It’s set to be an emotional week in EastEnders as concerns build for Patrick Trueman (Rudolph Walker) after he’s faced with a tough request from the police, and his family aren’t sure he can handle it.
Things have already been tense following the explosive downfall of Jasmine Fisher (Indeyarna Donaldson-Holness), whose entrance into Walford turned everything upside down. As the secret daughter of Zoe Slater (Michelle Ryan) and Anthony Trueman (Nicholas Bailey), Jasmine didn’t show up quietly; she came in with a mission.
After years of believing she’d been abandoned, Jasmine set out to make Zoe pay, teaming up with the ever-chaotic Chrissie Watts and causing absolute havoc for the Slaters. Things eventually reached breaking point over Christmas, when Jasmine killed Anthony, claiming it was in self-defence, before letting Zoe take the blame.
Now locked up and awaiting trial, Jasmine’s story is far from over… and it’s about to have a huge impact on Patrick.
Next week, the Crown Prosecution Service steps up the pressure and asks Patrick to record a video statement to be used in Jasmine’s trial. It’s a big ask, and one that leaves the Truemans seriously worried about how it might affect him.
Patrick has already been through a lot, and with emotions still running high around Anthony’s death, the idea of reliving everything on camera feels like a lot to take. While the CPS continue to push for his cooperation, his loved ones are left questioning whether it’s simply too much.
At the same time, things are complicated on another front.
Josh, Jasmine’s twin brother, is still trying to find his place in Walford, and it hasn’t been easy. After recently arriving in the Square and making quite the impression, he’s slowly been getting to know the Trueman side of his family, including Patrick.
In fact, this week sees the pair growing closer, with Josh choosing to spend more time with his grandad instead of Zoe Slater, his birth mother, who’s been trying and struggling to build a relationship with him.
Feeling overwhelmed by Zoe’s attempts to connect, Josh starts to pull away, clearly not ready to forgive or forget everything that’s happened. Instead, he finds comfort in Patrick, and the two begin forming a genuine bond.
But just as things start to settle, tensions flare again.
A poorly judged comment from Kim Fox about Jasmine hits a nerve, leaving Josh upset and unsettled. It’s a reminder that, no matter how hard he tries to move forward, his sister’s actions are never far behind.
The moment leaves him questioning everything, including whether he should go and see Jasmine for himself.
With emotions running high and loyalties being tested, the pressure surrounding Jasmine’s trial is starting to have a knock-on effect on the entire family. And with Patrick now at the centre of it all, can he handle it?
