EastEnders has confirmed that Lee Carter is the father of Nancy Carter's baby, following the pair's shock return to Walford. Nancy (Maddy Hill) had agreed to be a surrogate for Lee (Danny Hatchard) and his partner Jess, but the couple have since separated and Lee intends to keep the baby.
Nancy returned to Walford on Monday (October 5) to seek legal advice from her younger brother Johnny (Charlie Suff), insisting that their mum Linda (Kellie Bright) should not know about her comeback. She later began to feel stomach pains, and Johnny urged her to go to hospital. She was seen by Linda's secret lover, Max Branning (Jake Wood), who watched her jump into a taxi.
Surrogacy secret revealed
Linda and her mum, Elaine Peacock (Harriet Thorpe), caught up with Nancy and discovered she was pregnant, with no word on who the father was. Nancy then arrived at Peacock Palace with the mystery man, who turned out to be her brother Lee, sparking fears of an incest plot.
However, on Tuesday (October 6), it was revealed that Nancy had agreed to be a surrogate for Lee and Jess after they had suffered multiple miscarriages. In another twist, Lee and Jess had now separated, and he intended to keep the baby.
Legal advice and family tensions
Johnny advised his siblings that Nancy did not have to give up her parental rights or tell Jess when she gives birth. She could also transfer them to Lee, but as he is the father, he would automatically be listed on the birth certificate.
As her children reunited for the first time in years, Linda decided to tell her family about her relationship with Max, hoping they would be more honest with her in return. They dismissed her "fairytale romance," and she told them that although they would always be welcome, their judgment was not.
Jess's phone call
Lee then received a call from Jess, who asserted that their baby had nothing to do with her. "Why are you calling me? I ain't telling you where I am. My family and this baby have nothing to do with you anymore," Lee told Jess. He added, "Don't call me again, Jess," before hanging up.
EastEnders airs Monday to Thursday on BBC One and iPlayer.
