There’s tension brewing in EastEnders next week as a surprising newcomer enters the fold and quickly sets his sights on Johnny Carter.

While Johnny finds himself pulled into a promising new business opportunity, Callum begins to grow suspicious of the man behind it all, and with good reason.

 

 

Things kick off on a positive note for Oscar, who’s finally free of his ankle tag. After a difficult few weeks, he is ready to move forward, but his optimism takes a knock following a tense conversation with Lauren, leaving him deflated just as he hoped to enjoy a fresh start.

 

 

Meanwhile, Johnny continues to struggle to find his footing in Walford, particularly with Lexi, who remains cold towards him. Despite his best efforts to connect, it’s clear she hasn’t warmed to him, and his attempts at bonding only seem to widen the distance.

 

 

Sensing Johnny needs a boost, Elaine and Callum encourage him to pursue a potential business venture with a former client. They hope the move will help Johnny rebuild some confidence and give him something to focus on, but it’s not long before cracks begin to appear.

Things take an unexpected turn when Johnny’s old client, Tim, finally shows up for their meeting. Suave and self-assured, Tim makes an immediate impression on Elaine, who’s charmed by his charisma and professionalism. On the surface, he seems like the perfect business partner, someone who could help Johnny turn things around.

But Callum isn’t quite convinced.

When he arrives and meets Tim for the first time, he’s taken aback by how different he is from what he expected. There’s something about the newcomer’s slick manner that leaves Callum unsettled, and his instincts tell him Tim might have more on his mind than business.

Despite his unease, Johnny is eager to move forward, clearly excited by the opportunity to work with someone who believes in him. Callum, concerned for both Johnny’s welfare and the family business, decides to quietly investigate.

Later, he takes Johnny aside and warns him not to be too quick to trust Tim, subtly raising the possibility that his new “partner” could have an ulterior motive. However, Johnny is dismissive, keen to prove he can handle things and make something of himself again. Ultimately, the two men shake hands and agree to a business deal, brushing off Callum’s concerns for now.

Billy is unimpressed when he sees Johnny attempting to win over Lexi with expensive gifts. While Johnny insists it’s all innocent and simply an attempt to build a relationship, Billy is having none of it, and he wastes no time insisting that Callum put a stop to it.

Caught in the middle, Callum finds himself torn between two sides of his family. He understands Billy’s protectiveness over Lexi, but he also sees Johnny’s desperation to connect, and maybe even redeem himself in the eyes of the Mitchells.

Later, Johnny offers to take Lexi to a concert, hoping it will be a step in the right direction. When Callum sees how genuinely happy Lexi is at the prospect, he’s conflicted. Should he step in and block Johnny’s efforts like Billy wants? Or is it time to give Johnny the benefit of the doubt and let him try to be part of Lexi’s life?

With Johnny now moving forward on two fronts, in business and with Lexi, Callum finds himself increasingly uneasy. He may have put his reservations about Johnny aside once, but with Tim’s motives uncertain and tensions building within the Mitchell family, it might only be a matter of time before Callum’s fears are proven right.

Is Tim truly here to help Johnny, or is he playing a longer game? Can Johnny stay on the straight and narrow, or will his past once again catch up with him? And will Callum be forced to choose between loyalty to the Mitchells and his lingering sense of responsibility for Johnny?