EastEnders spoilers follow for Thursday’s episode (23 April), which is available to watch now on streaming service BBC iPlayer and hasn’t yet aired on TV.
Note: This article contains discussion of topics including suicide.
EastEnders has aired a devastating episode surrounding Ravi Gulati’s mental health struggle after a car crash cliffhanger that left seven characters in danger. This week, Ravi attempted to keep his family in the flat, convinced that he needs to protect them – but as things fell apart, he admitted to his son Nugget that he attacked him several months ago.
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Priya told her partner that they should get away from Walford for their safety, but this was just a rouse to get him in the car and take him to hospital. The situation escalated when Ravi realised he’d been set up and Nugget started having a seizure – leading Priya to swerve the car and causing a huge crash with another vehicle containing Max, Cindy and baby Jimmy.
In today’s episode, Ravi quickly sprang into action, getting himself and his family out the car and calling for help in a heroic act of bravery. But it was soon revealed that this was all just a dream, and in reality, Ravi sat vacant in the car as all hell broke loose.
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Priya got herself and the kids out of the vehicle, but Ravi refused to move. Meanwhile, Max and Cindy realised that they were trapped in the car, and while Max managed to break out and save Jimmy, Cindy was still stuck – with smoke billowing out of the vehicle.
As the car caught fire, Max urged Ravi to help Cindy. A struggling Ravi refused, so Max made one last ditch attempt to free Cindy, and he thankfully rescued her just before the car exploded.
At the hospital, Nugget confirmed to his dad that he wanted him to disappear, then Max called Ravi a coward. This was the last straw, and Priya was later horrified when she realised that Ravi had disappeared.
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Ravi returned to Walford and walked around the Square in a daze before smashing the glass on the door of the pharmacy, where another incident recently took place.
Priya, Avani and Nugget rushed back to the Square, where they were met by worried Suki, Eve and Vinny. They started searching for Ravi but found him standing on the edge of a bridge.
As a crowd formed, Priya went up to see her partner, and Ravi admitted to her that he couldn’t see a way forward. "I’ve run out, Priya," he said. "All paths. All options. It’s too much. I wreck things. I've realised now, it’s me. I’m doing it to everyone."
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Ravi looked set to take his own life, but he was only stopped by Nugget, who in emotional scenes, went up to the bridge and urged his dad to come home. He was supported by his loved ones, but he was devastated when the police arrived and sectioned him out of concern for his welfare.
As Ravi was detained and taken away, with Priya explaining that she had no other choice, will he finally get the help he desperately needs?
We encourage anyone who identifies with the topics raised in this article to reach out. Information about how to access support is available via the NHS, and organisations who can offer help include Samaritans on 116 123 or Mind on 0300 123 3393.
Readers in the US are encouraged to visit mentalhealth.gov or the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
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.
