EastEnders confirms sixth Hawkins family member – here's when they join the soap

 Nicola's family is expanding even more.

EastEnders has confirmed that a sixth member of the Hawkins clan will be coming to Albert Square, with the BBC One soap's executive producer Ben Wadey explaining that they aren't following their family down to Walford just yet.

This week saw Nicola Mitchell's sisters Gemma and Jodie, as well as mum Rose, appear for the first time, and we know that Gemma's husband Ned and son Ryder are being introduced at the end of this month.

Not for a little bit, she's got her own storyline currently off screen, but in time, it'll very much be on screen.

"As we were constructing this family, there [are] stories about what gets passed down through the generations, and it means that we have established the character and done quite a lot of work actually already on what that will look like.

“I don't even think [the new cast members] know all the details of this yet, but there'll be an exciting, probably post-Christmas arrival for us."

Wadey recently explained the reason he wanted to expand Nicola's family: "I was just fascinated by this woman and the stories that we've told with her – this woman who lies so easily, who is responsible for the death of her son's girlfriend, who so happily sent her husband to prison to protect herself.

"But also she's fiercely loyal and protective of her children. We discussed in the story office and with writers, what made her that way?"