EastEnders' Ben pushes Callum away with angry outburst in heartbreaking scenes

Ben has been struggling for several months, developing an eating disorder, bulimia, as he battled to cope with several traumatic life events.

Suffering in silence, Ben's coping mechanism was spotted by Honey Mitchell (Emma Barton), who has herself struggled with bulimia.

Tonight, Ben put on a front when Callum checked on him again, and insisted on competing with Jay Brown (Jamie Borthwick) in car sales. Then, Callum asked Honey what she and Ben had talked about the day before, but Honey refused to tell him, urging Callum to reach out himself.

Unaware that Honey hadn't betrayed him, Ben unleashed his fury in a tirade against Honey, leaving Billy (Perry Fenwick) fuming and Ben's daughter Lexi (Isabella Brown) disappointed. Lexi explained how good Honey had been to her, and ordered Ben to apologise to Honey.

So, Ben found Honey, who was understanding as they sat down for a quiet chat.

Honey sweetly recalled the first time she met Ben when he was a child, remembering what a happy youngster he was. But, she added, although she still saw glimpses of the old Ben, she now saw a lot of sadness, and knew that he was suffering with an eating disorder.

Honey spoke of how Billy knew to be there for her when she was struggling with dark thoughts. She told Ben that Callum could sense that Ben was struggling too, and inspired him to talk to his husband.

Alone, Ben left a voicemail for Callum, telling him he loved him and that they needed to talk. But Ben was then accosted by his dad Phil (Steve McFadden), who had witnessed his harsh behaviour towards Honey.

Phil ordered Ben not to start showing weakness now, and a distressed Ben rushed away and bought some fish and chips, which he binged before purging at home as his bulimia symptoms continued.

When Ben emerged from the bathroom, he found Callum waiting for him. Hoping to talk, Callum stopped Ben in his tracks, reminding him of Ben's words at their wedding ceremony: "I see you."

As Callum insisted that he could see Ben too, Ben finally began to open up about feeling useless when Lola Pearce-Brown (Danielle Harold) died, feeling he was letting everyone, including Callum, down.

Ben stopped short of revealing his eating disorder, but as Callum showed unwavering support, it was he who steered the conversation towards Lewis (Aidan O'Callaghan), the man who raped Ben last year. This upset Ben, who insisted that his problems weren't about that.

Ben then turned on Callum, accusing him of loving what had happened to him - and when Callum pleaded with him to stop, trying to hold onto him in the process, Ben screamed "I said no!" in a moment that hauntingly linked back to the night he was assaulted.

Callum expressed wanting to understand and help Ben, but Ben ordered Callum to leave him alone. Callum walked away, but what's next for the beloved couple? Will Ben get the help he so desperately needs?

You can find help and support in connection with the issues raised above by visiting Beat, or calling the charity's helpline on 0808 801 0677. Help can also be found via survivorsmanchester.org.uk.

Read more:

• EastEnders' Max Bowden on Ben's surprise bond in bulimia story
• EastEnders 2023 summer preview: 5 spoilers from Chris Clenshaw
• EastEnders boss Chris Clenshaw promises “big” Christmas for the Beales
• EastEnders' Michelle Collins confirms flashbacks and Cindy Beale breakdown
• EastEnders boss Chris Clenshaw reveals impact of Cindy return on Knights
• EastEnders' Adam Woodyatt hypes up Ian reunions with Phil and Sharon

EastEnders airs Mondays to Thursdays at 7:30pm on BBC One and from 6am on BBC iPlayer. Visit our dedicated EastEnders page for all the latest news, interviews and spoilers. If you’re looking for more to watch, check out our TV Guide and Streaming Guide.

Try Radio Times magazine today and get 12 issues for only £1 with delivery to your home – subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.