This is the person who was involved in Mark’s car theft plan – but it’s not Lauren.
EastEnders fans have worked out which Branning will get drawn into Mark Fowler Jr's dirty stolen cars scheme, and it won't be Lauren despite Mark blackmailing her
EastEnders fans know who will join Mark’s stolen cars scam – but it’s not Lauren(Image: CREDIT LINE:BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron)
EastEnders’ Mark Fowler Jr may be out of the drugs gang game but he’s far from clean, as he’s started stealing cars to sell them on – and he’s roping a Branning into his scheme too. Fans now think Max will be the one Mark will ultimately go into business with, after his initial attempts to blackmail Lauren into working with him failed.
During Wednesday’s (18 March) episode of EastEnders, Lauren (Jacqueline Jossa) realised that Mark (Stephen Aaron-Sipple) was behind the carjacking she suffered last week. She connected the dots and worked out that the cars he had been selling her dealership were stolen too and threatened to hand him over to the police.
Lauren realised the cars Mark was selling her were stolen(Image: CREDIT LINE:BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron)
In response, Mark said he would use her texts asking him for more cars against her in an “if I go down, you’re coming with me” situation. He also offered her a role in his operation, saying no one would suspect a “tired looking mum” of flogging stolen cars.
Though Lauren was tempted by the offer, especially when faced with how expensive her blind son’s specialist nursery would be, she ultimately decided to tell Mark to stuff his business where the sun don’t shine. However, when she did, she was spotted by her father Max (Jake Wood), and many think this means Max, who owns the dealership, will end up working with Mark.
“Tonight’s Duff Duff – it looks like Max is begging to smell a rat with Mark,” wrote one fan. “But with Lauren adamant she doesn’t want to get involved – I wonder if Mark will pull Max into the stolen car business?”
Another added that they “now think maybe Max instead of Lauren will be going into ‘business’ with Mark at some stage”. A third said: “Agree about Max going in to business with Mark for sure.”
Fans think Max will be roped in, as he’s “the boss, the big boss, the boss man” of the car lot(Image: CREDIT LINE:BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron)
But many added that this will not be the end of the road for Mark and Lauren’s connection, as they were sure she would end up having an affair with the crook. “Lauren & Mark are defo gonna be sleeping together this year,” a fan said. “You can feel the chemistry brewing.”
“We know this is leading to an affair,” a second agreed. A third mentioned: “I’ll be surprised if they don’t have an affair.” Another pointed out that the soap spent several scenes showing Peter to be very devoted to their children, and that this probably meant an affair was on the way.
“Peter playing husband of the year is definitely heading towards Lauren having an affair,” they said. But they added that they thought it wouldn’t be with Mark. “However I still think Mark is a red herring and if she is, it will not be with him.”
Some think Peter’s recent campaign for a father of the year award means an affair is on the way(Image: CREDIT LINE:BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron)
Ahead of the New Year’s Day flashforward, EastEnders’ show-runner Ben Wadey told fans to be aware of “red herrings” they were putting in the show. As such, while some are convinced Penny Branning (Kitty Castledine), who is currently pregnant, will die and leave her father Jack (Scott Maslen) in charge of caring for her baby, others think that is another fake out. Instead, it is her partner Vinny Panesar (Shiv Jalota) who will die instead.
One fan said: “Penny dying is a red herring. We can see that if Penny were to die no way would Vinny leave his child with Jack. But what I can see is Vinny dying, Penny not being able to cope and leaving baby Ethan with Jack.”
Another said: “I have a feeling it’s not Penny that dies, but Vinny. Her support is taken away from her because he is caught in the crossfire between Ravi and the drug lord which was ultimately okayed by Jack.
“Penny falls into a deep depression leaving Jack to take care of Ethan. I think the downfall of Ravi will really begin when his brother dies and he is excommunicated from the Panesar family for good.
“The final nail will be finding out Max has been sleeping with a pregnant Priya, prompting him to kidnap his children.” A third viewer posted: “They want us to think Penny is gone but it will be a red herring.”
