EastEnders spoilers follow.
EastEnders’ Ian Beale’s future is looking increasingly bleak next week, as he reels from being arrested for Jordan Fox’s hit and run. While distressed Chelsea comes to terms with her son’s life-changing injuries, Ian faces the consequences of his crime – and takes a big risk he might live to regret…
"Getting charged for drink driving and causing serious injuries to a child is obviously the kind of thing that can tarnish a person’s reputation," begins our EastEnders insider.
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"Ian has a fight on his hands to prove his innocence, so why does he end up jeopardising his prospects of staying out of prison?"
The accident that put young Jordan in hospital has caused shockwaves among the residents of Walford. The Fox-Trueman family are devastated and firmly blame Ian for driving irresponsibly after drinking, while Councillor Beale is stunned to have been found over the limit.
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Loyal Kathy is sticking by her son and is consumed with her own guilt that Ian was driving her home from Ross and Vicki’s wedding because she was too drunk, and she distracted him while he was reversing.
"Kathy really feels for Ian," notes our source. "She can see he is genuinely remorseful about what happened, but he’s been told he could go to jail if the level of alcohol in his system is thought to have contributed to him knocking over Jordan. Everything he has – his businesses, his place on the council, his freedom – it could all be lost."
While his mother does her best to keep his spirits up and encourage him to fight, Ian is unimpressed with his lawyer’s efforts so far. Johnny has taken on the case, but Ian’s not seeing any results and is quickly losing confidence in his legal counsel.
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Accusing Johnny of not being focused enough on building a defence, Ian loses his rag during a tactics meeting and fires Johnny on the spot!
Declaring he’s going to look for someone else to represent him, impatient Ian’s antics offend Johnny. With a big battle on his hands and no one to defend him, what will Ian do now?
"As Kathy is one of the only people in his corner, Ian turns to her for help," says our source. "He asks her for a loan so he can pay for a top-notch solicitor. Time is running out, so Ian needs to find someone he trusts who can get results…"
Will Kathy give Ian the money, and can a new legal team keep him out of jail?
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.
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