EastEnders revealed a major clue regarding Zoe Slater in the storyline which has seen Stacey keep a huge secret.

Zoe returned to the BBC soap earlier this month after an absence of two decades, with the character reuniting with Stacey and Alfie Moon as it became apparent that she was running from something in her life.

As the pair attempted to learn more, Zoe jetted off to Barcelona as she narrowly avoided a meeting with her mother, Kat. Alfie kept the news from his wife, and headed to Spain – under the guise that he was in Australia – in a bid to bring Zoe back to East London.

The first part of Monday’s (30 June) double-header saw Stacey return from her stay at Zoe’s, though she urged Hope and Arthur to not utter a word regarding where they had been for the past few weeks.

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Stacey was updated on what she had missed over the past few weeks during a conversation with Jean, who aired some suspicions regarding her daughter’s version of events. Kat soon arrived, and quipped that her sister could attend her next wedding with Alfie.

As Mo arrived on the scene, Jean shared that she had spoken with Hope, who divulged that a woman had stayed with them in the flat. Stacey said that the figure was “just a friend”, though Kat didn’t seem entirely convinced by her story.

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Kat later remarked that Stacey was clearly “hiding something”, though the latter managed to deflect the conversation onto the topic of Alfie. After Kat left, Stacey left a voicemail on Alfie’s phone, urging him to resolve the matter in quick time.

With both Jean and Kat asking questions of Stacey regarding her stint away from Walford, how long will it be until she eventually reveals all? And when will Alfie return from his mission to find Zoe?