Next week on EastEnders, Zack plans to take Barney away, the Slaters can’t get through to Stacey, and Peter and Lauren receive bad news about baby Jimmy.

Here’s everything in store in Walford from Monday 19th to Thursday 22nd May.

1) Is something wrong with baby Jimmy?

This week, Lauren (Jacqueline Jossa) struggled to get newborn baby Jimmy to latch on, half-jokingly asking Peter (Thomas Law) why he didn’t like her.

Next week, as her issues continue, she begins to fear that something is wrong with her newborn.

BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron

While Peter does his best to support his fiancée, he’s secretly worried that her past struggles with addiction might be making new motherhood all the more difficult.

BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron

Complicating matters is Cindy’s (Michelle Collins) ongoing presence, after her recent return, which has brought plenty of drama.

Cindy was the one to get Lauren to the hospital when she found her in the early stages of labour, and she’s looking to capitalise on this as she tries to get Lauren to convince Peter to let her back into his life.

BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron

However, their conversation just causes Lauren to get upset and fear that she’s a bad mum herself.

BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron

Later, Linda (Linda Carter) arrives with a gift, sending Peter away so that she and Lauren can talk.

BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron

BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron

Linda manages to instil some confidence in Lauren after the pair have an open conversation about their experiences with addiction. Linda then advises her to listen to her maternal instinct that something isn’t right with her newborn son.

2) Kat makes a worrying discovery

Over at No. 31, the Slater household is in chaos with Jean (Gillian Wright) and Mo (Laila Morse) away, as Jean looks to get some space from the square after her and Harvey’s (Ross Boatman) split.

BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron

Stacey (Lacey Turner) continues to refuse to leave her bedroom, so Lily (Lillia Turner) and Freddie (Bobby Brazier) are doing their best to run the household alone.

The pressure is taking its toll on Lily, but she lies to Kat (Jessie Wallace) and Eve (Heather Peace) to cover up her struggles. However, Freddie soon realises that Lily has been skipping school to do her chores, so he fesses up to Kat and asks her to help them out.

Yet as Kat heads to the Slater house, she’s worried by what she discovers. What has she stumbled upon?

BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron

3) Zack plans to take Barney away

With Nicola (Laura Doddington) threatening Zack’s (James Farrar) family to stop him from revealing that he’s Barney’s (Lewis Bridgeman) biological dad, Zack has been forced to tell Whitney that she might be in danger.

BBC/Jack Barnes

Next week, Zack gets word from his ex that she’s found a safe place for her and the girls to live, where Nicola can’t find them. Vicki (Alice Haig) tries to cheer Zack up by suggesting that he visit them, putting some space between him and the Mitchell family.

However, Zack soon bumps into Barney, and learns that his secret son is feeling isolated from his family after everything that’s happened in recent weeks.

Zack then tells Vicki that he’s taking her advice and going to see Whitney and the girls – but he’s going to take Barney with him!

BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron

On Tuesday, Vicki is worried about Zack’s plan to take Barney away. But when Zack finds more evidence that Barney is no longer safe living with Nicola and Teddy (Roland Manookian), he becomes even more determined to escape with his son.

4) Kathy and Harvey’s happiness is short-lived

Kathy (Gillian Taylforth) and Harvey’s affair was exposed earlier this week, as Cindy revealed all in spectacular fashion.

While Harvey feels guilty about the impact of his decision on those around him, he and Kathy make the most of things being out in the open next week as they enjoy spending time together without having to sneak around.

BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron

BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron

However, their joy is short-lived when Kat sacks Harvey and hands over his final wage packet! The following day, Harvey worries about finding another job – will his affair see him left penniless?

BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron

BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron

5) Yolande encourages Nigel to reach out

On the day of Claire’s 40th birthday, Nigel (Paul Bradley) is sad that he and his daughter are no longer in contact.

BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron

Yolande (Angela Wynter) encourages him to reach out and build bridges… but the following day, she finds herself on the wrong side of him.

BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron

Why have they fallen out?

6) Lauren makes a startling discovery

With Lauren still worried that something’s wrong with Jimmy, things are tense between her and Peter before their appointment with health visitor Belinda.

BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron

BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron

As they talk with the healthcare worker, Lauren is frustrated when she seems to dismiss her concerns about their baby.

Afterwards, Belinda pulls Peter aside and suggests that Lauren might be experiencing postnatal depression.

BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron

BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron

Meanwhile, Cindy attempts to use Jimmy as leverage as she tries to convince Ian (Adam Woodyatt) to unite with her to support Peter, but Ian pushes her away.

BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron

BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron

Lauren’s fears for her newborn soon ramp up, as she notices something concerning when looking at Jimmy’s eyes.

She fails to get a doctor’s appointment, so heads straight to the hospital, where she demands an emergency appointment with the pediatric department, as she fears that Jimmy is blind!

7) The Slaters can’t get through to Stacey

After Kat’s discovery on Monday, she calls a family meeting with Alfie (Shane Richie), Eve and Suki (Balvinder Sopal) to try to sort out the Slaters’ issues.

She suggests that they all share childcare duties, and the group discuss the fact that Stacey may need professional help.

BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron

BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron

As they chat, Stacey finally emerges from her bedroom to find everyone talking about her in the kitchen.

BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron

BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron

She quickly dismisses Kat’s attempts to get through to her, and Lily later breaks down when she realises that her mum isn’t coming out of her bedroom any time soon.

8) Lauren and Peter get a sad diagnosis

At Walford General, Lauren demands that someone examine Jimmy, as she continues to fear that he’s blind. She gets increasingly agitated when her concerns aren’t taken seriously, and her midwife Hanan (Isabel Adomakoh Young) eventually spots her and intervenes.

Back on Albert Dquare, Peter arrives home to find Lauren and Jimmy are nowhere to be found. His worries grow when Louie (Jake McNally) innocently tells him that he’s seen his mum taking pills.

BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron

BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron

Peter then gets a call from Hanan, who tells him that she suspects Lauren is using again, confirming Peter’s own fears.

BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron

He grabs Ian and Linda, and the trio head straight to the hospital – but when they arrive, Lauren is furious that they think she’s relapsed, when she in fact has genuine concerns for her son.

BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron

Thankfully, Hanan takes Lauren’s concerns seriously and summons a consultant to take a look at Jimmy.

As Miss Ayub takes a look at Jimmy’s eyes, she confirms Lauren’s fears that something’s wrong – Jimmy is severely sight-impaired.

BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron

BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron

BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron

Lauren and Peter are left reeling by the diagnosis. On Thursday, Lauren returns to the Square, and after meaningful conversations with Stacey and Lily, she begins to feel better.

BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron

BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron

Peter, however, is still freaking out. After Lauren’s conversation with Albert Square’s other mothers, she and Peter share an emotional moment as Lauren tries to convince him that things are going to be alright.

9) What has Arthur revealed?

On Thursday, Stacey finds the strength to leave the house for the first time in weeks. She then invites Kat and the others for a big family meal, leaving Kat worried that she’s taking on too much.

BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron

All seems to be going well as Stacey forces herself to be happy, but her mood changes when she realises that her coat and phone have accidentally fallen into the laundry, and Freddie has taken them to be washed!

She explains that her phone is filled with voicemails, photos and texts from Martin, and she fears they’re about to be lost forever.

She races off to stop Freddie before it’s too late, and as Kat and Lily try to calm her down at the laundrette, they fear she’s experiencing a bipolar episode.

BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron

Meanwhile, Arthur tells Alfie a secret about his mum which leaves him shaken.

When Alfie later shares this intel with the family, an incident between Stacey and Lily leaves their relationship at breaking point.

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