Max and Jack Branning (Jake Wood and Scott Maslen) are on a mission next week in EastEnders as Craig Ingram (Matthew James Bailey) kidnaps Amy Mitchell (Ellie Dadd).
Over the past few months, Craig has groomed Amy. The youngster doesn’t realise what Craig is doing, and currently believes that he’s the only person who really cares about her.
Coming up, Max finds Jack in Walford to chat, but their conversation is cut short due to the arrival of Oscar Branning (Pierre Counihan-Moullier). He reveals that he saw Amy and Craig preparing to leave town.
Max and Jack race down the road but they’re too late. Craig and Amy have gone.
Distraught over Amy’s departure, Jack launches a search with police assistance. Determined not to worry Denise Fox (Diane Parish), the family agree to keep the truth from her.
In the week, the brothers break into Craig’s flat. As they snoop around the place, Jack becomes increasingly convinced that Craig is responsible for Amy’s recent behaviour.
But nothing gets past our D. She senses that something is wrong, and it’s her half-brother Darnell (Christopher Colquhoun) who reveals that Amy is missing.
Denise heads to confront Jack, who tells her everything.
As the family remain in a panic, Jack is suddenly stopped in his tracks. An unexpected arrival is in Albert Square – and they could play a big part in helping to bring Amy home.
But who is it?
Lynn Perry, Barnardo’s Chief Executive commented on this story and said: ‘We welcomed the opportunity to provide expert advice on this storyline – which is a powerful reminder that there is no stereotypical victim or perpetrator of grooming. Young people from all walks of life can be targeted and fall victim to controlling behaviour – and many are often unaware that they are being groomed.
‘We hope this important storyline can highlight how subtle the signs of grooming can be and how it builds over time. To any viewers who recognise themselves in this story – who may be currently experiencing abuse or might have in the past – we hope this storyline shows you that the abuse was not your fault and we encourage you to seek support.
‘We appreciate the writing team’s professional curiosity and determination to get this story right.’