14 big spoilers from EastEnders' autumn 2019 trailer
Mel's exit, Ben's in trouble, Jay's tragic past - and lots more...
EastEnders' brand new trailer teasing what's to come in the final months of 2019 is full of exciting reveals and intriguing moments.
The revitalised soap looks set to pay off a number of storylines that have been sizzling away since the summer, as well as kicking off some new plots that pave the way for the all-important Christmas period - Walford's most dramatic time of the year.
It may be under three minutes long but there's a lot to digest in the clip: here's our breakdown…
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1. Mel's deadly exit
Vengeful - and increasingly unstable - Mel drags Lisa into her plot to blackmail Sharon over the Keanu baby secret. Anxious Sharon warns Keanu they've got a 'big problem', while Lou is loving life at her 18th birthday party in early November that her beloved Auntie Mel helps to organise, unaware she could blow her world apart by revealing her baby daddy's betrayal.
The clip ends with Sharon asking to Mel to swear that her plot is all over, to which she replies: "On my life…".
'Enders have been filming a car crash on location involving Mel and Sharon, so could this portentous line of dialogue point to a permanent exit for Mel?
2. Martin's caught in a trap
Forced to flee when wife Stacey whacked Phil over the head, a battered and bruised Martin is back to face a host of dramas: we see him struggling to deal with daughter Bex's issues in the fallout of her attempting to take her own life, then becoming unwitting Ben's accomplice in his dodgy new business - presumably in exchange for Mr Mitchell keeping quiet about Stace's assault.
3. Ben clashes with the new neighbours
Ben's a busy boy as his moneylending venture lands him in trouble with newcomers the Panesar brothers, who have immediate beef with Phil's eldest for stealing a car that belonged to them. Relations between tough guys Kheerat, Jags and Vinny turn violent as Ben warns them against threatening his daughter Lexi, while her mum Lola is grabbed by a thug in another shot. Is Ben out of his depth?
4. Callum's dad returns
Ballum fans haven't been forgotten - Callum lays into brother Stuart for spoiling his chance at happiness with Ben, while the boys have a showdown with Halfway's homophobic dad Jonno in the Vic who has some awkward questions about why his son got jilted at the altar. Is this the moment Ballum become a fully-fledged couple, or will Callum scurry back into the closet?
5. Whitney in danger
It's not going quiet for Whit following the wedding debacle as her holiday romance with a mystery man is the start of a major new storyline set to bring her even more misery...
Leo King, son of her childhood abuser Tony, has deliberately tracked her down as part of his plan to get revenge for his dead dad, who he believes is innocent of the sick crimes he committed against Whitney. They looked loved up at what appears to be a Halloween bash, but how long before she realises his true identity? And what exactly does he have planned?
6. Jay wants revenge
Jay faces his tragic past as he has to arrange a funeral for someone involved in his dad Jase Dyer's demise back in 2008. Gangster Jase got on the wrong side of some very bad people and was beaten to death, but it's not yet clear exactly how this corpse is connected to the murder.
We see Jay deliver some menacing words to the stiff before hitting the bottle and finding a carving done by him and his dad, then getting a talking-to from worried Billy. Is Jay set to spiral out of control just like surrogate brother Ben?
7. Adam leaves, Honey back with Billy?
Talking of Bill, there's hope for him and Honey as Adam's cheating is finally exposed and the Ahmeds turn their back on their philandering foster son. Honey has finally had enough and issues some home truths to Habiba for messing with her man, but we all know she's better off getting back with Billy - as Mariam tells the man himself.
8. Stuart attacks Kathy
Protective Stu lays into a terrified Kathy for supplying recovering addict Rainie with drugs while he tries to get her clean, while the lady herself clashes with Max once more over custody of Abi and is seen on the loose crawling around a field looking very much the worse for wear. Has troubled Rainie lost everything?
9. Carter stress
Mick's mental health continues to cause concern for the Carters following his recent panic attacks and anxiety issues. As him and Linda try and cope with son Ollie's possible autism diagnosis, life for the family is not going to get any easier…
10. Chantelle begs Gray to stay
Abusive Gray claims he wants to change but is he just pulling the wool over pregnant wife Chantelle's eyes? Chan is emotional as she begs her husband not to leave her, despite the violent physical beatings he subjects her to, but his expression as they embrace is ambiguous - is he making his other half dependent on him as they prepare to welcome a third child into the fractured family?
11. Jean and Daniel kiss
Jean is falling for fellow cancer patient Daniel and we see them kiss and share some tender moments, but with Adrian Edmonson's character recently being told he may not have long left in his brave battle with the disease, this romance looks set to be cut short. Get the tissues ready…
12. Tiff and Keegan elope?
Walford's teen sweethearts are closer than ever after Tiffany told Keegs about her sexual assault ordeal, and declare their love for each other in the clip. Recent rumours are swirling that the couple elope later this year, pursued by their respective disapproving families - is this the moment they decide to get hitched?
13. Shirley's crusade
Linda's worry over Ollie starting full-time education has been exacerbated by the frosty reception the mums at the school gates have given her. Shirley gets wind of the mean mummy mafia and lays into them, leaping to L's defence in one of the more lighthearted moments of the trailer. We doubt this means more play dates for Ollie, though…
14. Welcome home, Dot
Finally, we've got our first footage of dear Mrs Branning's return six months after she went to stay with family. She's pleased to see lodger Stuart, and viewers know Dot's grown-up granddaughter Dotty will be accompanying her - though she's not seen in the trailer strangely. Regardless, seeing Dot in Albert Square again makes everything seem right with the world!
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