Craig Ingram (Matthew James Bailey) was left motionless on the floor in EastEnders after terrified Amy Mitchell (Ellie Dadd) attacked him in self-defence. Amy, as viewers know, has been groomed over the course of several months by sinister cop Craig, who first crossed her path while investigating the assault on Joel Marshall (Max Murray).
Craig vowed to protect Amy when she confessed to the crime but it was clear that he had ulterior motives, using the confession to manipulate Amy whenever he felt like it. Believing herself to be in love with Craig, Amy suggested they use her inheritance money to flee the Square, which prompted police involvement.
Sean Slater (Rob Kazinsky), who returned in recent scenes, has been on the case, desperate to track down missing Amy, who has started to see Craig’s dark side after he attacked her. During the latest episode, Amy was caught on the phone by Craig and a struggle ensued, with the disgraced detective resorting to violence once more.
Craig left unconscious after Amy's self-defence
Fearing for her life, Amy picked up a candlestick from the bathroom of the bedsit and smashed it across the back of his head, with Craig left unconscious on the floor. But is this the end for Craig? Here’s what we know so far.
While there is no confirmation regarding whether or not Craig lives or dies following Amy’s attack, the nature of this storyline indicates that the character likely won’t be a full time one. Soap law often dictates that villains such as Craig will face some sort of comeuppance and, given just how dark the story has become, it’s unlikely that any sort of redemption would be possible, let alone on the cards.
Matthew James Bailey on his EastEnders role
Former Hollyoaks star Matthew James Bailey was introduced specifically for this narrative, with bosses knowing exactly where the storyline would go from the beginning. ‘Ben [Wadey, EastEnders boss] got in touch and said that they had this storyline,’ Matthew told Metro in an exclusive interview. ‘They didn’t tell me what it was until we got deeper into the conversation but then they presented this to me and explained how it was going to go.’
‘Reading these types of storylines as an actor can be incredibly jarring and scary because you can be terrified of what it will do to your public image. It’s a very scary thing to take on!’ ‘When you sit with yourself and think about the importance of the story, you realise that this is a story that needs to be told.’
‘This is an incredibly important thing that EastEnders is doing – they’re willing to speak up about massive social issues that need to be addressed. And as an actor, I think it’s important to take risks and tell important stories, and this is the reason I do it.’
What happens next in EastEnders
EastEnders airs Mondays to Thursdays at 7:30pm on BBC One or stream from 6am on BBC iPlayer. If you’ve got a soap or TV story, video or pictures get in touch by emailing us soaps@metro.co.uk – we’d love to hear from you. Join the community by leaving a comment below and stay updated on all things soaps on our homepage.
