It was a special hour-long episode of Eastenders tonight which focussed on the “Darren and Libby relationship” and how it is affecting their respective families. There was also a side story in which Dot was being pressurized to stop smoking, for her own health and that of baby George.

Eastenders has a skill of including current issues in story lines and the stop-smoking issue was a reference to the smoking ban in enclosed places (shops, restaurants, pubs, offices, etc) which comes into place in England from 1 July.

Libby was still under house arrest and cooked up a plan with Darren to spend a night in the Ritz hotel. Darren sold Keith’s pride and joy - the widescreen television to fund the evening. It was ill-fated as Chelsea told Denise of their plan and all before her exams too! Darren was frustrated by Keith’s lack of interest in him and told him of how the £5000 for the television came about.

The hour long episode lacked pace, but there was some light relief in the loss of Marge, Abbie’s guinea pig. Bradley had been looking after her and was concerned that she had lost her appetite. A dose of assorted weeds from the allotment (sold to Bradley for £20!), saw Marge become an escapologist. As Bradley and Stacey looked for her under the kitchen sink, there was the obligatory soaking for the pair as the sink leaked.
The episode ended with Dot locked outside of her house with lit cigarette, baby George and guinea pig inside. Carly, fresh from receiving divorce papers from husband Nico, was persuaded by Chelsea to go on a date with sales rep Warren. However, Preeti revealed an armful of bruises following her night with the same guy.