This article includes discussion of child grooming and abuse that some readers may find upsetting.
Amy Mitchell (Ellie Dadd) made a major false confession in Tuesday's (20th October 2026) EastEnders, and all to protect dangerous Craig Ingram (Matthew James-Bailey), who has been grooming her.
When Craig realised that Amy's ex-boyfriend Denzel Fox-Danes (Jaden Ladega) had been inside his flat, he took Amy's phone and saw Denzel had sent her an intimate photo.
He ordered Amy to encourage more pictures, and then sent himself the images so he could blackmail Denzel.
Amy desperately urged Craig to stop, but he insisted it was his job to look after her and that this was part of it.
Denzel sold an expensive gold signet ring to raise the funds that had been demanded, and Denzel managed to relax and enjoy some belated 18th birthday celebrations with a supportive Amy and his family.
But Craig seethed as he watched them looking close, and he promptly sent the photos to Denzel's father Howie (Delroy Atkinson) and stepmum Kim Fox-Danes (Tameka Empson).
With his parents recoiling in horror, Denzel was forced to reveal that he sold their gift in order to pay off his tormentor.
Amy's father Jack Branning (Scott Maslen) branded Denzel stupid, but Denzel promised he only sent the photos because he cares deeply for Amy and thought she wanted him to do it.
Jack vowed to uncover the blackmailer, while Amy's distress meant nothing to Craig, who continued to manipulate her over the situation.
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Craig told Amy that the only way out of this was for her to lie that she was the one who blackmailed Denzel, otherwise he would have to leave.
Falling further under Craig's vile spell, Amy begged him to stay with her, before she headed to visit her stepmum Denise Fox (Diane Parish) in hospital, where she is undergoing treatment for acute myeloid leukaemia.
Denise was under the impression that Amy had a nice new boyfriend, not an older, predatory man; and when Amy confided that she had messed everything up, Denise unwittingly encouraged her to set things right.
This led Amy to intercept Jack at the police station, lying that she was behind Denzel's ordeal.
Having already covered up Amy's violent attack on Joel Marshall (Max Murray), an incensed Jack ordered her to tell Denzel that she was his blackmailer.
Amy claimed that as Denzel once mocked her scars, she wanted to hurt him back, but Denzel was disgusted.
With Amy too deep into her lie, she was forced to tell Jack the £1,000 blackmail money was gone, and an oblivious Jack replied that he didn't recognise her any more and that her late mum Roxy Mitchell (Rita Simons) would be turning in her grave.
Amy sought comfort from Craig, asking what was next for them. But Craig said he still needed to disappear, at which point Amy revealed that she had a trust fund with a whopping £100k waiting for her when she turns 18.
The money was from her maternal grandfather, the evil Archie Mitchell (Larry Lamb).
Craig was unwilling to wait until November for Amy to inherit the cash, so Amy promised to get hold of it as soon as possible.
As Jack spoke with Denise, she urged him not to give up on Amy – and his world will be shattered when he realises that his former colleague Craig has been abusing his daughter.
With Amy trapped in Craig's grip, will her family uncover what's really going on with her?
Elsewhere in Albert Square, Cindy Beale (Michelle Collins) was delighted to find evidence of a secret property on the laptop she shares with her ex, Max Branning (Jake Wood).
Looks like Cindy's revenge is only just getting started!
EastEnders is working with Barnardo's and End Violence Against Women on Amy's hard-hitting storyline. Anyone affected can also reach out to NSPCC.
Read more:
- EastEnders airs blackmail horror for Denzel Danes in cruel Craig Ingram twist in early BBC iPlayer release
- EastEnders legend Jo Joyner returns to Walford set for Branning 'family reunion' - 8 years after last Tanya appearance
- EastEnders star teases "fire and carnage" when Penny Branning's baby paternity secret is revealed
- EastEnders favourite Balvinder Sopal teases Ash return is "grenade" to the Panesar family unit this autumn
- EastEnders announces hard-hitting Amy Mitchell storyline as BBC soap works with charities
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