This article contains spoilers for tonight’s episode of EastEnders, which airs on BBC One at 7.30pm or can be streamed now on iPlayer.
A breathtaking performance from Jacqueline Jossa has captured Lauren Branning’s heartbreak after realising that her newborn son Jimmy is severely disabled.
Lauren had a less than conventional pregnancy, becoming hooked on drugs. This was initially as pain management because of injuries sustained in a mass-crushing disaster, and later, after discovering her agony, Cindy Beale (Michelle Collins) supplied her with stronger narcotics.
She developed intense fears that the infant would be harmed as a result, and ever since giving birth, she’s continued to worry.
Despite assurance from a health care visitor that Jimmy was fine, Lauren was adamant that something was wrong. She noticed that he was struggling to latch on during breast feeding, and voiced her concerns to fiancé Peter Beale (Thomas Law).
He subsequently considered whether she was suffering from post-natal depression, and in tonight’s episode became frantic when she disappeared.
Their eldest son Louie (Jake McNally) explained that he’d seen his mum taking pills, that she’d squirrelled away under the kitchen sink.
As panic set in, a midwife called from the hospital to say that a frustrated Lauren had showed up at the reception desk, demanding a consultant check his eyesight.
She noticed that he was unable to focus properly, and like any mother, wanted to know what could be wrong.
Peter, alongside dad Ian (Adam Woodyatt) and neighbour Linda Carter (Kellie Bright) raced to be by her side, explaining to medical staff that they thought Lauren was depressed and had blown the situation out of proportion.
Of course, this wasn’t the case. It took Linda to notice that something was indeed different with Jimmy’s eyes before a consultant took Lauren’s claims more seriously.
As Ian and Linda anxiously waited for the news, the youngster was examined.
Suddenly, Peter darted into their room, unable to take in the gravity of the situation. Lauren sat alone, wondering what could be done to help Jimmy, and wanting a proper diagnosis.
The back of Jimmy’s eyes hadn’t developed, and as a result, he would be visually impaired for life. No operation could fix his eyesight.
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As Lauren took in the information, the floor fell from beneath her feet. She felt responsible for what had happened, and knew that Peter would blame her.
She sat alone in a side room with Jimmy, as a light flickered above them. The dodgy electrics would prove to be a physical metaphor for the child’s condition, as he and Lauren were plunged into darkness.
Pleading for his forgiveness, she assured her son that she would find a way to support him, and that they were together in his life with a disability.
As he began to breastfeed, the screen faded to black. A somewhat melancholy version of the show’s infamous theme tune – in the style of a lullaby – played over the credits.
