EastEnders fans were left devastated on Monday night when Lily Slater's highly anticipated return to Walford was abruptly cancelled at the last minute. The teenager, played by Lillia Turner, called off her homecoming after discovering that intimate content featuring her mother Stacey Slater had been leaked online.
Lily had been expected to return from staying with her father Ryan Malloy (Neil McDermott) and baby daughter Charli after a lengthy absence from the show. However, the comeback was scrapped when images and videos from Stacey's SecretCam adult content site were publicly exposed this week, as the Daily Star reports.
Revenge attack suspected
The leak came as a suspected act of revenge from teenager Joel Marshall (Max Murray), who had previously clashed with Stacey over his disrespectful language towards women. Joel discovered Stacey's profile last week and is believed to have leaked the content in retaliation, Metro reports.
Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner) was horrified to learn about the leak and immediately confronted Joel, suspecting him to be the culprit. Viewers also pointed fingers at Joel, speculating about his involvement as he was seen smirking while other characters cast curious glances at Stacey, according to the Daily Star.
Family embarrassment
Lily told her mother that all her friends were discussing the leaked clips, leaving her too embarrassed to face anyone in Walford. She offered no indication of when she might actually return home, completely cancelling her planned homecoming.
The teenager's decision came as a devastating blow to Stacey, who was already dealing with the public humiliation of having her private content exposed. Long-time viewers will remember that Stacey had uploaded content to the SecretCam site last year, which led to a terrifying encounter with stalker Theo (William Ellis), as Metro reports.
Fan disappointment
Social media erupted with confused and disappointed reactions from EastEnders viewers who had been eagerly awaiting Lily's comeback. The advance spoilers had seemingly confirmed her return would definitely happen this week, making the cancellation particularly unexpected, the Daily Star reports.
One frustrated fan posted: "So wait is Lily not coming back this week after all? Nooo." Another worried viewer expressed concern about potential recasting, writing: "I hope it's not too long before Lily comes back to Walford. I also hope they haven't recast her."
Investigation continues
Joel has denied responsibility for the leak and voluntarily handed over his laptop for inspection, allowing authorities to check deleted files, according to Metro. The investigation into the revenge porn attack continues as the family deals with the ongoing trauma.
EastEnders airs Monday to Thursday on BBC One and iPlayer. The show's advance storylines had not revealed that Lily's anticipated return would be abandoned, leaving viewers questioning when the character might actually come back.
Sources used: "PA Media", "Daily Star", "Metro"
Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
