The following article includes spoilers for Thursday’s (September 14) episode of EastEnders, which has yet to air on TV but is currently available on BBC iPlayer.
Just as Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner) believed her problems were over, they reappeared in the guise of dangerous stalker Theo Hawthorne (William Ellis), who had gone above and beyond with his newest move.
Stacey had been afraid for months when her anonymous private client from Secret Cams developed into a full-fledged stalker.
After demonstrating that he knew exactly where she lived and had obtained personal information about her, he began sending her notes and indecent gifts before breaking into her house and trashing her bedroom.
It wasn’t until Martin Fowler and Eve Unwin (James Bye and Heather Peace) eventually rumbled him that Theo admitted to being Stacey’s tormentor, just as Lily Slater (Lillia Turner) went into labor in the adjacent room.
Though Martin and Eve were able to assist Stacey in removing Theo from the residence, her problems did not end there.
She quickly informed the police of what had occurred, pleading with them to remove Theo from her life for good. However, after questioning Theo and seeing no record of the texts he had given her on his phone, the police decided not to arrest him, allowing him to leave.
Stacey was shocked to learn that he was a free man, and things only got worse when he showed up at Lily’s hospital on her invitation.
Stacey, terrified, took Charli from him and promised to kill him if he ever came near her or her family again. Theo appeared to be scared off when detective Jack Branning (Scott Maslen) pretended not to hear Stacey’s warnings.
At the end of the show, though, viewers watched Theo inquire about No.31 – the house exactly next door to the Slaters. When Whitney Dean and Zack Hudson (Shona McGarty and James Farrar) went house hunting, they were outbid by someone who had supposedly offered significantly more than the asking amount.
And we found out who it was tonight.
Stacey eventually met her new neighbor while fulfilling Lily’s request to take the nappy bin outdoors.
She halted on the porch, realizing that stalker Theo had moved in next door and that there was nothing she could do about it.
Stacey raced inside and closed the door behind her as the scary stalker attempted to strike up a conversation, afraid that Theo was back on the scene.
Will Theo continue to make Stacey’s life miserable, or will she follow through on her promise and find a way to permanently get rid of him?
