EastEnders' Stacey Slater makes emotional confession in early iPlayer edition

Martin shared a moving, romantic reunion with Stacey before he died as a result of crush syndrome, caused by the impact of a metal beam trapping his legs in the wreckage of The Queen Vic.

Because Martin never got the chance to break off his relationship with Ruby Allen (Louisa Lytton), who is mother to Martin's youngest child Roman, Stacey has chosen not to tell Ruby the truth.

But tensions rose as Stacey and daughter Lily (Lillia Turner) joined Ruby, and Martin's close friend and other ex-wife Sonia Fowler (Natalie Cassidy), to plan Martin's funeral.

As Ruby turned her nose up at the kids' requests, before making some suggestions that simply didn't sit right for their beloved Martin, Lily protested and Sonia gently tried to point out what didn't quite work.

All the while, Stacey kept quiet – and she urged Lily not to cause trouble when Ruby went over the teen's head to organise a gathering to honour Martin at short notice.

But later, Stacey called over best friend Eve Unwin (Heather Peace) and poured her heart out in private, with Stacey explaining that it was her Martin loved, not Ruby.

As Eve encouraged Stacey to be public about her feelings, Lily overheard, and declared that she always knew her adoptive dad had truly loved Stacey.

But Stacey insisted that there was another woman across the Square with a little boy who loved Martin just as much as they did, so Lily must not tell anyone what she had heard.

But with Martin's friends and family set to come together to honour his life, will Lily be able to contain herself around Ruby?

Read more:

• EastEnders airs tragic death as icon leaves soap after 40 years
• EastEnders confirms Bex Fowler to return for short stint in wake of dad Martin's death
• EastEnders confirms Vicki Fowler return for the first time in 20 years — and she's brought some new characters
• EastEnders reveals images of alternate Denise Fox and Ravi Gulati ending after audience vote
• EastEnders at 40: Best ever scandals from Pat and Frank to Sharongate
• EastEnders at 40: Best ever villains from Nick Cotton to Nish Panesar
• EastEnders at 40: Best ever whodunnits – From who shot Phil to who killed Archie?

EastEnders airs Monday to Thursday at 7:30pm on BBC One and from 6am on BBC iPlayer.

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