope with the weight of everything that’s happened, Barney later turns to Zack and finally comes clean. As well as confessing what he did with the hammer, Barney also reveals that he saw Nugget Gulati acting suspiciously on the night Joel was attacked, potentially giving the investigation a fresh lead.
Whether Barney has genuinely uncovered an important clue or simply added another twist to an already complicated case remains to be seen.
Meanwhile, Ross and Vicki become increasingly convinced there is more to the story than they’ve been told.
After receiving an update on Joel’s living arrangements, Vicki’s suspicions continue to grow. She tells Ross she can’t shake the feeling something isn’t right, before suggesting Joel may have pressured Avani into saying she was happy for him to remain in Albert Square after his return.
The pair decide they need answers and head straight to Kat and Alfie Moon.
However, it’s only when they’re shown footage of the prank played on Joel that they realise the other parents have been keeping quiet about what really happened before the attack.
Ross is furious to discover they’ve known more than they let on, and wastes no time declaring that he’s prepared to take everything he knows straight to the police.
Determined to stop the situation spiralling even further, Kat and Alfie quickly gather the other parents in the hope they can get everyone on the same page.
But things don’t go to plan.
When Ross and Vicki arrive, emotions boil over, and the meeting quickly descends into tense confrontations as every parent tries to protect their own child.
With the investigation closing in, Jack Branning becomes increasingly worried about what could happen to Amy and Ricky if more evidence comes to light.
In a bid to keep them out of trouble, he asks fellow police officer Craig for a favour, leaving Craig in an awkward position as Jack appears willing to blur the lines between his role as a detective and his instincts as a father.
Elsewhere, Barney formally gives a statement as the investigation continues, while Craig later updates Ross and Vicki on the latest developments in the case.
Just when it seems the investigation couldn’t become any more complicated, Joel makes a surprising request, leaving those around him wondering what he’s planning next.
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