Eastenders CAPTION: As Ian desperately tries to get Bobby to stay in Walford by driving Freddie out of the Square, Cindy is secretly working against him to get Bobby as far away from Anna as possible. EastEnders,19-09-2024,6982,Bobby Beale (CLAY MILNER RUSSELL);Ian Beale (ADAM WOODYATT),***EMBARGOED UNTIL 20:00hrs 18th SEPT 2024***,BBC PUBLIC SERVICE,Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron
Ian Beale has a heart-to-heart with son Bobby (Picture: BBC)

With Bobby Beale (Clay Milner Russell) left heartbroken over girlfriend Anna Knight’s (Molly Rainford) secret abortion and subsequent kiss with his best friend Freddie Slater (Bobby Brazier), his dad Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt) hatches a plan to protect him in EastEnders. 

On Wednesday, viewers saw Bobby erupt at Freddie and accuse his pal of getting Anna pregnant, before Martin Fowler (James Bye) was forced to step in and pull killer Bobby off as things turned violent in the market. 

Tensions then boiled over between the rest of the family back at the Beale house, as Ian and partner Cindy Beale (Michelle Collins) took sides in their kids’ relationship dramas. 

When Cindy – who has never really forgiven stepson Bobby for killing daughter Lucy Beale (Hetty Bywater) back in 2014 – got wind of the fact daughter Anna might want to get back with Bobby, she started to drip poison in Bobby’s ear and make him believe it would be best to leave Walford to start a new life. 

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Eastenders CAPTION: As Ian desperately tries to get Bobby to stay in Walford by driving Freddie out of the Square, Cindy is secretly working against him to get Bobby as far away from Anna as possible. EastEnders,19-09-2024,6982,Cindy Beale (MICHELLE COLLINS);Anna Knight (MOLLY RAINFORD),***EMBARGOED UNTIL 20:00hrs 18th SEPT 2024***,BBC PUBLIC SERVICE,Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron
Cindy sides with her daughter Anna (Picture: BBC)

However, on Thursday, Ian takes action in a bid to get Bobby to stay, deciding that Freddie should be the one to leave town instead. 

As these pictures from tomorrow’s episodes reveal, Ian has a heart-to-heart with Bobby before encountering Freddie in The Vic. 

Little does Ian realise, though, that Cindy has far from given up on her plan to drive Bobby away, with further fireworks set to rock Walford’s most enduring family…

Eastenders CAPTION: As Ian desperately tries to get Bobby to stay in Walford by driving Freddie out of the Square, Cindy is secretly working against him to get Bobby as far away from Anna as possible. EastEnders,19-09-2024,6982,Cindy Beale (MICHELLE COLLINS);Ian Beale (ADAM WOODYATT),***EMBARGOED UNTIL 20:00hrs 18th SEPT 2024***,BBC PUBLIC SERVICE,Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron
Ian plots to drive Freddie out of Walford (Picture: BBC)
Eastenders CAPTION: As Ian desperately tries to get Bobby to stay in Walford by driving Freddie out of the Square, Cindy is secretly working against him to get Bobby as far away from Anna as possible. EastEnders,19-09-2024,6982,Freddie Slater (BOBBY BRAZIER),***EMBARGOED UNTIL 20:00hrs 18th SEPT 2024***,BBC PUBLIC SERVICE,Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron
Freddie feels awful for betraying Bobby (Picture: BBC)

And as fans already know, actor Clay Milner Russell recently quit the role of Bobby after five years – so does Cindy finally get her way?

EastEnders continues on Thursday at 7.30pm on BBC One and from 6am on iPlayer.

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