Ryder Hawkins (Felix Uff) was left sobbing in the arms of his dad Ned (Jamie Bamber) in EastEnders after a heinous attack, unaware that the person responsible for his ordeal was none other than his father.
Ned is incredibly harsh on Ryder, much to the chagrin of Nicola Mitchell (Laura Doddington), who encouraged her nephew to live his life freely and openly. Ryder was appreciative of his auntie's advice and, after coming out to her, he went out with the man he'd been speaking to online – with patriarch Ned witnessing them kiss in subsequent scenes.
Ned's Blackmail and the Attack
Horrified, Ned tried to coerce Ryder back into football with some assistance from his old coach but when that plan didn't work he blackmailed Mark Fowler Jr (Stephen Aaron-Sipple), using his affair with Lauren Branning (Jacqueline Jossa) as leverage. Mark was apprehensive about doing as Ned commanded but ultimately he did just that in a bid to keep his secret hidden, beating up unsuspecting Ryder on Ned's request.
Ryder sobbed as he was taken back home by Harry Mitchell (Elijah Holloway), revealing what happened to his family. Ned implied it was a homophobic attack due to the location and assured his son he'd be okay as he held him, with Gemma (Patricia Potter) left reeling.
Craig's Revenge on Amy and Denzel
Elsewhere, Craig Ingram (Matthew James Bailey) wasn't pleased when he found out that Amy Mitchell (Ellie Dadd) had friends over to his flat – particularly Denzel Danes (Jaden Ladega). And it was quite clear that he isn't going to let this go.
Craig bombards Amy's phone with messages while Jack (Scott Maslen) turns to Penny (Kitty Castledine) for help. Things take a turn when Craig confronts Amy over Denzel's pass, which he found in his flat. He asks Amy to prove her loyalty by showing him her phone and, when she hands it over, he finds a shirtless picture of Denzel. Amy explains the situation and, while he's happy with what she said, it's clear that Denzel will face his wrath.
Kat's Grief Spirals at the Vic
Over at the Vic, Kat Slater (Jessie Wallace) continues to struggle as her grief utterly consumes her. She pushes away loved ones and turns to alcohol. Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden) spots her after a breakdown and comes to her aid but, upon returning to the Vic, Kat's behaviour spirals out of control.
EastEnders airs these scenes Wednesday October 14 at 7:30pm on BBC One or stream from 6am on BBC iPlayer.
