Ben Mitchell

[tammyy2j]

I don't think Phil will tell Abi, he might make Ben marry her though

[Perdita]

EastEnders star Harry Reid has hinted that his character Ben Mitchell will be manipulated by the show's new villain Gavin Sullivan.

The troubled teenager was last night reunited with Gavin (Paul Nicholas) for the first time in years, as he became embroiled in the tense situation involving his stepdad and his newly-returned mum Kathy.

Gavin has kidnapped Ben's father Phil in an attempt to extort money from the Mitchells, but it may not take long before Ben sees a more appealing side to him.

Reid commented: "We have to remember he was Ben's stepdad and father figure for years. He grew up with him and there will be a lot of love there.

"Ben came back a happy child, so you think Gavin is a perfect dad as he helped create that kid. There's a real connection there between them, having spent time together and loved each other."

EastEnders boss Dominic Treadwell-Collins also recently promised an interesting dynamic between the two characters, revealing that Gavin would "manipulate Ben as well as Kathy" in upcoming stories.

Ben will spend the next few days planning to join Kathy when she runs away again, but first they have to come up with the cash that Gavin is demanding.

Gavin arrives and says hello to Ben
© BBC
Gavin and Ben were reunited last night

"He takes the opportunity with both hands to run off and start a new life in a fairytale land," Reid explained. "It comes from the fact that Gavin is a nasty bloke with an edge about him. Ultimately it's always going back to them together in South Africa when they were a proper family.

"The idea they could have that opportunity again takes over. The impulse takes over to leg it out of Walford. They want the money from Ian to save Phil. They tell a little fib to Ian about why they need the money. Ben thinks he is doing the right thing - saving his dad and getting his new life with his mum, which he always wanted deep down.

"Ben will lie to Ian to save his own skin. He did it with Lucy Beale and he will do it again if he has to. Ben does feel bad for Ian. He loves him and it's one of those situations where you say: 'We will do this now and come back in five years when we are sorted and settled. We will be a normal family and send postcards and have Christmas dinner.' That's what they are looking for in the future."

Kathy and Ben come up with a plan
© BBC
Ben and Kathy will try to fool their family

The storyline is building up to another unmissable set of Halloween episodes on the Square, which are expected to feature some big twists and turns.

Teasing what's to come, Reid added: "It's bad, it's really bad. It's potentially life-changing for the Square, for the Mitchell family, and you will be shocked."

[parkerman]

B

"It's potentially life-changing for the Square, for the Mitchell family, and you will be shocked."

It looks like an explosive story that could rock the Square and the lives of the inhabitants will never be the same again.

[lizann]

did gavin hurt or abuse ben in the past?

[Perdita]

did gavin hurt or abuse ben in the past?

Not sure whether he abused Ben but I can imagine he abused Kathy and Ben might have witnessed it

[Dazzle]

did gavin hurt or abuse ben in the past?

No. This is a quote by Harry Reid (Ben) from Perdita's recent spoiler on this thread:

Reid commented: "We have to remember he was Ben's stepdad and father figure for years. He grew up with him and there will be a lot of love there.

"Ben came back a happy child, so you think Gavin is a perfect dad as he helped create that kid. There's a real connection there between them, having spent time together and loved each other."

So it seems Ben only has happy memories of Gavin. That's going to muddy the waters...

[tammyy2j]

Ben Mitchell will be left humiliated next week when his mother Kathy Beale discusses his sexuality.

Ben (Harry Reid) has spent the last year in a relationship with Abi Branning, but he opened up to Kathy about the struggles he has faced being gay during emotional scenes after he realised she was still alive.

Kathy will be forced to revisit her misgivings as a parent next week during a heart-to-heart with Jane, in which she realises just how troubled her grandson Bobby really is.

When Jane reveals that Ben had been in prison prior to murdering Heather Trott, Kathy's thoughts start to return to her son and she later decides to speak to Phil.

However, as Kathy confronts Phil about the way he has brought Ben up, she gets more than she bargained for when both Ben and Abi hear her talking about his sexuality.

With Ben furious with her, Kathy shares her fears with Jane and wonders if she's lost him for good this time.

Meanwhile, Ben is left to pick up the pieces with Abi, who will undoubtedly be keen to know if there is any truth in what Kathy said. Will he finally be honest with her?

[lizann]

deep down abi knows there is truth, she is afraid to be alone maybe someone could get her dad out he could be innocent

[Perdita]

As news of Louise Mitchell's EastEnders return sinks in, we can't help asking ourselves one question - how well can she live alongside her half-brother Ben?

Phil's kids were embroiled in a disturbing feud when they last appeared on screen together in 2010. Who can forget a very troubled Ben abusing his younger sibling following his own ordeal with twisted Stella Crawford?

An EastEnders source has told Digital Spy that Louise and Ben will be at loggerheads when they're reunited on screen next year. Sounds like old hostilities haven't been forgotten even though both characters now have new heads!

With 14-year-old Louise now feisty and more than capable of standing up for herself, could Ben be about to meet his match?

If you weren't an avid viewer at the time or just need a recap, these videos below offer an insight into just how nasty Ben was when he took his anger out on a defenceless Louise.

Ben burned his sibling with a hot spoon after she played a prank on him and later locked her in a shed, but he was forced to face the wrath of his father Phil once the Walford hardman found out what was going on.

https://youtu.be/kWATSGb96pY

https://youtu.be/HdzO6reThDM


EastEnders fans are also convinced that Lucas Johnson's son Jordan, another of Ben's former targets, could return soon following the recent references to what he's been getting up to away from Walford.

We wouldn't want to be in Ben's shoes if two of his enemies end up back on the Square. Could he be forced to unleash the infamous Spanner of Doom again?

https://youtu.be/fLISr6Py8g4

EastEnders announced the return of Louise yesterday, confirming that actress Tilly Keeper is taking over the role from previous cast member Brittany Papple.

Keeper commented: "I am so thrilled to be joining the cast of EastEnders, especially to be joining the Mitchell clan!

"It's a dream come true and I can't wait to get stuck into the role and see what lies in store for Louise."

[Perdita]

EastEnders' Ben Mitchell will get a huge shock next week after he tries to end his relationship with his girlfriend Abi Branning... yep, again!

Recent scenes have seen Ben (Harry Reid) realise that he needs to call it off with Abi once and for all, after finally admitting that he's in love with Paul Coker.

Although Ben has tried and failed to be honest with Abi (Lorna Fitzgerald) about his sexuality before, he ​is determined not to back down this time. Sadly, he is soon stopped in his tracks when she returns from her skiing trip with an injury.

Aware that Ben wants to talk to her and keen to avoid the inevitable, Abi subsequently offers to help out in the kitchen at The Vic, where she makes a new friend in Aunt Babe.

As the pair start to bond, Abi soon becomes unsettled when Babe raises questions about her relationship, and she later reveals that Ben didn't make it home the night before.

​Ben prepares dinner for Abi as he gets ready to break it off​
© BBC
Never one to mind her own business, Babe soon becomes an unlikely ally for Abi and decides to speak to Kathy about the situation. Kathy reluctantly agrees to take the bait and attempts to warn off Paul, but Ben didn't spend the night with him either...

Knowing that he can't continue living a lie for much longer, Ben prepares dinner for Abi and gets ready to tell her the truth. However, his plans are scuppered when she finds a present and assumes it's for her, but upon opening it, realises that it must be for Paul.

With Ben slipping away from her, a devastated Abi rushes over to The Vic where she confides in Aunt Babe again. Abi later has a shock in store for Ben, but what is it?

EastEnders airs these scenes on Friday, February 11 at 8pm on BBC One