Harvey Monroe (Ross Boatman) faced a fresh dilemma in tonight’s EastEnders (26th April) when Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner) issued a desperate plea, just as he was caught up in his own crisis.
Stacey’s mum Jean Slater (Gillian Wright) is currently in the midst of a mental health relapse, only she refuses to admit it. Meanwhile, she has become engaged to new beau Harvey, who has so far taken Jean at her word that she simply isn’t ill.
It’s growing increasingly clear that Jean needs serious help, as she went out partying with a group of stags, tried to have sex with Harvey’s pal Rocky Cotton (Brian Conley) in the Queen Vic toilets and stole a ring from a local jewellers. Jean has also splashed out on an over the top spending spree for the wedding.
Last week, Jean’s friend Shirley Carter (Linda Henry) tried to help Stacey convince Jean to go to the hospital for treatment, and she became very upset. But just as we hoped she might listen to her daughter, Stacey’s underhand tactics unravelled all her good work and Jean reported Stacey to the police for harassment.
Now Jean and Harvey are planning to move to Southend – a move Harvey suggested out of fear over incarcerated son Aaron’s (Charlie Wernham) far right pal’s threats towards him. Harvey is, understandably, so distressed by his own problems that he has failed to realise that Jean isn’t herself. This may also be down to the fact that the pair haven’t known each other for very long.
Tonight, Harvey got a message that Aaron had been stabbed in prison, and with Stacey at the cab office in an attempt to talk to him about her mum, she accompanied him to the hospital.
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Harvey was informed that Aaron’s injuries were critical, and it wasn’t clear whether he would survive. The young man needed surgery, and Stacey encouraged Harvey to go and see his son.
Later, Stacey enquired whether Jean had responded to his frantic messages over the emergency, and she hadn’t. Stacey pointed out that Jean was so oblivious because she was in the throes of a breakdown, while Harvey insisted that Jean had been his rock lately. But Stacey pleaded with Harvey that if he truly loves her mum, he can’t marry her.
With Harvey needing support that Jean isn’t capable of giving right now, what will Harvey decide? Will he dismiss Stacey’s request while he waits to see if Aaron will survive, or agree that he and Jean can’t be together for both their sakes?
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