EastEnders’ Nicola to launch cruel scheme against Zack and Barney

EastEnders spoilers follow.

EastEnders’ Zack Hudson lets rip at Tommy Moon and Joel Marshall next week, after Nicola Mitchell secretly encourages the pair to bully Barney at the gym. But why has the protective mum targeted her own flesh and blood?

After Zack overhears Teddy chatting in the café, the bartender realises he has a golden opportunity to grow closer to his secret son. So approaching the table, Zack suggests that he could use his fitness expertise to train Barney up at the Boxing Den.

As Teddy accepts his offer, will this new arrangement pave the way for Zack to reveal the truth about his son’s paternity?

“You can’t blame Teddy for agreeing to the idea,” remarks our EastEnders insider. “From his point of view, all he’s doing is giving his teenager the opportunity to build some muscle.

BBC

Related: Best streaming services

“But what he doesn’t know is that he’s just opened the door for Zack to grow even closer to his biological son…”

Later in the week, Zack sticks to his plan and takes Barney out for a run as part of his training regime. However, it’s not until Nicola returns to Walford after a holiday in the sun that she realises just how close Zack has become to her beloved boy.

“It’s Nicola’s worst fear,” explains our source. “As she proved with that gruesome attack on Zack, Nicola will do absolutely anything to keep this secret from blowing her family apart.

harry mitchell, barney mitchell, teddy mitchell, nicola mitchell, eastenders

BBC

“After she steps out of that black cab and back onto the Square, she can’t quite believe that her ex has managed to find a way into Barney’s life. And we all know what happens when Nicola doesn’t get her own way – she does something about it…”

At Harry’s Barn, Nicola seizes the opportunity to warn her former fling to keep his distance from their son. However, Zack refuses to bow down to her demands, so the livid businesswoman takes matters into her own hands and recruits Tommy and Joel to put Barney off ever training with Zack again.

barney mitchell, joel, tommy moon, zack hudson, eastenders

BBC

BBC

At the local gym, the troublesome teenagers use a mobile phone to make a mockery of their schoolmate. Zack lambasts the boys for their cruel antics – but it’s not enough to convince Barney to stick around and carry on with his exercise session. Believing that Zack brought on his torment, he makes a hasty dash from the Boxing Den.

As Zack desperately chases after him, will it ever come out that Nicola set their son up for humiliation? And if not, has Zack lost his only chance to build a bond with his biological son?

EastEnders airs on Mondays – Thursdays at 7.30pm on BBC One. The show also streams on BBC iPlayer, where most episodes drop early at 6am ahead of their TV broadcast.