EastEnders aired another shock moment in the show's Halloween episode, as Abi Branning was caught out after a secret attempt to scare her own sister Lauren.

When Lauren (Jacqueline Jossa) spotted that a creepy figure in a Halloween costume was following her, she chased the individual down and was stunned to unmask Abi as the culprit.

Lauren had already been followed by DC Cameron Bryant (Glen Wallace) in recent weeks, leaving her spooked and providing Abi with an opportunity to make things worse.

Digital Spy recently caught up with Lorna Fitzgerald, who plays Abi, for an exclusive insight into her character's actions.

What was your reaction when you found out this story was coming up?
"It was quite funny at first, because obviously me and Jacqueline both knew that it was going to be me in the costume and we both thought that I'm not very scary! But once we watched those scenes back, it did actually look quite scary because Abi was wearing her mask and was dressed all in black, so it was hard to tell who it was.

"I think it looked quite good on screen and I also think it's great that it was Abi - I don't think many people will have expected that!"

What were Abi's reasons for following Lauren?
"Abi is annoyed with Lauren, because she insulted her about Ben before this. She's quite embarrassed about that and she's also just annoyed at Lauren always getting so much attention. That's the thing, really - she just wanted to scare Lauren.

"I don't think there was any malice in it, but Abi has just reached the end of her tether now that Jay has dumped her. She just wants somebody to notice her, really!"

How do you think the EastEnders fans are going to react?
"I think it's going to be like the reaction I had when Abi killed Tramp - people saying, 'Oh, you killed Lucy!' I was reading the script thinking, 'I wonder who's going to be following Lauren?' and then I was shocked when I got to the part where it turned out to be me!"

Lauren's stalker in EastEnders
© BBC
Abi tried to scare Lauren

We'll see things get a little bit aggressive, as Abi attacks Lauren in the aftermath of this next week! What was it like to film those scenes?
"It's always great to do a stunt scene. Jacqueline is always up for that too. It was weird because being aggressive doesn't really come naturally to me, especially acting alongside Jacqueline because we get along really well, but it was quite fun to film."

Are you glad the show is keeping so many secrets like this now?
"Definitely! I think that's what makes the show so good at the moment - you just don't know what could be coming up. It was great the other week when Barbara Windsor returned and nobody had a clue. That makes things exciting and I think it's a good move by the producers, because it's really clever."

We are seeing a different side to Abi in general at the moment. Are you enjoying that, or would you like to see her return to her old self?
"I'm really enjoying it. I'd say don't bring the old Abi back because I love doing this! It's good and it's the right time now that Jay has dumped her. People had said before that she could maybe change, but I think it's the right time now that she is growing up."

Were you sad to see Abi and Jay break up?
"It was sad! Me and Jamie were both saying that it felt like the end of an era! I do enjoying working with him, so it was sad."

We've also heard there's an interesting dynamic coming up between Abi and Ben…
"Yes, obviously Abi has always liked Ben as they've been best mates for a long time. I think Abi is just confused at the moment after being dumped by Jay, and now she sees Ben as the closest thing to him. It's not that she's getting fixated on Ben, but she starts to have a level of affection for him that she didn't have before.

"I've enjoyed working with Harry [Reid, who plays Ben] on the storyline. He's lovely and we get along really well. We've got a lot of scenes together coming up too. It's nice when you get someone who you just naturally get on with, because it makes it more of a natural relationship on screen."

Ben sees that Abi is struggling
© BBC
Ben and Abi

Would you like Abi to be Lucy's killer?
"I honestly don't know who it is as it could be anyone, but I would like it to be Abi because it would be a challenge for me to act it. Why not? It could be fun to film!"

Are the cast feeling excited or nervous about the upcoming live week?
"I think it's a bit of both really, but at the moment it's more excitement because it feels like ages away, so we're not really that nervous! There's a real buzz about the place at the moment, especially in group scenes because we're all trying to figure out who the killer is and discussing all the clues!"

Will it be another busy Christmas for the Brannings this year?
"I don't want to give too much away, but Christmas isn't really heavy for the Brannings - but then New Year is going to be good for them!"

Are you happy to stick with EastEnders for the foreseeable future?
"Definitely. You never know what's around the corner, but I'm definitely happy to stay there. I love working on the show, so I'm glad that Abi didn't go off to uni!"