In EastEnders (November 2024), Elaine Peacock revealed a long-held family secret: her late husband, John (Linda’s father), was gay and had a long-term male partner named Drew. Elaine kept this truth hidden for years to keep their family together, allowing the relationship to continue after discovering it.
The emotional strain takes its toll, and Elaine collapses and suffers a heart attack. On her return to the Square, she tells Linda that she is ready to sell The Queen Vic, admitting that being a mother means more to her than being a landlady.
While her infidelity nearly spelled the end, Julie said that they had worked on their marriage, Nigel had forgiven her, and they'd been happy again. But Nigel was forced to confront this betrayal all over again – and concluded from Julie's secret calls that she is still cheating on him.
But Linda couldn't stop at one drink to calm her nerves which resulted in her being taken off the case. Another attempt to stay sober the following day was scuppered after Linda was given alcohol by Bernie, whose motive was to get her drunk and admit to lying about Keanu's murder.
No, Dean is not the father of Linda's baby (Ollie) in EastEnders; blood tests proved Mick was the father, though Dean initially insisted otherwise, and later Linda had another child, Annie, with Max Branning.
EastEnders: Ian Explodes as Elaine’s Secret Move Turns Walford Upside Down
What disease did Linda have?
Jan Nickerson Yes, Linda Ronstadt was initially diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, but it was later determined that she actually has progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), which has affected her ability to sing.
George explained that Sabrina had kissed him, but he insisted he had turned her down. Sabrina didn't take this well, and when she slapped George, she caught his nose and it bled.
She returned alongside her cousin Lauren Branning (Jacqueline Jossa) on 1 January 2024. Penny is the daughter of established character Jack (Scott Maslen) and Selina Branning (Daisy Beaumont), the half-sister of Amy Mitchell (Ellie Dadd) and Ricky Branning (Frankie Day).
Diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome later in life, he has shared how autism gives him exceptional focus and creativity, calling it a “great gift.” Hopkins often credits his ability to fully immerse himself in roles to autism, and he uses his platform to promote neurodiversity awareness.
There's no single "saddest" episode, as it's subjective, but fan-cited contenders for saddest EastEnders moments include Danielle Jones' death (Ronnie's realization), Arthur Fowler's passing, Ethel Skinner's assisted suicide, Chantelle Atkins' domestic abuse tragedy, and Lola Pearce's battle with brain cancer, especially her final scenes and funeral, which resonated deeply with viewers dealing with similar real-life losses.
Despite Billy's courage and love for her, Honey's fear of bringing up Janet wins out, and Billy and Honey put her up for adoption, giving her up to a foster family, Kim (Lorraine Arnold) and Tony Smith (Enzo Squillino Jr.), just prior to Christmas.
It was announced on 24 September 2022 that Brooks had only agreed to reprise the role for 12 months and would depart again at the conclusion of her storyline, with her final scenes airing on 26 December 2022.
Before his life in Walford, one of Jack's dodgy informants deliberately hit Penny with his car in revenge for being sent down. Penny's spinal cord was severed during the ordeal and left her paralysed from the waist down.
In the British soap EastEnders, Cindy Williams Jr.'s daughter, Beth Williams, was given up for adoption by Cindy and now lives in Milton Keynes with her father, TJ, and his family, after Cindy struggled with motherhood following the revelation that her son Bobby killed Lucy Beale. Beth is alive, but her storyline concluded in 2015 as Cindy chose to leave Walford with Liam Butcher, with Beth being sent to live with her dad, according to Radio Times and the EastEnders Wiki.
No, as of late 2025 storylines in EastEnders, Max Branning did not know Annie Carter was his daughter, though the secret was held by others like Linda Carter and Jack Branning, and the show planned for him to find out, leading to major drama in late 2025/early 2026 storylines as the truth finally came out.
However, 18-year-old Darren soon discovers that he is the father of 42-year-old Heather Trott's (Cheryl Fergison) baby, George, following a drunken one-night stand on Valentine's night. Darren tells Heather that he will support George with money but nothing more.
Yes, in the BBC soap EastEnders, Lauren and Peter's baby, Jimmy, was diagnosed as severely sight impaired (SSI) due to a genetic condition called chorioretinal coloboma, where parts of his eyes didn't form correctly, affecting his vision significantly, a storyline portrayed with advice from charities like the RNIB and RSBC for accuracy.
That's what a story does. The bodies are animated. You make the dead talk. They sometimes say things like, “Roger that.” Or they say, “Timmy, stop crying,” which is what Linda said to me after she was dead.
Yes, actor Alan Alda has Parkinson's disease; he was diagnosed in 2015 but revealed it publicly in 2018, noting he's managed the condition by staying active with activities like boxing, tennis, and acting while finding new ways to adapt and solve challenges. He often speaks about living a full life with Parkinson's, emphasizing adapting and finding new solutions to daily problems.
Speaking to Anderson Cooper in December 2019, Ronstadt clarified that a more recent diagnosis had revealed she has a subtype of progressive supranuclear palsy (or PSP) known as PSP-parkinsonism (PSP-P).
