Teen revenge on Joel turns serious as attack triggers police response in EastEnders
It’s fair to say that the return of EastEnders’ teenage incel Joel Marshall (Max Murray) following his release from prison is far from a welcome one.
Not only is his stepmum Vicki Fowler (Alice Haig) horrified to set eyes on the boy who violently attacked her, the teens of Albert Square are also furious to have him back in Walford following his sex crimes against their friend Avani Nandra-Hart (Aaliyah James).
Next week, the group is determined to drive him out of Walford, but as they exact a revenge plot on evil Joel, things go horribly wrong when the police end up being called.
After Joel’s estranged mum Cleo abandons him on dad Ross Marshall (Alex Walkinshaw) yet again, he has no choice but to attempt to help his son rebuild his life, and the week begins with Ross trying to secure Joel a place at the local sixth form.
But when Avani, Nugget Gulati (Juhaim Rasul Choudhury) and Amy Mitchell (Ellie Dadd) see him at school, Joel finds himself on the receiving end of their anger.
Later, Joel realises no-one wants him around, and he books himself a one-way train ticket – but he’s offered an olive branch by Lily Slater (Lillia Turner) when she spots him helping Janet Mitchell (Grace).
As he waits for his train, Joel opens up to her about his struggles in the young offenders facility, but the moment is interrupted when Jean Slater (Gillian Wright), Amy and Avani arrive.
Later, Ross finds Joel at the tube station and pleads for him to stay, to which he agrees – but when Amy and Avani find out he’s not leaving, they start to concoct a plan.
They ask him to join them at the park for some celebrations to mark the end of the school year, and he believes they are genuinely trying to build bridges.
But when her arrives at the park, Avani, Lily, Amy, Nugget, Denzel Danes (Jaden Luke Ladega), Barney Mitchell (Lewis Bridgeman) and Ricky Branning (Frankie Day) unleash their revenge by locking Joel to a fence and soak him in beer whilst filming his humiliation.
While they revel in getting one over on Joel, later, local copper Jack Branning (Scott Maslen) receives a call from the station revealing that he has been attacked.
As it becomes clear that the teens’ prank has not gone to plan, will they seek to cover their tracks, or will Joel drop them all in it?
