A potential new owner for the Queen Vic has stepped forward, but he’ll have to get through the Slaters first.

The Albert Square pub was put up for sale by Linda Carter earlier this month but so far there haven’t been any serious offers.

Last week, after a few drinks to celebrate the Lionesses, Kathy floated the idea of her, Denise and Honey clubbing together to become the landladies in charge.

But this week, Kathy’s son Ian has set his sights on the pub as it goes up for auction next week.

On tonight’s double bill (Tuesday 15 July), Ian told Kathy he thinks they should make a bid as the pub is a sound investment for the family’s future.

But Kathy disagreed, saying last time they were involved with the Vic it almost tore the family apart.

Later Stacey, Kat, and Jean found Ian daydreaming outside The Vic before he told them he’d be making a bid at auction.

While they laughed at him, Ian told Kat she and Alfie weren’t successful when they were in charge and the pub needed someone with his business acumen.

Ian’s news made Jean fret that he would become the pub’s new owner, putting her ex Harvey and his new girlfriend Kathy behind the bar and putting her cleaning job in jeopardy.

Later, when Ian was in the pub, Stacey rushed in to tell Kat, Jean, and Mo that she’d won £100,000 on a scratch card.

While Linda brought over the bubbly, Ian looked on in disbelief. After he told Stacey her family would probably blow all the money on leopard print, Stacey floated the idea of buying The Vic herself as she’d now have enough for the deposit.

Ian then stormed out of the pub, with Stacey, Kat, Mo, and Jean happy that he’d bought their ruse and Stacey confident it would put him off trying to buy the pub.

With Eastenders set to confirm who the new owner of The Vic are next week, is Ian really out of the running and were the Slaters really only joking about putting in a bid?