EastEnders fans have become convinced that Zoe Slater has a baby secret…. but it doesn’t have anything to do with Joel. The theory that

Joel could actually be Joel Marshall’s estranged mother picked up pace earlier this year, after he joined the soap at the same time as news of her return hit headlines.

However, others think that these ‘clues’ could actually be a red herring – and have suggested that Zoe could be hiding another secret child.

Sharing their final predictions ahead of Zoe’s return this week, fans shared their thoughts on what Zoe’s secret might be. And many wondered whether she might have had a child during her time away from Walford.

“The abortion for her and dirty Den’s baby did not work and she had a kid,” wrote one fan on Reddit. If true, Joel would have to be at least 20 years old in order for that particular twist to work.

“She and Anthony reconnected at some point and he cheated on his wife with her. Zoe got pregnant and she either put the kid up for adoption or left him with Anthony and he’s one of the two kids Anthony has with his wife,” another said.

“I get the feeling that this baby Zoe may have gave up could’ve been Anthony’s. He was the one who took her money and did a runner leaving Zoe to fend for herself,” a third chimed in on X.

“Could it be that she had a child? But then lost that child due to her own (actual or perceived) fault. Like an accidental death that happened because she was negligent or she got in a relationship with someone who abused the child, so she decided that made her a bad mother and gave the child up for adoption,” said a third.

The prevailing fan theory, though, remains Joel. Last month, the soap revealed that Joel’s mum is a woman named ‘Cleo,’ and that she’s set to marry again.

Given everything we know about Zoe now, this would seem to count her out. But could the Cleo twist be a red herring? After all, the soap already pulled a similar twist off when it revealed that George’s ex, ‘Rose’, was actually Cindy Beale.