EastEnders reveals Lisa's gambling problem as secret money motive

Lisa returned to Walford earlier this week, and got granddaughter Peggy's father Keanu Taylor (Danny Walters) to pay her three grand to see his daughter. Tonight, Keanu was excited to introduce Albie, the young son he shares with fiancée Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean), to his half sister Peggy.

But when Keanu claimed that they had lost her dream wedding venue as the payment had 'somehow' failed, Sharon was disappointed - not knowing that he had given the funds to Lisa!

As for the woman in question, Lisa shared a hug with former brother-in-law Martin Fowler (James Bye), who witnessed a tense exchange between Lisa, her ex Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden) and Keanu. Lisa took aim at Phil over their past, having already warned his fiancée Kat Slater (Jessie Wallace) of his behaviour.

Martin then privately warned Keanu that Lisa had messed his late brother Mark (Todd Carty) around, and urged the younger man not to make the same mistake. So Keanu asked accountant Reiss Colwell (Jonny Freeman) how he could move money from the garage around, wanting to regain the money he had lost to Lisa. Reluctant Reiss was worried sick, but when Sonia (Natalie Cassidy) filled him in on Keanu's - and Lisa's - history with guns, a terrified Reiss decided to do as Keanu asked.

Lisa brought Peggy to spend time with Keanu, but later, she insisted she wanted another £20k, plus two more grand per month until Peggy turns 18! Backed into a corner, Keanu hinted that Reiss could 'look at the books' (aka, fiddle with the books) for Sharon's gym, before confiding in him that Lisa was behind his scheming.

But back at Sonia's, Lisa was seen playing an online game, which she soon lost. It's clear that Lisa is hooked on gambling sites, but just how much trouble is she in?

While we wait to find out, let's delve into Lisa's past in EastEnders. With so much of her history brought up by those in the know, what exactly happened all those years ago?

What happened between Lisa and Mark Fowler?

As Martin explained, Lisa named Louise after his and Mark's grandmother, Lou Beale (Anna Wing). This came about because Mark fell for Lisa, but at first, she was merely a lodger at the Fowler household. Lisa was with Phil for some time, but the toxic and abusive relationship had ended by the time she was pregnant with Louise. Mark offered to marry Lisa and bring up the child as his own, wanting to keep Phil away from a vulnerable Lisa.

Lisa later gave birth and told Sharon that Phil was the father, with Phil forcing Lisa to accept him as part of their daughter's life. Lisa still loved Phil, and left Mark for him after mere months of marriage - but Phil only wanted Louise. Incensed by this, Mark attempted to sexually assault Lisa - meaning, of course, that Martin's present day analysis of the situation wasn't quite the full story. Lisa and Phil eventually split for good, but Mark had walked away in horror over his own actions by then.

Who shot Phil? EastEnders storyline explained

Back in 2001, Phil's controlling behaviour had a devastating impact on Lisa's mental health. He constantly belittled her, cheated on her, and took advantage of her dependence on him after losing her job.

While secretly pregnant, Lisa chose not to tell Phil when he continued to belittle her, and he told her he never loved her. Phil even suggested that Lisa take bedroom tips from her best mate Mel Owen (Tamzin Outhwaite), who he had cheated with.

In revenge, Lisa stole a gun from the local nightclub and shot Phil. Viewers were kept in the dark over the culprit until Phil himself revealed that he knew, and Phil eventually accepted that he had driven Lisa to shoot him. Instead of reporting her, Phil tried to frame enemy Dan Sullivan (Craig Fairbrass).

It's hard to believe that this plot aired over 20 years ago, and star Benjamin recently told RadioTimes.com what a "gift" of a storyline this whodunnit was to be a part of. Will Lisa and Phil continue to clash? It seems highly likely...

If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, including coercive control, you can visit Refuge for more information and contact 0808 2000 247 for support. Help can also be found at The Hideout.

Read more:

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