EastEnders spoilers follow for Wednesday’s episode (21 May), which is available to watch now on streaming service BBC iPlayer and hasn’t yet aired on TV.
EastEnders has aired a special episode, as Lauren Branning and Peter Beale’s baby Jimmy receives a life-changing diagnosis.
Having noticed something concerning about her baby’s eyes, Lauren brought Jimmy to the hospital in today’s episode and told the receptionist that she thought her son was blind.
She faced resistance as she didn’t have an appointment or referral, but mother’s instinct made Lauren keep fighting, and as she caused a scene, her midwife Hannan intervened.
Meanwhile, Peter was concerned where Lauren was, and alarm bells began ringing when Louie told him that he had seen her taking pills that she kept under the sink.
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With the mystery stash missing, Peter shared his fears that Lauren had relapsed with Ian and Linda – with Linda being a lot more understanding than Ian.
Hannan phoned Peter to update him on Lauren, who told her what he had discovered about the tablets.
Lauren was devastated by Peter’s concerns, and when he arrived at the hospital with Ian and Linda, she explained that she was only taking folic acid, common for new mums.
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As Lauren reached her limit with the Beales looking down on her, Hannan checked over Jimmy and realised that Lauren’s instincts were correct, calling for the baby to be examined by a consultant.
Peter tried to apologise to Lauren, but she felt that they didn’t trust one another and felt that they might not be able to move on from her addiction struggles.
After the consultant ran some tests, she told Lauren and Peter that Jimmy has optic nerve and chorioretinal coloboma, which means that the back of his eyes hasn’t properly formed, and he is severely sight impaired.
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While the cause of Jimmy’s impairment is yet to be determined, taking drugs during pregnancy could be a factor, and Lauren was quick to say that she was responsible.
Peter headed home, struggling to process Jimmy’s diagnosis. Meanwhile, Lauren stayed at the hospital with Jimmy, and in hugely powerful scenes, she promised her son that though she was scared about the future, she would always support him.
Will Lauren and Peter be able to come together for Jimmy?
EastEnders airs on Mondays - Thursdays at 7.30pm on BBC One. The show also streams on BBC iPlayer, where most episodes drop early at 6am ahead of their TV broadcast.
Read more EastEnders spoilers on our dedicated homepage
EastEnders is working on Jimmy’s story with guidance from the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB). You can find out more information on its website, and can also contact helpline@rnib.org.uk or 0303 123 9999.
