EastEnders’ Stacey refuses to betray pregnant Lily – but is given an ultimatum

By Laura Denby

Published: Monday, 09 January 2023 at 12:00 am

Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner) was issued a worrying ultimatum in tonight’s EastEnders (9th January), as the police and social services warned her that her pregnant daughter Lily (Lillia Turner) would be taken into protective custody if she didn’t disclose who the father of her baby is.

Lily’s condition was revealed at New Year, and the 12-year-old’s status left poor Stacey devastated as she tried to find out whether her child had been abused. Eventually, Lily revealed to Stacey and nan Jean Slater (Gillian Wright) that schoolmate Ricky Mitchell (Frankie Day) was the boy she had sex with, after Ricky felt neglected by his family.

Lily wanted her pregnancy kept quiet from everyone else, but Stacey was informed that a police detective, officer and social worker would be paying everyone in Lily’s life a visit. So, the mum was forced to call a family meeting to tell everyone what was going on – but Stacey couldn’t get hold of Lily’s adoptive dad, Martin Fowler (James Bye).

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Lillia Turner as Lily Slater in EastEnders.
BBC

Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean) found Martin and told him that the police were at their house to ask him some questions. With Martin in the dark over Lily, he was distressed by their probing questions, and this was the moment he was informed that the girl he helped raise is expecting a baby.

Stunned, Martin confronted Stacey, and was furious that she had known all this time and had not said anything to him. But Lily heard his fury and rushed out of the house, with Jean raising the alarm that she was missing.

The family headed out to find her, and Eve Unwin (Heather Peace) tracked Lily down. As Jean and Harvey Monroe (Ross Boatman) took Lily for a treat, Martin insisted that Stacey told him who the father is, but she refused.

Unfortunately, she arrived home to find that Freddie Slater (Bobby Brazier) had told police that Stacey knew who had got Lily pregnant. The detective and social worker then revealed that until concerns for Lily’s safety had been put to rest, she may have to be taken away.

Stacey was wary of losing Lily’s trust, but she replied that she wouldn’t let anyone take her daughter away. Will Stacey be forced to expose the truth?