The Hawkins family arrive in Walford next week, ready to cause trouble for Nicola Mitchell (Laura Doddington). The clan includes Nicola's sisters Gemma (Patricia Potter) and Jodie (Anna Constable), mum Rose (Marian McLoughlin), Gemma's partner Ned (Jamie Bamber), and their son Ryder (Felix Uff).
Previous scenes have revealed that Nicola has a strained relationship with her family, keeping them at a distance due to a complicated and troubled childhood, largely impacted by Rose's abusive husband. Nicola is forced to confront her past when Gemma and Jodie appear with Ryder, convincing a reluctant Nicola to let them stay, but on the condition that her mum Rose stays away.
Family Turmoil and a Surprise Reunion
Her ultimatum is short-lived when Ned and Rose arrive. Refusing to let them stay at her house, Nicola forces Gemma and Ned to find other arrangements, while Harry Mitchell (Elijah Holloway) offers Ryder and Jodie a place to stay. Outside, Ned tries to smooth things over with Kat Slater (Jessie Wallace) but is surprised to see an old friend, Alfie Moon (Shane Richie). Keen to help his mate, Alfie offers Ned and Gemma a place to stay, much to Nicola's annoyance.
Nicola's Past and Future in Walford
Teasing the dynamic between Nicola and Gemma, star Laura Doddington said: 'There’s something, isn’t there, once you’re an adult, you know, Nicola made a decision to separate herself from her family and to distance herself for protection or for whatever she has psychologically decided, gives that gives her, it’s a turbulent relationship with her mother, but she loves her sisters.'
'What we sort of talked about a lot, me and Tish (Patricia Potter, who plays Gemma Hawkins) was that there’s like this feeling of going back to being children or teenagers. Those different sides.' On the relationship Nicola has with her mum, Laura added: 'I think they’re cut from a similar cloth, Nicola and her mum. It’s one of the reasons they probably don’t get on is because they are quite manipulative women. I think we’ve seen that from Nicola over the last two years.'
'She’s a queen manipulator, and she’s learned that somewhere. I would imagine we can see more of that without giving too much away.'
