NEW UPDATE! Pregnant Penny’s EastEnders horror at behaviour from doctor
While Penny Branning (Kitty Castledine) and Vinny Panesar (Shiv Jalota) decided to take things slowly and see how it goes in the wake of their drunken New Years bunk up in EastEnders, things are about to seriously speed up for the new couple.
Though Penny was determined that it was a one night only deal, friend Gina Knight (Francesca Henry) quickly sussed out that she was concealing the true extent of her interest in Vinny and encouraged her to test out the spark that clearly existed between them.
Penny did just that, and she and Vinny decided to see how things go, with Penny deciding to stray from her normal ‘bad boy’ type, and test the waters with a nice guy for a change.
‘They have never crossed paths on the Square, despite the numerous dramas between the Panesars and the Brannings in the past,’ Kitty began, talking about her alter ego’s new relationship.
‘But none of that matters when it comes to Penny and Vinny, as he’s everything Penny has never had in a relationship. She has always gone for a bad boy, and the beauty of Penny and Vinny is that they are honest with each other.’
Next week sees a bombshell dropped in the Branning household, when Jack (Scott Maslen) discovers a pregnancy test. When suspicion immediately (and wrongly) falls on Lily Slater (Lillia Turner), Penny is forced to admit that the test is hers.
On the response she receives, Kitty explains: ‘Jack immediately can’t believe what he is hearing and wants to talk it through, but Denise wants to protect Penny’s privacy, given that they are at a family dinner and it’s an intense and private conversation to have.
‘Penny and Jack’s relationship is always rocky, Kittone small move can offset the harmony, and, in this instance, Penny perceives Jack to be reacting negatively.’
Kitty went on to explain why, in the aftermath of a blow up with her dad, Penny turns instead to her cousins, Lauren and Oscar (Jacqueline Jossa and Pierre Counihan-Moullier)
‘Penny looks up to Lauren a lot, even though she would never say it to her face. She sees what an amazing mum Lauren is, and out of everyone, she knows she can talk to Lauren about her worries and concerns.
‘Oscar, on the other hand, is brutally honest and brings light to stressful situations – something Penny really needs.’
When Oscar slips up and reveals to Vinny that Penny has suffered a pregnancy scare, and the two attend a doctors appointment to discuss her options going forward, Penny is utterly shocked at the attitude of the doctor.
The doctor side lines Penny entirely during the appointment, utterly infuriating her as he begins to explain to Vinny the choice of support on offer, should Penny decide to go through with the pregnancy.
But will she? While we won’t spoil the outcome for you, Kitty explained her excitement at exploring the different sides of Penny that being with someone as warm as Vinny allows her to show.
‘He brings out a soft, warm side of Penny, something we’ve never seen from her before,’ she began.
‘They can learn a lot from each other; they both have qualities the other could benefit from.
‘Penny is feisty, dominant, and always says what she thinks, and Vinny needs to stand up for himself against his mum and family. Penny could learn from Vinny’s kind‑natured heart and his good values, qualities she believes she doesn’t naturally possess.’