EastEnders confirms the truth of Priya’s scheme – and it’s gutting news for Ian

The truth behind Priya Nandra-Hart’s (Sophie Khan Levy) sudden interest in Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt) has been revealed in EastEnders. The BBC soap favourite suddenly showed an interest in the Walford stalwart earlier this week, after witnessing him in an altercation with ex-wife Cindy Beale (Michelle Collins). Priya was enjoying a lunch with her children Nugget (Juhaim Rasul Choudhury) and Avani (Aaliyah James) when she asked for more ‘sauce’ – better known to Londoners as liquor – to go with her pie.

Ian told her that it would cost an extra 50p, but it soon became apparent that he wasn’t short of cash. Cindy stormed in and demanded to know why he had cleared out the Beale’s Eels business account, stripping her of all funds. He asserted that not only had he done that, but she was fired from the business and could ‘walk the streets’ if she wanted to support herself. This was following her mammoth accusation that he was the one who whacked her with a snow shovel on Christmas Day. After he threw her out of the house (again), she returned to lover boy Junior Knight (Micah Balfour).

Realising that the locket she was wearing on the night of the attack was missing, Cindy knew that this was the crucial piece of evidence she needed to nail him as the mystery assailant. In the pie shop, she swept behind the counter in the hope of finding his keys, but he produced them from his pocket and laughed in her face. As their row escalated, she smacked him around the nose and he rushed off to the kitchen to tend to his injuries.

Priya, who was taking great hilarity in the situation, followed after him and helped to mop up the blood. Later, she met him in The Vic and proposed spending some time together as they were both in the same situation – she’d been scorned by ex-boyfriend Ravi Gulati (Aaron Thiara), who had moved on with Denise Fox (Diane Parish). Whilst initially reluctant to the idea, Ian relished in the fact that Cindy and Junior had noticed them enjoying one another’s company.

The ultimate payback!. Another slanging match ensued, resulting in Cindy launching her drink over Priya. Luckily, Ian had a bottle of wine back at home and the two retired to his living room. Ahead of EastEnders' 40th Anniversary next month - which will see the reveal of Cindy Beale's attacker - Metro narrows down the key suspects in the case. It seemed that the businessman was quite smitten with his new friendship, but his mum Kathy (Gillian Taylforth) was less than impressed.

She ordered Priya to leave, and then told her son that he was easily won over by a pretty young woman. It soon became apparent that there was merit to Kathy’s concerns, as at the end of tonight’s episode, Priya headed to the Bridge Street Cafe for a secret conversation… with Cindy. Desperate to get her hands on the keys to Ian’s gaff, she’d implored Priya to worm her way in on her behalf. Will Cindy’s next scheme be successful?.

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