EastEnders’ Zoe Slater will be left trapped later this month when a fire rips through No.25. Oscar Branning stages a daring rescue attempt, and while the building burns there are more shocks in store for the locals as secrets are revealed and a familiar face returns…

In the week before Christmas, Oscar arrives home with Jasmine, who has been lying low since shoving Cindy down the stairs. Even though Jasmine has tried to deny any involvement in the incident, Cindy is still on edge in her presence and storms off when she sees her, while Ian calls the police.

Under interrogation, enigmatic Jasmine’s identity, and her connection to Cindy’s witness protection past with the Ford family, is finally revealed…

Also hanging out in the Beale-Branning house is Zoe, who has been the target of a horrifying hate campaign for weeks. The person behind the intimidation is still yet to be identified, and the mystery is deepening even further.

Zoe is still determined to find her long-lost son, despite her search being frustratingly fruitless. Concerned for her daughter’s mental health, Kat’s desperate quest for help leads to a revelation.

“Kat gets chatting to one of the locals which results in a huge discovery,” reveals our insider. “She’s left reeling, as she definitely gets more than she bargained for when she entered into this unexpected conversation.

“Kat’s mind is immediately whirring over what she’s learnt and she needs to speak to Zoe, but disaster is about to strike!”

Meanwhile, after the bombshells about her backstory, the net is closing in on Jasmine. Oscar isn’t sure what to believe anymore and tries to get the truth out of his wily girlfriend.

Jasmine remains guarded, much to Oscar’s annoyance. Tired of her constantly shutting him out and giving him the run-around, he decides to end their rollercoaster relationship. Can Jasmine explain herself and win him round, or has Oscar turned his back on her for good?

Word soon spreads about the blaze, and Kat is beside herself when she hears Zoe is caught up in the carnage. While she races to the scene, brave Oscar risks his life to get Zoe and save the day. As if all this wasn’t enough, Oscar’s dad Max Branning suddenly rocks up in the middle of everything…

There’s much for Max to catch up on, but as the flames die down there are many questions about how the fire started – including whether it was a deliberate act of arson.

In the aftermath, unstable Zoe is feeling more shaken than ever. Was the fire started on purpose by her sinister stalker, playing their most toxic trick yet? Or was it unconnected, and there’s something else going on?