EastEnders aired worrying scenes as Kat Slater's grief over daughter Zoe's death spiralled, with the character lashing out at those around her and earning the nickname 'Hurricane Kat' from fans. In tonight's episode, Kat, who has been pushing everyone away since Zoe died last month after hitting her head on a brick, began acting cruelly towards her family and friends.
Kat, played by Jessie Wallace, has been drinking and sleeping in Zoe's bed since the tragedy. In the episode, she resented husband Alfie (Shane Richie) for trying to get her to move on and lashed out at both him and family friend Eve (Heather Peace). She accused Alfie of wanting to sweep her up like broken glass and taunted Eve, saying she knew nothing about being a mum.
Kat's destructive rampage
Later, Kat revealed to ex-husband Phil (Steve McFadden) that she wanted to drink, act cruelly towards people, and smash everything up. Back in the Vic, she told granddaughter Jasmine (Indeyarna Donaldson-Holness) that she wished she was dead instead of Zoe, so that Kat and Zoe could visit her grave.
No one was safe from Kat's wrath. She belittled her grandmother Mo (Laila Morse), shouted at Jean (Gillian Wright), flirted with other men in front of Alfie, and pushed her son Tommy (Sonny Kendall), making him fall on the floor. After running upstairs, she began smashing up all the pictures.
Alfie confronts Kat
Alfie had enough and shouted at her, saying he needed to straighten her out. As the two stared at each other, the show ended.
Fans were left terrified for Kat, worried about how far her grief would take her and if she would ever be able to repair what she had broken. But they also said they loved the material being given to the character, dubbing her a 'hurricane'.
One fan said: "This is what I have been waiting for some proper aftermath with the Slaters especially Kat. I keep saying it but it over the last year they were given better material/storyline they would be in such a better place in the show." Another said: "I teared up when she was writing that list! Jessie Wallace smashed this episode. And everyone else involved with her!" A third said: "After that duff duff I am counting down the seconds until tomorrow's episode! What a car crash in the best way possible, I rarely feel sorry for Alfie but watching him try to keep it together for the entire episode in the face of hurricane Kat was genuinely heartbreaking."
