“They Thought They’d Seen The Last Of Him…” — EastEnders Drops A Chilling Update As A Vile Villain’s Prison Release Draws Near
EastEnders spoilers tease the return of a violent villain, and Walford residents are not happy
EastEnders could be setting up Joel Marshall’s comeback, putting some of the Square’s inhabitants on edge.
Portrayed by Max Murray on the BBC soap, Joel was last witnessed in January as his trial commenced following his brutal assault on stepmother Vicki Fowler (Alice Haig).
The youngster left Vicki with a punctured lung and fractured arm after she confronted him for screening his classmates with an explicit clip and striking Amy Mitchell (Ellie Dadd). This became the breaking point after months of his exhibiting sexist behaviour.
When Vicki and his father, Ross (Alex Walkinshaw), encountered Joel in the courtroom, he was so confident he would be cleared that he brazenly told his dad he fancied getting a takeaway afterwards. He was subsequently given a six-month jail term.
Joel Marshall was sentanced to six months in prison (Image: BBC/Jack Barns/Kieron McCarron)
Avani Nandra Hart (Aaliyah James) was also left heartbroken by Joel, who recorded them being intimate without her permission after she believed she could rely on him, reports OK!.
Upon discovering she was carrying Joel’s child, she chose to have a termination, creating tension between the youngsters and their relatives.
In upcoming episodes, Avani’s mum, Priya Nandra-Hart (Sophie Khan Levy), is rattled after learning that Joel will be freed from the young offenders’ facility shortly.
She attempts to comfort Avani by saying that Joel will be residing somewhere else, but with the newlyweds Ross and Vicki settled in the Square, will Joel relocate away from Walford?
While Vicki had previously assured Ross she would back whatever he decided for Joel upon his release, she made it clear she didn’t want him to return to her home.
Avani found out she was pregnant in EastEnders (Image: BBC)
He promised to put things right and arrange alternative accommodation. But will Ross truly leave his only son, Joel, without a place to stay?
In need of support, Avani insists on visiting her father, Ravi Gulati (Aaron Thiara), at the psychiatric hospital and becomes suspicious when he declines.
As regular viewers of the BBC soap will be aware, Ravi ended things with Priya after a heated encounter, leaving her devastated.
Before departing their family home, he told Priya: “How I need to set you free and let you go so I can finish the healing without you.
“I’m so sorry – I thought you knew it was goodbye. I’m not healed, I’m not healed! You will be so much happier without me.”
EastEnders airs Monday to Thursday on BBC One and iPlayer