"Stacey will be really angry!" Louisa Lytton reacts to Ruby and Martin's shock passion in EastEnders

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Vulnerable Martin is at an all-time low, his marriage to Stace in ruins – she's left the Square and already moved on – thanks to his unwise association with gangster Ben Mitchell (Max Bowden) who has turned the sedate stall-holder into a twisted thug.

Meanwhile, Ruby's fun fling with older man Max has turned way too serious after she rejected his awkward proposal, and she's reconsidering their relationship.

By the time her and Martin were having a deep and meaningful conversation about their respective romantic dilemmas in tonight's episode, following Mr Fowler's public clash in the pub with Max over being dumped by Stacey, emotions were running high. Overwhelmed by her kindness and the sudden spark of chemistry, lonely Martin seized the moment and leaned in for a kiss – and that was that…

As if Ruby dating Stacey's ex-lover wasn't weird enough for everyone, now she's slept with her husband. And yes, technically the Fowlers are on a break, and Stacey thinks Martin has already cheated on her with his first wife Sonia Fowler, but we all know that was a lie to stop Stacey returning to Walford because Ben was threatening to kill her for the attack on his dad Phil.

Now he's cheated on for real – and with the worst possible person…

"Stacey would be really angry and disappointed if she found out because she and Ruby are meant to be best friends," says Lytton. "But I guess it could result in an explosive storyline when Stacey comes back! Guilt is going to set in for Ruby now it's happened."

Lytton also recently revealed that Turner was back on set, having returned from maternity leave (the actress gave birth to a girl, Dusty Violet, in July) and teased: "Things are going to get very juicy for Ruby and Stacey, but I can't say anything else!"

She reckons bedding Martin inevitably means the end for Ruby and Max: "This has definitely shown the thing with Max isn't really going anywhere. It's about companionship and having someone there but I don't think she's in love. But I like the fact Max is more into her because for once someone is putting him in the position that he always puts women in!"

Wood told RadioTimes.com recently he had his fingers crossed for a romantic reunion between Max and Stacey, whose affair caused a scandalous sensation over a decade ago. “Max will always be in love with Stacey and there is still a connection there,” he said. “I’d love to see something happen between them again, and personally I enjoy doing scenes with Lacey.”

Martin's meltdown is set to play a huge part during the all-important Christmas period, EastEnders' most dramatic time of the year, so how will his liaison with Ruby factor into that? And is this a one-off or the start of a full-blown affair?

Our prediction is that Martin and Ruby's indiscretion is revealed as Stacey returns having decided to give her hubby a second chance, pushing her back to Max. Surely those two ending up together is inevitable?

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