Nancy Carter's temporary position in charge of the Queen Vic causes her further stress on EastEnders next week as Shirley insists on moving her son Dean into the pub.
Shirley makes the decision as she is determined to keep the family together in the wake of Linda's rape revelation, but her actions infuriate Nancy and are bound to cause further fireworks among the Carter clan in the long-run.
Digital Spy recently caught up with Maddy Hill, who plays Nancy, to hear more about the Carter dramas, her character's long-term future and her reaction to being shortlisted for Best Newcomer at the National Television Awards.
How does Nancy react when Shirley wants to move Dean into The Vic?
"Nancy feels very out of control of the whole situation. She's been asked to look after the pub and that's a very adult responsibility, but she can't control who's moving into The Vic.
"The main problem is that Nancy knows Shirley and Dean aren't allowed in the pub but she has no idea why. She's been given a lot of responsibility but not any explanations for why it's happened, so she feels quite frustrated by that."
Does Nancy start to question what really happened between Linda and Dean?
"Absolutely. She's the only one who has any pre-text on the situation. Nobody else knows about the time that Dean kissed Linda, so there's no reason for Lee to be suspicious of an affair or anything like that. That makes Nancy's reaction quite different to her brother's."
Is it a relief for Nancy when Mick and Linda finally return home?
"It is to an extent, but by that point things have started to work a little bit more steadily at the pub. Mick and Linda coming back just means that Nancy will once again have to be faced with whatever's happened.
"Nancy needs to find out what really happened now, because so far she's been left in the dark. So their return causes a mixture of emotions and it's not necessarily relief at all."
Nancy tells a shocked Shirley she knows Dean kissed Linda
© BBC
Nancy will remain trouble over the next fortnight
How does Nancy feel when she does find out about the rape?
"It's the last thing Nancy even considered and she feels a lot of guilt because her reactions to the situation have been quite different to everyone else's. Nancy is quite a forthright person and she can be quite offensive, so when she looks back on everything that's happened, her immediate feeling is one of tremendous guilt."
Will the truth coming out lead to the core Carters being brought closer together?
"I really hope so and I think it will once everyone knows. This is the whole point of this storyline in terms of reaching real people's lives.
"A really important message is to tell the truth and be as honest as you possibly can with those that love and support you. There's no need to be afraid of them knowing what you've been through, because them knowing will always make your life easier. Suffering in silence has got to be the worst thing."
Will Nancy have a big story of her own this year?
"I'm going to be on screen a hell of a lot, from now right up until the live episode and after that. I've got quite a bit in the live.
"Nancy is going to have a big story, but I don't even know what it is myself yet! Just before Christmas our producer said to me, 'Make sure you sleep loads at Christmas because I'm going to be working you very hard next year!' I'm well up for it."
Now that Dexter is gone, would you like Nancy to have a new love interest?
"Yeah, because Nancy barely skimmed the surface with Dexter and she's not had much success in terms of her love life so far. I think she does deserve it!"
Dexter makes light of Nancy's family situation
© BBC
Nancy and Dexter
How do you feel about viewers pointing to Nancy and Tamwar as a good match?
"I think they're absolutely right! I love the speculation and I think their relationship is not necessarily the expected, so that's great. People shouldn't look past each other just because they're a bit different. In this case, Nancy is a confident tomboy and Tamwar is a bit of a textbook nerd, but I think they're alike in the way they're both misfits. I think they'd be really interesting together and they'd really love each other."
Are you excited or nervous about the live episode?
"I'm really excited. A lot of people at work seem quite nervous, but I don't want them to be because I think it'll be really fun to bring everyone together. It's nice when everyone comes together and there aren't actually that many opportunities for that. You might think it's like that, but at work you spend a lot of time with who you're in the scene with and you don't really see anyone else.
"I think this will be a reason for everyone to be in the same place at the same time, but I'm not entirely sure what to expect yet! But I'm excited more than I am nervous."
Who do you think killed Lucy Beale?
"We know as little as you do - we genuinely do! I think it would be most interesting and shocking if Ian had done it, but then I always look back on his reaction to hearing about Lucy's death and I can't buy that it was fake! I know it would be really horrible if Ian had done it, but it would be really shocking."
How did you feel when Sam Strike (Johnny) left the show?
"I was absolutely devastated. I'm obviously happy for him and in support of him, but we were just so close. In the same way Danny and Kellie have their scenes together, me and Sam had all of our stuff together.
"You don't quite realise it until afterwards, but when Sam first left I had two weeks where everyone knew I was uncharacteristically quiet and found it very difficult. I miss him!"
How do you feel about being shortlisted for the Best Newcomer NTA?
"I'm really, really surprised to be honest. I also feel under quite a lot of pressure as EastEnders nominees have won the Newcomer award for the past few years!
"Khali Best won it last year and he's with my agent. I remember at the time my agent said, 'Oh it'll be you next year!' and I was like, 'No, please stop saying it!' (Laughs.) I'm definitely way more petrified than I would be if I wasn't following in such an impressive succession!"
Have you met your rivals in the category before?
"I know Mike Parr from Emmerdale through a friend so we always have a chat at awards events and we're always up against each other! I've won one before and he's won one before! It's nice to be in it with him, because I'd be really pleased if he won it."
Why should people vote for EastEnders for the top soap prize?
"Usually I wouldn't be biased but I just think the show has come on so remarkably in the last year or so that I think it deserves it. I think the show is at such a good point with such an amazing cast and crew. Everyone works so hard to create something that's quite different, I think."
Are you nervous about attending the awards event itself?
"I'm going to be absolutely bricking it, definitely! The red carpet isn't necessarily the nervewracking bit as that's just a case of being like a rabbit in the headlights, but I'm almost certain that I'm going to be absolutely petrified afterwards. If so many EastEnders people hadn't won this award I wouldn't feel any pressure at all, I'd be totally 'c'est la vie' about it!
"I always say it's best to just tell yourself that you haven't won something like this, so I always convince myself that it won't be me - which I'm quite good at doing! (Laughs.) Then if you do win it's a really nice surprise. It'd be horrible if you convinced yourself you will win and then it's the opposite. So I definitely won't be winning it, thank you very much!"
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