7 EastEnders spoilers next week: Will Lola marry Jay as Billy tracks down her mum?

Poor Linda Carter (Kellie Bright) is still struggling to come to terms with the apparent death of her beloved Mick (Danny Dyer), but two locals have some wise words for her.

Sonia Fowler (Natalie Cassidy) calls upon Reiss Colwell (Jonny Freeman) for help when she fears losing her home, while Bernie Taylor (Clair Norris) has a busy week job-hunting.

Read on for all your EastEnders spoilers from 23rd -26th January 2023.

7 EastEnders spoilers next week

1. Phil and Billy find Lola's mum Emma

Having vowed to find Lola's mum as a wedding present for the terminally-ill bride, her Pops, Billy Mitchell (Perry Fenwick), has a false start in his search. Cousin Phil (Steve McFadden) offers to put some feelers out for him, and it's not long before Phil hands over the contact details for Emma. But when groom Jay Brown (Jamie Borthwick) has a heart-to-heart with Honey Mitchell (Emma Barton), she lets slip that Billy is on a secret mission.

Billy is at Emma's place of work, and he finds her and introduces himself. Billy then asks her to attend Lola's wedding, but will she agree? Jay arrives and argues with Billy for going behind Lola's back, but will this end up being a blessing, or will Billy regret getting involved? However Emma chooses to respond, there's sure to be more to come from her, as promised by EastEnders at the time of Kensit's casting.

2. Will Lola and Jay wed as the bride falls ill?

These chaotic events coincide with more medical drama for Lola. But first, she prepares for her Hen Party, planned for her by Maid of Honour Kim Fox (Tameka Empson). But Lola is stressing, worried that she looks terrible as she already feels awful. But Jay asks Kim and Denise Fox (Diane Parish) to swoop in, giving her a 'glow up'. When she arrives for her hen do, Lola feels amazing and enjoys a happy night with her friends.

In the aftermath, Billy and Jay are left worried when Lola is secretive with her phone, and Billy steals it to find out what's going on. At his stag do, Jay is annoyed with Billy but reluctantly joins him in looking at Lola's phone. What will they find? Lola walks in, horrified that they are invading her privacy - but she soon has bigger things to worry about as she wakes up on the morning of the big day feeling very unwell.

She tells Kim she's having worrying symptoms, and starts panicking about the future. Kim advises her to make the most of every moment, and takes Lola to hospital for a check-up on the way to the wedding. When Jay arrives at the venue, he's left wondering why his bride is absent; and Lola shocks Kim when, at the hospital, she reveals that she can't marry Jay today after all. When Lola eventually arrives at the venue, she asks to speak to Jay. Will the pair say 'I do'?

3. Pregnant Lily breaks the news to Ricky Jr

Parents Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner) and Martin Fowler (James Bye) are on tenterhooks as they try to help Lily, but when the youngster heads out for some fresh air, she is rattled by a conversation with her also pregnant aunt, Whitney Dean (Shona McGarty) about her baby. In turmoil, Lily confides in Kat Slater (Jessie Wallace), who understands why she is so conflicted and takes her home to Stacey and Martin. But when Ricky Jr arrives to check on Lily, Martin soon works out that he's the father of the baby.

Martin threatens to tell the Brannings, and says the police must be told that Ricky Jr is the father of Lily's child. Terrified, Lily finds Ricky Jr and breaks the news, and he rushes off in a panic. When he bumps into mum Sam, he blurts out the bombshell; but she blows her chance to console him and upsets him when she explains she's moving to Germany with Ricky Butcher (Sid Owen). The Brannings and the Slaters have a confrontation, and harsh words are exchanged. Ricky Jr could face criminal charges, and Jack is furious, but later apologises to his son for his anger as well as neglecting him lately. Jack accompanies Ricky Jr to the police station for the latter's interview, but what will the outcome be? And what will Lily decide about her pregnancy?

4. Will Sam leave Walford?

While the adult Ricky is excitedly making plans for his new life with Sam and his niece Scarlett (Tabitha Byron), Sam is worried about leaving her son. As Ricky chooses an engagement ring for Sam, she is distracted as she tries to make amends with Ricky Jr for their earlier conversation. But her brother Phil and his fiancée Kat can't believe that Sam still intends to leave for Germany despite Ricky Jr's news. She heads to Jack's to explain why she's going, and later feels awful when she sees Jack and their son on their way to the police station.

When she turns around to find her on/off beau down on one knee with an engagement ring, what will Sam say? Well, she ends up showing up at the station to support her son, and after Jack loses his temper, Sam sits in with Ricky Jr and he's glad to have her there in the interview. Meanwhile, Ricky B is stressed that Sam is so late and they might miss their plane. When she finally arrives, he rushes her to get going. But will Sam really be able to leave her son behind?

5. Grieving Linda is offered support

Alfie Moon (Shane Richie) is worried when Linda can't face work, but when Jay turns up at The Vic panicking because he's forgotten to book the wedding reception, she swings into action. Having organised the event, Linda asks how Jay copes with knowing that Lola will die, and they share a moving conversation about hope. Later, Patrick Trueman (Rudolph Walker) counsels Linda about how to go on without Mick. Will the help of her friends give Linda the strength to carry on as she gets used to life without her soulmate?

6. Sonia turns to Reiss for help

After the much-missed Dot Branning (June Brown) left Sonia her house in her will, Sonia was touched to be able to keep her home. But next week, she is horrified to learn that she owes a huge amount of inheritance tax on the place. As the pressure mounts, she wonders how she'll afford the payment. Although she's still smarting from Reiss ghosting her, Sonia calls him. Reiss says he is unable to help, and Sonia decides she has no choice but to sell up to pay the bill, but she doesn't want to leave her beloved home.

Later, she's stunned to find Reiss on her doorstep; and as he apologises for ghosting her, he and Sonia sit down to look over the inheritance tax case and see if she can find a way to keep Dot's house. When Sonia makes a move on Reiss, how will he respond? And will Sonia be able to save her home?

7. Bernie's luck changes

When Nish Panesar (Navin Chowdhry) sacks Bernie from the call centre due to cost-cutting, she's gutted. Felix Baker (Matthew Morrison) tries to help Bernie blag a job at The Albert, but Kim prefers Felix for the job. To appease Felix, Kim offers them a chance to compete for the bar job with a cocktail competition for Jay's stag. But later, Kim lies that Bernie won't be starting work at The Albert because she's found her a dream job elsewhere. Kim wangles a trial shift at the café for Bernie, who is excited to start work with Kathy Beale (Gillian Taylforth) and Rocky Cotton (Brain Conley). Will Bernie's first day go smoothly?

For information, help and support on matters associated with Lola's storyline, head to Macmillan Cancer Support or Brain Tumour Research.

Read more:

• EastEnders first look as Patsy Kensit joins as Lola's mum Emma
• EastEnders confirms identity of father in Lily Slater pregnancy story

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