EastEnders’ Elaine Knight is headed for heartbreak next week, after she starts to suspect husband George is cheating on her.

George and Elaine’s marriage hit the rocks after he helped ex-wife Cindy Beale with the relaunch of The Albert – but as the ice begins to thaw, Elaine decides to surprise her husband with a gift to commemorate his boxing career.

Their touching moment is soon shattered when Junior Knight shows up and reveals that George visited his ex, Junior’s mum Sabrina, on Christmas night – and George admits that she kissed him.

“George insists that he rejected Sabrina’s advances, but Elaine’s not convinced,” says our Walford insider. “This is another blow after the Cindy drama, and she struggles to cope with the fact that his flirtatious exes keep trying to dig their claws in.”

Devastated Elaine can’t believe that George has lied again, so she throws her husband out. George makes a beeline for Junior, but instead finds the open arms of Cindy, who offers him her shoulder to cry on.

Just as Elaine goes to look for George, she spies him up on The Albert balcony with his arms around his conniving ex.

Wounded Elaine retreats to the café to collect herself, before returning to The Albert – only to be informed that Cindy and George left together looking cosy.

Elaine calls a friend to come and meet her, and while she waits, she’s chatted up by a mysterious punter named Stephen. His smooth moves are halted by the arrival of Drew Peacock, with actor Paul Clayton reprising the role he played back in November.

Elaine’s late husband’s secret lover gives Elaine a much-needed pep talk, and taking his advice to heart, she makes a spontaneous decision.

“Linda’s father John cheated on Elaine with Drew,” our source recalls, “but she now feels she has no choice but to lean on her old adversary. Will Drew’s advice pay off?”

Later, Elaine Peacock, Yolande Trueman and Kat Slater gather for a drink to have a gossip about their love lives, amid the fallout of Kat and Alfie Moon’s wedding day.

But when Elaine says something that gives the others pause for thought, what has she revealed? And could it be the end for her and George after less than a year of marriage?