EastEnders has aired a 'horrendous' twist in the grooming plot involving Craig Ingram and Amy Mitchell, as Sean Slater's real reason for returning to Walford was revealed.
Amy (Ellie Dadd) has run away from home with Craig (Matthew James-Bailey) after he used his position as the officer investigating her attack on Joel Marshall to manipulate her into thinking they were in love. The former policeman left the force over a complaint about his behaviour, but told Amy it was because he didn't reveal what she had done.
Craig turns violent
Last week, Craig showed more toxic behaviour by destroying the phone he gave Amy after she tried to call her dad, Jack (Scott Maslen). Tonight, he became violent for the first time, smacking her across the face after he realised that the account she had moved her trust fund of £100,000 into had been frozen.
The violence left fans terrified for Amy, many of whom hoped that when Jack and recently returned Sean Slater (Rob Kazinsky) find them, Craig will get what's coming to him.
"Poor Amy, that slap was horrendous," one said. "Craig deserves whatever Jack or Sean are inevitably going to do to him." Another added: "Craig really thinks he deserves to live, huh? I hope they find them soon, poor Amy."
Sean's real reason for returning
Sean returned at the end of last week. Jack saw him from across the square and asked him to help him find Amy. Sean, who was married to Amy's mother, Roxy (Rita Simon), and thought Amy was his child when she was born, immediately agreed.
In tonight's episode, Sean's reason for returning to Walford was revealed. He had previously been living in Brazil with his sister Stacey (Lacey Turner), and many thought his pre-announced return would be linked to Amy's storyline. However, it appears that this was not the case and he came back for another reason.
He told his niece Lily (Lillia Turner) that he intended to fly back to the UK for Zoe Slater's (Michelle Ryan) funeral, which was held last week. But flight delays meant he only arrived in Walford after the funeral.
Sean's connection to Amy
Sean's return had many wondering if he was Amy's dad, as he previously thought. But he's not. Roxy was with Sean at the time of Amy's birth, and was even married to him. They were an on-and-off couple, though, and she'd had a fling with Jack.
Though Roxy allowed Sean to believe he was the father, a DNA test proved it was actually Jack. Sean found out on Christmas Day, when Roxy's villainous father Archie (Larry Lamb) put it in his cracker at the family dinner. It led to Sean's dramatic exit from the show and the end of his relationship with Roxy.
