EastEnders' Jamie Borthwick on Jay Brown's drugs binge, Ben clash, and shock accident

Having begun using ketamine after forging a connection with sex worker and Lola-lookalike Nadine Keller (Jazzy Phoenix), Jay has been increasingly absent from the home and has clashed with surrogate brother Ben Mitchell (Max Bowden) and the latter's husband Callum Highway (Tony Clay).

Next week, Jay's latest behaviour is outed to his entire family, including his beloved step-daughter Lexi Pearce (Isabella Brown), leaving Jay at his lowest ebb and heading towards catastrophe.

Speaking in an interview shared with RadioTimes.com and other press, actor Jamie Borthwick unpicks the latest low point in Jay Brown's tragic year so far.

Over the past few months, we’ve seen Jay take a downward spiral as he attempts to come to terms with Lola’s passing. Can you unpick how he’s feeling at the moment?

"He’s low, he’s hit rock bottom. He doesn’t know where to turn which is why he’s resulted to taking drugs. It seems to be problem after problem for him and it’s probably the lowest he’s ever felt."

Jay has been attempting to hide his turmoil from his loved ones unsuccessfully and this week Billy senses something is up. Why does Jay feel ready to tell Billy?

"They’ve been through a hell of a lot together. It could be looked at that he’s so low that there’s nowhere else to turn now. Billy is someone he does look up to and is someone he feels could help him. So, as much as he doesn’t want to talk about it, at least it’s to Billy because he can understand because he’s had his own troubles and dramas in the past."

Things seem to be on the up, but that soon comes crashing down after an event in The Vic. Can you explain this in more detail?

"Things are looking good because it looks like Billy has got the family together and he’s backing Jay to sort this and get Jay back in the family because it’s not fair and he knows what’s actually been going on, so he’s trying to support Jay. Jay thinks ‘Hold on, I might be able to get away with this’, but Ben has the total opposite idea and completely outs Jay for the whole Nadine situation.

"Billy obviously doesn’t take too kindly to this and Jay knows he’s in [hot water] now because it’s all come out. Just when he thought he couldn’t get any lower, Lexi hears all and she’s the last person that Jay wants to find out."

Jay faces losing his connection with Lexi if he cannot turn his life around, how does Jay feel about this prospect?

"It’s an absolute no. He thinks ‘anything will happen before I lose my connection with Lexi’, and the thought of her not being okay is a paramount no, no for Jay. It cannot happen. So, when this does come out and it jeopardises his relationship with Lexi, naturally Jay cannot cope as this is the worst thing to happen to him besides Lola dying – it is his worst nightmare."

At the minute it seems like no one is in Jay’s corner. Who does he turn to for support?

"There is a connection with Gina, but other than that he is kind of on his own. Gina is there, but she has her own warning from her own family not to get involved."

It’s not long before he ruffles feathers with George. Can you unpick this for us?

"George finds drugs in Jay’s bag and naturally George is very protective over his daughter because she’s had her own troubles. Obviously from his point of view, there is no way that this boy is getting in the way of his daughter's progression away from drugs. George wants Jay away from Gina – he sees him as a threat."

At the end of the week, Jay is involved in an accident. Can you explain in more detail what happens and why?

"There is an accident at the house and after that, Jay just cannot cope anymore. He needs to get away from Walford because being around there is just causing nothing but carnage.

"He tries to persuade Gina to come with him to Margate - he wants to go back there because he and Lola had spent some time there together. Gina says she is going to go, but doesn’t end up coming. So, on a whim and under the influence, he drives to Margate, but it doesn’t quite go to plan."

Read more:

• EastEnders cast: Who is joining, leaving and returning to the soap?
  
• EastEnders boss reveals "slippery slope" for Jay Brown after Lola's death
• EastEnders character begins toxic plot in early BBC iPlayer release
• EastEnders boss teases Halloween horror surprise for Linda Carter
• EastEnders' Lorraine Stanley: 'If they kill Karen I'll never watch again'
• EastEnders will never have a better time to bring back Little Mo

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 10 issues for only £10, PLUS a £10 John Lewis and Partners voucher delivered to your home – subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.