EastEnders newcomer Ned Roper (Jamie Bamber) is set to reveal a darker side as his history with Nicola Mitchell (Laura Doddington) comes to the fore. The character, introduced as a seemingly pleasant friend of Alfie Moon (Shane Richie), pressures Nicola into letting him buy a share of Harry's Barn as she faces financial trouble with bailiffs at her door.
Ned's Nasty Turn
Next week, tensions rise when Ned becomes hands-on with the bar's running, and Nicola takes her frustration out on Gemma Roper (Patricia Potter) after their sister Jodie Hawkins (Anna Constable) unpacks one of their dad's medals. Nicola's late father was abusive to her and her mum Rose Hawkins (Marian McLoughlin), leading Nicola to distance herself from her family for decades.
During a fresh argument, Nicola tells Gemma she wishes they'd never crossed her doorstep. The siblings eventually reconcile, but Ned stirs the pot by inviting the family to the bar and unveiling her dad's framed medal to rile her. Nicola refuses to bite, but later senses tension between Ned and her nephew Ryder Roper (Felix Uff) and sets about unpicking it.
Unspoken History
Jamie Bamber previously told Metro that Ned's dynamic with Nicola will be one of interest, with something 'unspoken' between them. 'It's clear that Ned and Nicola know each other extremely well, but there's also something unspoken between them,' he said. 'There's a fascinating push-and-pull dynamic at play.'
'You get the sense that there's something that binds them together just as strongly as something keeps them apart. There are secrets and a history that neither of them is willing to talk about openly. Over time, viewers will discover exactly what lies behind that complicated relationship.'
EastEnders airs these scenes from Monday 5th October at 7.30pm on BBC One or streams first from 6am on iPlayer.
