EastEnders’ Penny fears ‘the end of her life’ in explosive showdown with Chelsea
Chelsea Fox (Zaraah Abrahams) goes head to head with Penny Branning (Kitty Castledine) this week, when the truth surrounding the club crush incident is exposed.
As viewers of the BBC One soap know, Chelsea was caused a mass-crushing at Peggy’s nightclub in August when she purposely sold excess amounts of tickets to a carnival event in a bid to jeopardise Penny Branning’s (Kitty Castledine) position as manager.
The moment of madness was sparked as a result of losing the managerial role herself.
A number of locals – including youngster Amy Mitchell (Ellie Dadds) – were left seriously injured, whilst Penny took full responsibility.
‘I think Penny is feeling a lot of mixed emotions at the moment, and she’s feeling quite alone’ actress Kitty told us.
Penny is furious when Amy blames her for the incident (Picture: BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron)
‘She knows she needs to prove herself, so she’s very desperate and is going to start clinging on to friendships and relationships because she feels like she needs people. Right now she’s feeling excluded.’
In upcoming scenes, Chelsea’s mum Denise (Diane Parish) begins to repair her fractured relationship with Penny and Amy’s dad Jack (Scott Maslen), whilst struggling under the weight of keeping her daughter’s secret.
At the hospital, Amy’s recovery isn’t going as well as it could, and with tensions rising with Penny she decides to move back to Paris.
‘Penny feels like the only thing she can do is to go back to Paris, a place where she can start again’ Kitty explained.
‘She’s hit rock bottom and she doesn’t know what to do. I think it’s more of a panic and I don’t think she wants to leave but she feels abandoned everywhere she goes, so she may as well just flee back.’
With an explosive showdown ensuing between the blended family, Denise is forced to out Chelsea and reveal everything.
Jack demands that she hands herself in to the police, and Chelsea can’t bring herself to. However – when Amy shares some harsh home truths – she changes her mind.
On Penny’s reaction, Kitty added: ‘She’s genuinely shocked, and deeply hurt. I think there is also this sense of betrayal, not only from Chelsea, but also from Denise for keeping it a secret for weeks.’
‘Penny is meant to be going back to Paris, and is literally thinking this is the end of her life, her career, everything.
‘So she feels this great sense of betrayal with Denise. Shortly after, she has a massive burst of rage, and she is not afraid to show it. I think she gets that from her dad.’