In EastEnders, next week brings a life-changing revelation for Avani Nandra-Hart (Aaliyah James), as she discovers that she is pregnant, just as her family is embroiled in multiple, high-stakes dramas. The timing couldn’t be worse, as Avani’s father, Ravi Gulati (Aaron Thiara), has just lost £50,000 worth of drugs, leading to a chaotic series of events. After Kojo Asare (Dayo Koleosho) accidentally flushed the drugs down the toilet, Harry Mitchell (Elijah Holloway) staged a break-in to cover up the mess. Meanwhile, Harry offered to host Avani’s 16th birthday party at his nightclub, but it’s clear that not all is well within the family.
Amidst these tensions, Avani’s aunt, Ash (Gurlaine Kaur Garcha), has secretly gotten engaged, keeping the news from the Panesar family. Suki (Balvinder Sopal) is devastated to find out through social media and becomes angry with her son, Vinny (Shiv Jalota), when she learns that he’s planning to attend the engagement party. A fight between Suki and Vinny escalates, unaware that Avani is dealing with her own turmoil.
Feeling neglected by her preoccupied parents, Avani sneaks off to seek advice from her best friend, Barney Mitchell (Lewis Bridgeman). At the nightclub, Avani takes a pregnancy test and is horrified to see that it’s positive. Recently, Avani had lost her virginity to Joel Marshall (Max Murray), a twisted character who filmed their encounter without her consent. Is he the father?
Before Avani can process the news, things take a darker turn when Nicola (Laura Doddington) tips off Jack Branning (Scott Maslen) about a dodgy deal, leading to Ravi’s arrest. As the police descend on Ravi’s house, he stays tight-lipped, while Priya (Sophie Khan Levy) enlists Harry and Kojo to move drugs away from one of Ravi’s properties to avoid further trouble.
Later, Avani tries to tell her mother about the pregnancy but hesitates. It’s only the next day when she’s browsing a planning website that the truth is revealed. Suki notices something’s wrong and presses Avani for answers. Avani eventually opens up, telling her that she’s planning to have an abortion. Before Suki can offer any advice, she is distracted by Vinny leaving for Ash’s engagement party and decides to speak with the Granthi for guidance instead.
Feeling emotionally overwhelmed, Avani turns to Barney for support, explaining her reasons for choosing to terminate the pregnancy. Now, Avani is left grappling with the consequences of her decision, while Ravi and Priya remain unaware of what’s happening. How will they react when they eventually find out, and what will Avani decide to do next?
