EastEnders' Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt) faces a difficult return to Walford next week as he struggles to put his time behind bars behind him, but an unexpected resident steps up to offer some much-needed support.
Ian finally arrives back in Albert Square following his spell in prison, but it soon becomes apparent that settling back into his old life isn't going to be easy. While his loved ones prepare to welcome him home, Ian remains deeply affected by everything that has happened and begins shutting out those closest to him.
Harvey Monroe's Chippy Duties
Meanwhile, Harvey Monroe is determined to help Kathy Beale ahead of her son's return and offers to take some of the pressure off her. With the chippy due to undergo an inspection, Harvey gets to work cleaning the premises and making sure everything is ready. However, it isn't long before it becomes clear that he may have taken on more than he can handle.
Harvey's plans are further complicated when Lily Slater needs his support. Lily initially asks Harvey to accompany her to a career fair, but the situation changes when she reveals she is going to miss a career open day because she needs to look after her daughter Charli. Wanting to help, Harvey offers to look after Charli himself so Lily can attend. However, his good deed means his responsibilities at the chippy suffer, and Harvey ends up missing the important inspection.
Ian's Overwhelming Homecoming
Elsewhere, Ian's family attempt to make his homecoming special by arranging welcome drinks at The Vic. But rather than being able to enjoy the occasion, Ian quickly becomes overwhelmed as he tries to adjust to being surrounded by everyone again. Things then take another turn when Ian reveals that Harvey failed to attend the inspection at the chippy.
The revelation sparks an argument between the pair, with tensions quickly escalating. Unable to cope with the situation, Ian flees from the pub. Unfortunately, Ian's troubles are far from over. As he continues to push his family away, he is dealt another upsetting blow when he discovers that the chippy has been vandalised with graffiti.
Ned Hawkins' Surprising Support
However, support comes from an unexpected source when Ned Hawkins steps in to help him clean up the damage. What begins as a practical gesture soon becomes something more significant for Ian as Ned encourages him to finally confront some of what he has been trying to avoid. While they work together, Ned manages to get Ian to open up by forcing him to face what happened on the night of the accident.
It's a difficult moment for Ian, who has so far struggled to deal with his experiences since returning home. Ned's intervention appears to make an impact, however, and Ian later makes the decision to reach out to Chelsea Fox. He also takes the time to thank Ned for being there for him when he needed someone to talk to.
With Ian struggling to reconnect with his family and his return to Walford already proving more complicated than expected, could Ned's surprising support be the first step towards helping him move forward? And after the argument over the missed chippy inspection, will Ian and Harvey be able to put their differences aside?
