EastEnders has revealed the real reason Nancy Carter is pregnant with her brother's baby, but fans suspect Lee Carter might not be telling the whole truth about the baby's mother.
In Monday's episode, viewers saw Nancy (Maddy Hill) return to the Square carrying her brother Lee's (Danny Hatchard) child. At the start of Tuesday's show, Nancy and Lee explained that she was a surrogate for him and his partner Jess, after the couple suffered three miscarriages.
Lee then sadly announced that Jess had left him, and he and Nancy were determined not to let her come back for the baby. That was why they had returned to Walford - for their lawyer brother Johnny's (Charlie Suff) advice.
Final twist in the phone call
In a final twist, the duff duff came after Lee picked up the phone and told the caller to leave him alone. He refused to tell the person where he was and said the baby was none of their concern anymore, ending his chat with: "Don't call me again... Jess"
Fans were shocked to see Jess calling Lee when she supposedly walked out on him, and immediately sensed that Lee is lying about something. One wrote online: "I’m quite intrigued on what Lee is hiding from Nancy. Did he lie to Nancy about Jess leaving him? Because then why would she be calling him? I'm quite intrigued."
Another added: "Interested why Lee's ex called him and what really happened between them. The last scene definitely means there's more to it than meets the eye."
Fans suspect Janine Butcher
Others thought a bigger lie was afoot - what if Jess wasn't really Jess but someone else who is far more familiar to Walford? Someone with ties to the Carter family and whose return has already been teased, perhaps. "Do you think Jess is someone who we know?" one fan asked. "Got a theory that Jess could be Janine."
Janine Butcher (Charlie Brooks) is one of EastEnders biggest villains and is set to return later this year, in connection with Linda Carter's (Kellie Bright) exit. She used to be married to Mick Carter (Danny Dyer) and they had a child together, making her the mother of Lee's sibling.
"Someone has just shared a theory that 'Jess' could be Janine Butcher and now I can't unsee it," a fan wrote on X. "I had this theory initially but was hesitant to post in case I was way off. I don't think Lee and Jess are together but maybe Jess is a cover name and Janine is blackmailing Lee over something?"
"We know she's returning as Linda and Janine have filmed scenes at the funeral and remember Nancy had scenes with Janine before she left back in 2022. Now I'm intrigued! Janine used a cover name at the start of her last return as well she was Judith Bernstein."
