EastEnders reveals new threat to Ned Hawkins amid disturbing blackmail plot

 EastEnders’ Ian Beale’s friendship with Ned Hawkins continues to blossom next week – but is he being too trusting of his new pal?

Struggling since leaving prison, Ian is glad to have the support of Ned. However, Ned may have an ulterior motive…

Ian has always struggled making pals – mainly because of his own behaviour!" says our Walford insider. "But his time in prison has really rattled him, so he's been grateful to have a sympathetic ear and some words of advice from someone who seems genuinely interested in him.

"Ian definitely has a newfound confidence thanks to Ned, but not everyone is so keen on this new bromance…"

Lauren has noted the change in Ian but is deeply suspicious of Ned’s motives. She’s wary of him because he’s privy to her secret tryst with Mark, and Lauren also knows that Ned has not been shy when it comes to using this secret to his advantage.

This week, viewers saw Ned use his knowledge of Mark and Lauren’s affair to blackmail Mark into taking violent action against his son Ryder, who he recently found out is gay.

On Ned’s orders, Mark donned a balaclava and attacked Ryder outside The Albert. When Ryder returned to his family, Ned implied that he was targeted because he was in a gay bar – and Ryder scrapped his plan to come out to his parents.

Meanwhile, Mark is struggling to cope with the guilt of what he did and the impact it has had on the Hawkins family, although Lauren doesn’t yet know the specifics of Ned’s vile blackmail.

Next week, Lauren decides to dig into Ned’s past, wanting to know more, and is intrigued when she manages to get a rather cryptic lead from Ryder about Ned’s former career. Despite Mark warning her to leave well alone, it seems Lauren isn’t going to stop until she has some answers.

"Ned likes to tell people what a hero he was in the Army, and how he then moved into counselling as he had a unique understanding of trauma from his time in the field," our source reminds us. "But will Lauren discover this story isn’t quite as picture-perfect as Ned makes out?"