EastEnders' Heather Peace on how vengeful Eve is "borderline unhinged"

Eve has been faced by Caz, played by Totally Frank star Bryony Afferson, the woman who killed Eve's sister in a drunk driving incident years prior.

So, how will Eve react in the face of this news?

Speaking in a new interview, actress Heather Peace has lifted the lid on Eve's continuing torment in new comments to RadioTimes.com and other press.

How awful was it for Eve to come face-to-face with the woman who killed her sister?

"It just drags up all of her past emotions and brings it back to the forefront of her mind. I don't think she's ever really dealt with her sister’s death, which is why she lashes out in moments. It’s all been buried for so long, so it's all there and raw. I don't think she has got any coping mechanism at all."

Suki (Balvinder Sopal) finds her sleeping rough on the bench in the Square. Is this her lowest ebb, aside from when her sister died?

"Absolutely, I don't think she knows what to do at all, and the fact she keeps drinking as well means she's not getting any clarity of thought. The fact she keeps drowning her sorrows means she's not thinking rationally or finding any way through."

Suki is so kind and tender with her. What does it mean to Eve to have Suki there for her?

"That deep connection between the two is always there, but this is the first time that their relationship isn't at the forefront of Eve's mind. It's the first time that we see that there is something bigger than that for her. It's not in her mind at all, but it makes sense that it's her soul mate who finds her, and Eve can talk very openly to Suki."

Tell us about what happens at the police station as Eve tries to report Caz.

"Eve goes to the police station to try to reopen the case because the fact is that Caz was drunk when she was driving the car that killed her sister. That information was never available during the original court case because Caz did a runner [from the scene of the crime], and they found her the next day. So, Caz was done for leaving the scene of the accident, but there was no way of checking if she was over the limit.

"I think it changes everything for Eve because it's no longer an accident, and so that changes how Eve is going to deal with Caz going forward. It sends her into an absolute rage."

Is it hard for Eve to accept the police's decision not to reopen the case?

"Yes, absolutely – that's when she decides to take matters into her own hands. Again, it's because she's drinking and having no clarity of thought. She is absolutely off the rails, the most we have ever seen her. Borderline unhinged!"

Was it exciting to explore this chapter in Eve's life?

"It was. When we first went in and talked about the character, there was always going to be this fire that meant every so often, Eve could lose it.

"We talked about why that was and came to the conclusion that there was a pivotal point in her life where everything changed and blew up. Her sister's death was that trigger point, and, prior to this, she was fiery but not the Eve we know now, who can just turn on a sixpence. It was interesting for me to go back to explore that darker side of Eve. It's the reason why her entire world collapsed, and there's a lot more in her back story that we could look at.

The decisions she makes this week could have really bad consequences. Is that something at the forefront of her mind?

"No, when this is happening, she couldn't care less. When something this big comes to light, she stops thinking about herself and just wants to have her revenge."

Do you think it's nice that Suki and Stacey work together to help Eve?

"It's great to see Suki and Stacey band together to rescue Eve, and it's a nice dynamic between them. I love both of those relationships. They are so precious on two completely different levels. These are the two loves of her life – one being platonic and the other the romantic love of her life. They are similar relationships and completely different at the same time."

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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.

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