EASTENDERS’ Lauren Branning has made a bombshell confession tonight about Cindy Beale’s attack.
The alcoholic – who is played by actress Jacqueline Jossa in the BBC soap – was made prime suspect by Cindy who claimed to remember seeing Lauren in the snow on Christmas Day.
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And despite her family assuming Cindy was framing Lauren out of revenge for exposing her affair – the police took it seriously.
Lauren kept quiet and let her solicitor defend her and was eventually released.
But later, as Peter raged over his mother’s lies, Lauren had a confession.
“She ain’t lying,” she said.
“She’s not lying. That night at Christmas, I did see her in the snow. I turned her over and I just ran away.”
“You left her for dead?” said Peter, horrified.
Lauren told him: “I was freaked out, just laying there. I didn’t know that she saw me. Her eyes were closed.
“I took some pills. Your mum, she knew I had the recording and she offered me some pills to keep me quiet and I wasn’t going to take them. I wasn’t.
“And then it all kicked off, didn’t it? And I just needed something. So I went in her bag and took them and then I went to the car lot and I don’t know… I don’t know Peter, I just blacked out.
“I’m just remembering bits. I remember being on the Square. I remember being in the garden.
“I remember standing over her body, and I remember turning it over. I’m just getting flashes day by day.
Who attacked Cindy Beale: The suspects
Cindy Beale was dramatically attacked at the end of the highly-anticipated Christmas Day special.
But there is question on the lips of every fan, who exactly was behind it?
Elaine Knight (Harriet Thorpe): She blackmailed Cindy to get out of Walford before kicking her husband George out following his surprise reaction to the public revelation about the affair. Cindy also called her ‘withered’ in her long rant.
George Knight (Colin Salmon): He claimed he was not interested in reigniting things with his ex-wife. But he was left enraged by his son’s behaviour, leaving his relationship with Elaine in ruins.
Junior Knight (Micah Balfour): He was caught suspiciously lurking in the shadows by Denise in the aftermath of the attack. He was hurt by Cindy because she claimed their affair only happened because he reminded her of his father George.
Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt): After finding out about the affair, hew kicked Cindy out in anger. He then trashed his living room, he stormed out the house and appeared to be unreachable at the time of the attack and in the aftermath.
Kojo Asare (Oludayo Koleosho): After finding out about Cindy’s affair, she put him into a coma when she pushed him off a raised platform. Could he want revenge?
Kathy Beale (Gillian Taylforth): She was the one to find Cindy on the pavement in the Square gardens after she was attacked with the snow shovel. Kathy always remained suspicious of Cindy because of her past and was devastated at the destruction of her family.
Anna Knight (Molly Rainford): Was seen looking out of the upstairs window with a birds eye view of the square at the time Cindy went to get her cab.
Gina Knight (Francesca Henry): Recovering addict Gina snuck out of the Vic with her coat to go on a ‘walk’, just before the attack took place.
Lauren Branning (Jacqueline Jossa): Cindy got Lauren addicted to smack and revealed her addiction to her family, leaving Peter devastated and her family destroyed. Just before Cindy was attacked, Lauren was contemplating taking more pills in the car lot.
Peter Beale (Thomas Law): Cindy destroyed the family unit they all shared by her actions. She then called him ‘stupid’ in her extensive monologue in the Vic which left his drowning his tears.
“I’m really scared, Peter. What if there’s more I don’t remember? What if the person who attacked her really was me?”
Did Lauren attack Cindy or was someone else responsible?
