EastEnders icon Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt) has left viewers concerned that he is about to take revenge on cheating Cindy Beale (Michelle Collins) in a dark twist.
After being attacked by a mystery person on Christmas Day, Cindy recently woke up from a coma. She was left for dead following a bash over the head with a snow shovel and her attacker is still at large.
Peter Beale (Thomas Law) tried to find his mum a place to stay upon her release from hospital after Ian refused to let her home. Reiss Colwell (Johnny Freeman) stepped in and offered Cindy the spare room in Sonia Fowler’s (Natalie Cassidy) house while she’s on trial for murder.
But her return brought more drama as a brick was dramatically thrown through the window with a sinister note for Cindy attached to it.
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On Monday (January 20), Cindy struggled to cope and feared someone is out to kill her. Reiss also told her to move out following the brick incident and cited Sonia coming home as an excuse.
Ian decided to pay Cindy a visit as Peter was concerned for his mum but she wouldn’t open the front door, so he faked a chest pain to trick her into letting him in.
Ian explained that Peter was worried about her, and Cindy admitted that she didn’t know who to trust anymore.
He convinced her to go for a walk, but when the pair went for a drink in The Vic, Cindy got a frosty reception from the Knight’s and was told to leave the pub leaving Ian defending her.
She then asked Ian to run away to the South of France with her like they had planned before her affair with Junior Knight (Micah Balfour) was exposed.
Ian turned down this idea, but he said that Cindy could move in with him for a while, and she was grateful for this offer of protection.
“I’ll always protect you,” Ian said, with Cindy in a tight embrace. But then he smiled to himself, sparking rumour that he has an ulterior motive and is the one who attacked Cindy.
Taking to X, one viewer wrote: “Ian hasn’t quite got the knack of the subtle smile when no one’s watching. Erupts into more of a joker-esque grin #EastEnders.”
A second commented: “Ian using his chest pains to get into the house and his proud grin afterwards has me creased #EastEnders.”
A third chimed in: “Ian in his evil era incoming #EastEnders”, while another added: “Ian to Cindy : I’ll always protect you #EastEnders”, followed by a photo of the Joker.
“That smirk Ian did when Cindy hugged him she can move back in with him #EastEnders”, laughed another.
EastEnders airs Monday – Thursday at 7:30pm on BBC One and iPlayer
