EastEnders spoilers follow for Monday’s (March 30) episode, which is now available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
As far as soap baby bombshells go, EastEnders’ Penny Branning (Kitty Castledine) has just had a massive one dropped on her as she learned that her unborn child can’t be Vinny Panesar’s (Shiv Jalota).
Since first hooking up on New Year’s Eve, the pair have been enjoying a cute little romance, which was only cemented when Penny learned she had unexpectedly fallen pregnant.
Vowing to always be there for them, Vinny also finally stood up to his domineering mum Suki Panesar (Balvinder Sopal) after she was less than supportive about the situation.
Now in a happy and stable relationship and looking forward to becoming a first-time parent, that is all set to be blown apart after a scan revealed a shocking truth.
The week began with Vinny receiving a call from a potential business backer for Penny’s shop that leaves him unsettled, so he heads to meet with them ahead of Penny having her first scan.
Having started the appointment alone, Penny was stunned when the nurse told her that the baby is further along than originally thought.
Dumbfounded by the news, Penny chose not to share it with Vinny once he later arrives.
Back on the Square, an emotional Penny confided in her cousins Lauren and Oscar Branning (Jacqueline Jossa and Pierre Counihan-Moullier), revealing that if the baby was conceived before New Year’s then Harry Mitchell (Elijah Holloway) must be the father, following a secret hook-up they had before he went to rehab.
The question is: will Vinny find out? That remains to be seen but Penny soon has bigger problems when someone close to home works out the truth.
Later in the week, Penny remains in denial about that possibility of him not being the dad and thus convinces herself the scan must be incorrect.
She has another run-in with Suki over Vinny’s efforts to secure funding for her shop, and their tense exchange is witnessed by Harry’s mum Nicola Mitchell (Laura Doddington), who steps in to support Penny, before taking her to the club where they share a heart-to-heart.
‘From Nicola’s perspective, she’s simply trying to speak with Penny when Suki interrupts, which infuriates her!’ reveals actress Laura Doddington, who plays Nicola.
‘Her opinion of Suki is already low given the recent issues involving Ravi and Harry. With Penny in the early stages of pregnancy, Nicola understands the anxieties that come with that experience. She also has a soft spot for Penny, who has supported Harry throughout his recent rehabilitation.’
However, when Harry later tells his mum that his girlfriend Gina Knight (Francesca Henry) does not want children and he slept with Penny before Christmas, Nicola puts two and two together.
After confronting Penny, Nicola issues an ultimatum – either Penny takes a DNA test, or she will tell Vinny and Harry everything!
‘Nicola wants clarity as soon as possible on whether the baby is Harry’s,’ Laura says. ‘She’s incredibly protective over him and carries guilt about what he has been through. She also feels she has fallen short as a mother, so if the baby is his, she wants to support him from the outset.’
