SHOCKING NEWS!!! EastEnders’ Mark Fowler and Grant Mitchell to face gangster threats

EastEnders returnee Grant Mitchell clashes with his estranged son Mark Fowler next week, threatening the future of their already fragile relationship. Mark is in deep trouble with a dodgy criminal gang, so Grant tries to help – only he makes matters worse.

“Grant has a lot of making up to do, and Mark needs bailing out of this almighty mess,” explains our EastEnders insider. “Can Mark put his animosity aside to accept Grant’s olive branch and let him be a part of his life?”

Needing £100,000 to pay off the gangsters and be freed from their control, Mark wonders how he’s going to raise the readies. Sam urges her nephew to ask Grant to step up and cough up – surely he’d do anything to get in his son’s good books?

Stubborn Mark is reluctant to go begging to Grant, but he decides to swallow his pride and seeks out his dad. Unfortunately, it doesn’t go well as Grant is more preoccupied with making eyes at Linda Carter than being a proper parent.

The clock is ticking and the gang wants their dosh – who else can Mark turn to?

“Mark sounds out Lauren Branning about getting more motors to sell through the car lot,” continues our source. “She reckons they haven’t got the space to accommodate them, so Mark comes clean to Vicki about the extent of his debt drama.

“Eventually, Phil agrees to lend his nephew £30k to keep the gang at bay – how much time will that buy them?”

Sam later lets slip to Grant about his son’s dilemma, so he offers to swing into action to sort it – Mitchell style! Mark insists he doesn’t need his dad, and Phil is on the same page so urges Grant to cool his jets.

But hot-headed Grant won’t take no for an answer. Ignoring everyone’s advice, Grant collars Mark’s boss Russell for a quiet word about letting his boy off the hook. In other words, Grant goes steaming in and lets his fists do the talking! Grant’s ‘little chat’ with Russell doesn’t end well, and soon the head gangster arrives on the Square looking for Mark…

“Russell breaks into Vicki’s house and reveals some shocking truths about Mark’s debt to him,” reveals our spy. “Shaken Vicki then tells her sibling, who is fuming when he realises Grant must have interfered when he told him to keep his nose out. Mark’s had enough and goes to have it out with daddy dearest…”

In a shouty showdown, miffed Mark orders Grant to stay out of his life from now on – wrecking the reconciliation his dad has been hoping for since returning to Walford.

Mark’s woes look set to continue when Lauren then questions him on exactly where he got those classic cars from that he was so keen to flog through her business.

Will he have to admit they were actually stolen? Or could a sneaky idea from Auntie Sam be the key to solving his problems?