EastEnders star Laura Doddington has confirmed that her character, Nicola Mitchell, will go through a change in upcoming scenes. A recent storyline has seen the fiery figure come to terms with her pregnancy, but next week will see new drama.

Nicola has been carrying a child for the past few months following her romance with George Knight, with advanced spoilers for the BBC soap confirming that the character would be rushed to hospital before prematurely giving birth to a baby girl.

Before that moment, it becomes increasingly apparent – to both viewers and her loved ones – that Nicola isn’t quite herself, and Doddington explains that her character is initially nervous about the health of herself and the baby.

“She is incredibly distracted because she hasn’t felt the baby move,” says the actor. “She initially keeps that to herself. With the Knight Fusion launch being an important moment for George, she wants to support him and avoids raising his worries.

“Nicola is used to dealing with things on her own and doesn’t want to burden George with any additional worries. She is already dealing with loads of concerns that she wants to keep to herself, convincing herself they may not be serious.”

“Having experienced false labour with both Harry and Barney, part of her also believes the pains could simply be another false alarm,” continues the star, who debuted as Nicola in November 2024.

These worries eventually come to the surface as Nicola prematurely gives birth, though she and George face an anxious wait after the baby is promptly relocated to an incubator to prevent the risk of infection.

“It takes a significant toll on Nicola,” says Doddington. “We see a real vulnerability in her, compared to her usual combative and protective parenting style. The emotional strain and the inability to see her baby leaves her broken.”

Such is the urgent nature of the storyline, both Nicola and George barely have time to work out the logistics of their co-parenting schedule, but Doddington is confident that the pair would do right by their daughter.

“I think they will make an excellent team, as they bring different energies and moral standings that complement each other,” she says. “They have open and honest conversations with each other, addressing things head on rather than avoiding them.”

While Nicola’s stint in hospital will be the main focus of the week, the beloved character gets herself involved with Penny Branning, who is preparing to raise a child with Vinny Panesar after their bond has strengthened.

In an upcoming twist, it will be revealed that Penny is further along in her pregnancy journey than she initially thought, casting doubt on the theory that the child is Vinny’s. As she jogs her memory, she realises that Harry, Nicola’s son, could be the father.

Penny initially keeps her suspicions to herself and doesn’t disclose anything to Vinny, and comes under fire from Suki as a result of this. Nicola sees this development, and defends Penny from Vinny’s mother.

“From Nicola’s perspective, she is simply trying to speak with Penny when Suki interrupts, which infuriates her,” shares Doddington. “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.”

The pleasantries don’t last long, however, when Nicola notices that Penny is acting peculiarly. After doing some digging, Nicola begins to suspect that Harry may be the father of the child, and blackmails Penny into taking a DNA test.

“Nicola wants clarity as soon as possible on whether the baby is Harry’s,” teases Doddington. “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. Harry has hinted that he does want children and is beginning to think seriously about his future.

“With Harry and Gina still early in their relationship, she feels it’s important to establish the truth now rather than risk a more painful revelation later, once they have invested more in their future together.”