What have Nicola and Ned been hiding for two decades?
EastEnders spoilers are included in this article about Nicola and Ned. The episode hasn’t aired on TV, but it is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.
Nicola fears she could lose Harry’s Barn after discovering the business is drowning in debt. As the family pull together to raise enough money to keep the bailiffs away, it looks like Ned could be the one person who can save the day.
But there is a catch.
Nicola finds herself facing bankruptcy in EastEnders
After finding out that Harry had missed final payment reminders, Nicola tells her family that she could lose everything.
Gemma’s desperate to help her big sister and suggests a fundraiser at the bar to scrape some money together.
As she and Rose go round the Square to invite people to the event, everyone is confused about what the family are actually fundraising for. While Gemma is honest and tells people about Nicola’s financial pickle, Rose and Jodie are a bit more liberal with the truth.
Later, the fundraising event goes well, until people find out that the money is going directly to Nicola. Soon everyone goes to leave, and it is only when Ryder arrives with a gang of stags that the event seems to be saved.
However, Nicola isn’t out of the woods just yet. Soon the stags drink the bar dry and Nicola slinks home, admitting defeat.
Ned is Nicola’s knight in shining armour
Meanwhile, Ned and Harry have been trying to get their hands on some cash elsewhere.
Ned tracks down an old business associate who stole cash from him years ago, and manages to get him to pay it back. The pair head home triumphant, and Nicola is stunned when Ned says she can use his money to pay off her debts.
Today’s EastEnders reveals a darker side to Ned, who until now has been sweetness and light. After Harry leaves, Nicola thanks Ned for saving her from bankruptcy. He comments that she should have come to him earlier, as they make a good team.
He then hints at history between them, telling her that he is always happy to help, especially as they have been keeping their secret for 20 years.
But what are they hiding?
What secret have Ned and Nicola been keeping in EastEnders?
Some fans think that Ned helped Nicola when Harry’s pregnant girlfriend, Shireen Bashar, died. But that happened in 2021, so definitely not 20 years ago.
Others have hinted that Ryder could be Nicola’s son. While he could be around the right age, surely Gemma would know about that?
Some fans think Nicola’s dad died around 20 years ago, and so Ned could be linked to that.
There has been a lot of talk about Nicola’s troubled relationship with her late father recently. So this theory would make sense. But what could Ned have done to help Nicola?
It was revealed earlier this year that Nicola’s dad died in a car crash while drink driving. Could Ned have helped make that crash happen?
Then there is Teddy. We recently saw him on screen when he called George from prison. During their conversation, he asked whether Ned had been with the rest of the family when they arrived.
Could that question be more significant than it first appeared? Or does Teddy know about the secret being shared by his ex and her brother-in-law?
With the mystery deepening in tomorrow’s episode, hopefully we won’t be left waiting too long for answers.
