EastEnders‘ Barney Mitchell contacted a new character in tonight’s (October 23) episode, following on from the fire drama of the night before.

Teddy and Harry are now at war with the Panesars after Ravi dangled the young lad over the train bridge by his ankles. In retaliation, the duo set fire to the call centre.

The morning after, Ravi wanted revenge but Nish forbade him, stating that doing something stupid is exactly what Teddy wants them to do.

Meanwhile, Teddy surprised Barney with pancakes and told him to take the day off school — and he immediately suspected something was up. Teddy tried to explain his position over a game of chess, breaking the rules and asking if Barney was going to retaliate, or let him get away with it.

“You didn’t think this through, did you?” Barney responded, referring both to real life and the chess game, which he won with his next move.

He left to go to school and hang out with Avani, and they talked about her creepy now-ex Mason before the conversation moved to Barney’s mum. Barney he admitted his dad doesn’t like him talking about her very much as he thinks she’s trouble.

Barney revealed that he misses her, saying: “She’s not perfect, but she gets me.”

After another conversation with Teddy, in which Barney said his dad wouldn’t have acted how he did if his mum was still around, the youngster snuck off to make a call.

“Hi, Mum. It’s me, Barney.”

This phone call will lead to Barney’s mum, and Teddy’s ex, arriving on the Square in upcoming episodes. Played by familiar soap face Laura Doddington, Nicola Mitchell will shake up the family dynamic, but will it be for the better or worse?