EastEnders fans were gobsmacked as they suddenly realised two Albert Square regulars are married.
This week in the beloved soap, Suki Panesar, played by Balvinder Sopal, received a visit from her adolescent flame and cherished friend Ayesha, portrayed by Laila Rouass. A twist of fate saw Ayesha appear in Walford after Suki's sinister ex-spouse Nish, enacted by Navin Chowdhry, orchestrated their encounter.
A newcomer to the scene, Ayesha is mourning her late husband Hardeep, whom Nish murdered over twenty years prior under the false belief that an affair was taking place between Hardeep and Suki. However, the truth was that it was Ayesha for whom Suki harboured secret affections.
Nourishing his grudge against Suki, Nish sowed seeds of mistrust in the mind of Suki's partner Eve Unwin (Heather Peace), suggesting the lesbian Ayesha might jeopardize their love affair. Tuesday's show (August 6) saw Eve feeling sidelined as a bond seemed to reignite between Suki and Ayesha, leading Eve to disclose her worries to Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner).
Eve, bolstered by Stacey's counsel to dismiss Nish's psychological ploys, expressed gratitude for Stacey's support, to which Stacey wittily responded: "What are wives for," reports the Daily Star.
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The episode later reached a poignant climax with Eve proposing marriage to Suki, yet viewers found themselves distracted upon the revelation that Eve and Stacey are, in reality, lawfully hitched.
Devotees on an online EastEnders fan forum sparked discussion, with one quizzing: "Isn't Eve legally married to Stacey?". Another, struck by the epiphany, remarked: "Omg I totally forgot about that."
The surprise continued as another asserted: "I forgot they were married," while still another fan echoed the sentiment, questioning: "Since when were they married?"
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A fifth fan joined the conversation, writing in the comments: "Stacey and Eve still being married? I forgot about those two. Have they not heard of annulment?"
Eve burst onto the EastEnders scene in 2021, where audiences learned she encountered Stacey behind bars. The duo had a sham wedding so Eve could secure her probation release.
Catch EastEnders from Monday to Thursday at 7.30pm on BBC One and the BBC iPlayer.
