Viewers of EastEnders believe they’ve picked up on a big clue hinting at the end for a much-loved character.
EastEnders has dropped a major baby bombshell for a beloved Branning, leaving fans worried about what’s next for the family.
On Monday’s episode in Walford (February 23), Jack Branning (Scott Maslen) arranged a family Sunday lunch with help from his partner Denise Fox (Diane Parish) and his brother Max (Jake Wood).
The meal took an unexpected turn when Jack found a pregnancy test tucked inside a shopping bag. At first, he thought it belonged to Chelsea Fox (Zaraah Abrahams), but suspicion later fell on young parents Lily Slater (Lillia Turner) and Ricky (Frankie Day) after their unusual behaviour.
Before Jack could question his teenage daughter Amy Mitchell (Ellie Dadd) about a possible pregnancy, it was his eldest child, Penny (Kitty Castledine), who reluctantly admitted the test was hers.
The shocked family — including Oscar Branning (Pierre Counihan-Moullier), his sister Lauren (Jacqueline Jossa), and her partner Peter Beale (Thomas Law) — urged Penny to take the test to confirm whether she was really pregnant, according to OK!.
The market stall owner recently started a relationship with local entrepreneur Vinny Panesar (Shiv Jalota), and it appears the couple are expecting, as the pregnancy test came back positive.
Jack was furious at the result and berated his daughter for “lying,” leaving Penny visibly upset as her father once again failed to offer her support.
EastEnders fans are now fearing that Penny could be written out of the show after her father, Jack, was seen caring for a baby boy named Ethan in a recent flash-forward episode.
The special episode, aired on New Year’s Day, centred on Max, who appeared dressed and ready to remarry on January 1, 2027.
Meanwhile, Jack looked uneasy while looking after baby Ethan, leaving viewers wondering why the child’s parents were nowhere to be seen during the episode.
Could Penny face a tragic fate after giving birth? And is Ethan the son of Penny and Vinny?
On Reddit, one fan shared their fears for Penny, saying: “I’m scared she dies because in the flash-forward, Jack was grieving and looking after a baby.”
Another added: “Penny better not die. I’m warning the writers now, don’t test me!” while a third wrote: “Oh god, that would be a terrible ending for Penny.”
On X, one viewer predicted: “The baby in the flash-forward is because Penny dies,” and another exclaimed: “So Penny dies on New Year’s, and Jack is left with the baby in the flash-forward episode #EastEnders.”
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