EastEnders is lining up an emotional week as Linda Carter finds herself right in the middle of a painful family situation, and it all leads to a fierce confrontation with Phil Mitchell, whose secrecy threatens to blow everything apart.

Things begin on an uneasy note when Nigel struggles to settle into life at Peacock Palace. The unfamiliar surroundings clearly unsettle him, leaving Julie exhausted and overwhelmed as she tries to manage everything on her own. Spotting her distress, Linda encourages Phil to step up and offer Julie some support, completely unaware that the pair aren’t even speaking.

When Linda later overhears Julie cancelling her plans, she quickly jumps in and offers to stay with Nigel so Julie can take a much-needed breather. At first, it seems like a small kindness, but the situation soon spirals into something far more alarming.

As Julie prepares to leave, Nigel becomes distressed and, in the confusion, accidentally hurts her. Linda is left horrified when she notices the extent of Julie’s injuries, spotting multiple bruises on her arms. The moment hits hard, and it’s clear to Linda that Julie is coping with far more than she’s letting on.

Deeply concerned, Linda urges Phil to intervene and help support Julie through what she’s dealing with. But instead of reassurance, Linda is blindsided when Julie reveals the real reason behind the tension between her and Phil. Julie explains that Phil was planning to take Nigel to Portugal, without even telling her.

The revelation leaves Linda furious. Determined to make sure Julie doesn’t feel alone, she immediately steps in and offers to organise Nigel and Julie’s vow renewal ceremony. Julie is touched by the gesture and happily agrees, but there’s one firm condition: Phil is not invited.

While Linda throws herself into planning the ceremony, Phil’s problems are far from over. He receives a call from the care home confirming that a place has become available for Nigel, a potentially life-changing opportunity. But instead of sharing the news with Julie, Phil chooses to keep it to himself, knowing the decision needs to be made quickly.

As the big day arrives, tensions are running dangerously high. It’s the day of the vow renewal, and Phil still hasn’t told Julie about the care home place, despite the fact that they only have 24 hours to accept it. The pressure mounts, and Phil’s silence starts to feel less like protection and more like betrayal.

Things take an awkward turn when Nigel wanders over to Phil’s house and casually assumes that Phil is his best man. The misunderstanding instantly pushes Phil over the edge, reigniting his anger and frustration over the situation he’s tried and failed to control.

Despite everything, Phil agrees to take Nigel to the vow renewal, insisting he’ll leave straight afterwards. But with so many secrets still hanging in the air, it’s clear the ceremony could be anything but smooth.

Meanwhile, Linda begins to sense that something isn’t right. With bruises, broken trust and unanswered questions piling up, she finally confronts Phil head-on, demanding to know why he keeps making decisions behind Julie’s back. Linda’s fierce loyalty to Julie puts her on a collision course with Phil, and she’s not about to back down.