EastEnders’ Nicola Mitchell (Laura Doddington) has warned Zack Hudson (James Farrar) of forthcoming danger if he mixes with their son Barney (Lewis Bridgeman).

Her matriarch’s life has come crashing down around her in the last few months, after her huge secret came to light.

She was furious to see ex-husband Teddy Mitchell (Roland Manookian) with new woman Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean) and tried desperately to break them up.

After learning that Sharon had been unfaithful with ex-husband Grant Mitchell (Ross Kemp), she prepared to expose the shocking revelation – but Barney did it for her.

There was one issue though. In return, Zack could easily spill that they had a one night stand 15 years ago, and that he fathered Barney.

With him desperate to form a relationship, Nicola felt that she was left with no choice but to confess one of her most classified stories.

She revealed that several years ago, Teddy murdered their eldest son Harry’s (Elijah Holloway) girlfriend Shireen. He’s an apparently vicious man, and should Barney’s paternity be unveiled, he would be on the warpath again.

There was a huge twist however, as Nicola is the real murderer, and her actions could soon be revealed in next week’s episodes when the burial ground is disturbed.

Nic has been absent for the last three weeks, taking a trip to Ibiza with her sister.

When she returned to Albert Square earlier this week, she was gobsmacked to see that Teddy and Zack had resolved their differences, and that Zack had agreed to train Barney.

The youngster wanted to grab Avani Nandra-Hart’s (Aaliyah James) attention, and feared he wasn’t her type.

Teddy said he should hit the gym and show her that he’s committed to his physical fitness, and Zack was keen to extend an offer. Us viewers know that this was, of course, to grow closer to his son.

In tonight’s episode, Nicola was enraged to hear that Zack and Barney were at the gym together, and enlisted two other Walford teens to stage a vicious plot against them.

After warning Zack that she would set her cronies onto him, she told Tommy Moon (Sonny Kendall) and Joel Marshall (Max Murray) that Zack wanted Barn’ to have some encouragement, and that they should head to the Boxing Den to show him some support.

Nic also slyly dropped into conversation about her youngest’s attraction to Avani.

Tommy and Joel rushed over, laughing in Barney’s face and recording the situation.

He burst into tears, hurt that ‘Zack’ would humiliate him in such a manner, and headed to his mum for a shoulder to cry on.

When Zack followed, she spotted the two in the park, Nicola with a twisted expression on her face.

Is Zack playing with fire? And will Nicola silence him permanently?