EastEnders: Zoe Slater Panics as Her Secret Hits the Papers and She Calls Max
Zoe’s Painful Return to Walford
Zoe Slater (Michelle Ryan) has only just returned to EastEnders after more than 20 years away. Fans celebrated when she reunited with her mum Kat (Jessie Wallace). But the reunion was anything but warm. Old wounds reopened, and Zoe was ready to leave once again.
Before she could, disaster struck. Zoe was shot while walking on Bridge Street. Police declared it a gang-related incident. They believed she was caught in the crossfire. Zoe, however, fears there is more to the story.
Secrets From the Past
A recent flashback revealed what Zoe had been doing for the past two decades. In 2006, she gave birth to twins. One of her babies tragically died. Earlier this year, she began searching for her surviving child.
She asked Max Branning (Jake Wood) for help. Things quickly went wrong. Zoe clashed with Greg Dolan, a former neighbour of her child’s family. When he threatened her, she hit him with a lamp and fled. The violent encounter left Max horrified and ended their fragile connection.
A Shocking Betrayal
Back in the present, Zoe returned to Walford on one condition: her presence had to remain secret. Kat agreed. But that promise soon broke. Freddie Slater (Bobby Brazier) posted online asking for information about the shooting. He even named Zoe.
The story didn’t stay on social media. Soon, it appeared in the newspapers. Zoe was horrified. She realised the coverage had made her a target.
Confrontations on the Square
Monday’s (September 15) episode showed Zoe trying to adjust. She moved back in with the Slaters, but the family’s attention quickly overwhelmed her. She escaped for a walk.
It wasn’t long before she ran into Vicki Fowler (Alice Haig). Their tense meeting reopened wounds from Den Watts’s (Leslie Grantham) death two decades earlier. Later, Zoe visited the Queen Vic. Surrounded by her loved ones, she almost allowed herself to relax—until she saw the newspaper.
Her smile vanished. To Zoe, the headline meant danger. She believed she was now a “sitting duck.”
Fears of Revenge
Zoe suspects Greg Dolan is seeking revenge. She doesn’t know the truth—that Jack Branning (Scott Maslen) was the one who shot her. For Zoe, Greg remains the biggest threat. With her name in print, she fears it is only a matter of time before he finds her.
In desperation, Zoe picked up the phone and called Max. She begged him to collect her immediately. But Max does not like being ordered around. Whether he will return to help her remains to be seen.
Stacey Steps In
Upcoming scenes show Zoe preparing to flee Walford. As she packs her bags, Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner) discovers her plan. Stacey pleads with Zoe to stay. During their confrontation, Zoe confesses her fight with Greg and admits she fears he may be dead.
The next day, Stacey takes Zoe to Greg’s flat. Together, they wait to see if he appears. The tension rises.
What’s Next for Zoe?
The big question is clear: is Greg still alive? If not, Zoe could face even bigger problems than she imagines. If he is alive, her fears of revenge may soon come true.
Zoe Slater’s return has already delivered emotional reunions, shocking confessions, and life-threatening danger. With Max back in the picture and Stacey standing firm by her side, the drama is only just beginning.