EastEnders’ Elaine Peacock (Harriet Thorpe) had no choice but to reveal

asecret she’d held for decades, informing daughter Linda Carter (Kellie Bright)

that her beloved dad John was gay.

The newest Queen Vic landlady, as viewers know, is on the cusp of her happy ending, due to wed her one true love George Knight (Colin Salmon) imminently, with this week’s offerings of the BBC One soap seeing her prepare for her big day.

Her grandson Johnny Carter (Charlie Suff) was tasked with making the hen do a memorable one and he certainly did just that – though not necessarily for the right reasons – as he booked a drag queen by the name of Drew Peacock.

The unexpected arrival took Elaine by surprise, which left Linda and Johnny’s interests piqued as the mother and son duo demanded answers from the matriarch of the clan.

‘This is Elaine’s dream finally coming true’ said star Harriet Thorpe. ‘She’s having a hen night and it was all going to be fun and lovely and then suddenly there is this person.

‘This suddenly came up in her new wedding, which was such a shock because it came out of nowhere – left field – and it triggered her feelings of does she have value.’

While Elaine processed what had transpired, Linda decided to seek Drew out, hoping to get some answers. But when that failed, she turned to Elaine once more, begging her mum to open up. Left with little choice, Elaine revealed a secret she’d harboured for years.

John, her late husband and Linda’s father, was gay – and he’d had an affair with Drew. The news knocked Linda for six – and it’s safe to say she didn’t react very well at all.

‘Linda loved and idolised her father,’ said Harriet. ‘But she had no real idea of what it was like as a mother to be this tough person, to pretend everything is okay, run the pub, do everything.

‘Linda feels Elaine was never there for her, but she was. She was also trying to support her husband who had a massive secret. So hopefully Linda can realise that her mother is there and actually always was. She was trying to support her dad but she didn’t know it.’

In terms of how Elaine felt about John and his sexuality, Harriet told us that it was very important for audiences to see that her alter-ego never harbour any shame over the situation – and that she was fully accepting of her husband.

”She loved her husband and wanted to support him in his choice.,’ said the soap star. ‘He was scared, he was frightened of people knowing.

‘But Elaine wasn’t trying to put a mask up for her, she wanted to honour her husband. Had he been in another place she would have, but he wasn’t able to because of his macho standpoint and couldn’t deal with, then, the judgement. What was so important to me was that she was there for him.

‘For Elaine it wasn’t that she felt betrayed or lost, it was the reality. It was heartbreaking for her but only in the sense that she thought everything was normal for her, that actually him wanting to be with another man was also normal and was also okay for her.

‘She wanted to support him because he was frightened that people would judge him. So she didn’t tell anybody for that reason. And that’s important.’