Inside Soap UK 19 - 2021

As tangled soap romances go, EastEnders’ Ben and Callum’s is certainly one of the twistiest. Their original coupling came while Callum was heading down the aisle with Whitney (well, not literally while he was heading down the aisle, as that’d be really twisted), and there’s been no end of troublesome turns for the pair since. “Ben and Callum’s big day is is upon us…” One of the biggest, of course, was when Callum found himself embroiled in the police investigation to expose Phil. Not exactly the route that most grooms-to-be take to get to know their new family! This week, the wedding is upon us, and it’s that particular secret which looks as if it will blow apart the big day. We caught up with ‘Ballum’ – as they’ve been…

Callum’s hopes of a happy-ever-after with the man he loves fade rapidly this week, as he fears fiancé Ben is about to call off their wedding! Following Callum’s shock confession that he was gathering evidence against Phil for his corrupt boss Thompson, Ben was left reeling, and now has serious concerns about their future together. So as the day of their wedding dawns, will Ben turn up – or leave Callum standing alone at the register office? “Phil Mitchell isn’t going to just forgive and forget…” TONY “Fundamentally, it comes down to Ben having to make a choice between his dad and Callum,” reckons Max Bowden, who plays Ben. “He sees his life with Callum, and going forward, Ben wants to step out of his father’s shadow. But it’s an…

Might Stuart have just sealed his brother’s death warrant by telling Phil about Callum compiling evidence against him? Max reckons that is Ben’s worst fear… “It’s a risk that Ben’s not willing to take,” reveals the star. “It’s not just about the physical actions – it’s about the mental action of Ben allowing Callum to become part of the family by going through with this wedding. “If Ben is to marry Callum, he needs to know that his dad is on side,” adds Max. “The stakes of the situation that Callum has placed them both in are so high that it’s very dangerous…”…

The aftermath of Nina and Seb’s brutal attack casts a dark cloud over the cobbles this week, with those connected to the assault desperately trying to cover their tracks. All eyes are on bad boy Corey as he heaps pressure on Asha to give him a false alibi, while Kelly is also in the frame when she’s arrested and hauled in for questioning. Will both girls feel compelled to tell the police the truth, and see that justice is done for Nina and Seb? “The Street is swarming with police, and the teens are panicking,” explains our Corrie insider. “Corey insists to Asha that he had nothing to do with the attack, yet he’s busy pulling everyone’s strings, instigating what could be construed as a cover-up. If Asha lies for…

Amy and Summer left their peers before Nina and Seb were set upon, yet the pair are haunted by their association with the gang. While Amy tries to persuade Asha to do the right thing, Summer confides in Paul that she feels partly to blame for the attack, as she saw it all kicking off – and regrets not persuading Kelly to remove herself from the situation when she did. Meanwhile, Billy is fuming to learn that his god-daughter was out joyriding with Corey and his mates, and fears the worst when Summer doesn’t show up for school as the police close in on the culprits. Does Summer have blood on her hands?…

Fragile Nina insists on discharging herself from hospital – determined to revisit the scene of the assault in the hope it’ll jog her memory. Roy wants to be a rock for his niece, who is covered in horrific cuts and bruises that she sustained in the attack. However, it seems that Roy isn’t coping as well as people think after a chance run-in with acid-tongued Evelyn – who makes a return to the cobbles after some time away – causes him to lose him to lose his temper… Meanwhile, devastated Abi explodes with anger after the police inform her that Nina and Seb’s attack was likely triggered by his girlfriend’s appearance. Prior to learning that a suspect has been charged, Kev’s fiancée grills fragile Nina for information as she vows…