BBC EastEnders’ Jack ‘exposed’ as dead body – funeral ‘lie’, affair and chilling threat
Jack Branning is one of the potential Christmas Day murder victims and eagle-eyed EastEnders fans are convinced they've worked out he will be the one to be bumped off
EastEnders regular Jack Branning (Scott Maslen) is one of the potential Christmas Day murder victims.
Fans of the BBC One soap know that at least one unidentified male will be killed in the Queen Vic over the festive period with either Denise Fox (Diane Parish), Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner), Suki Panesar (Balvinder Sopal), Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean), Linda Carter (Kellie Bright) or Kathy Beale (Gillian Taylforth) tipped to be the murderer.
Since February, viewers have been trying to work out who would be killed off by one of The Six after a flash-forward episode which aired in February confirmed there was a festive murder.
With multiple men in the firing line, it’s anyone’s game but Daily Star has taken a look at the fan theories which point at the victim being Walford copper Jack.
Cufflinks clue
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Jack memorably gave Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden) the now infamous pair of amber cufflinks that are about to be found on the lifeless body at The Vic. Fans never saw them returned to Jack, and the cufflinks originally belonged to Nish before he donated them in a poker game but might they end up back in Jack’s possession in time for Christmas Day?
EastEnders recently released a promotional picture narrowing down the seven men who could be bumped off who are Jack, Phil, Dean Wicks (Matt Di Angelo), Nish Panesar (Navin Chowdhry), Rocky Cotton (Brain Conley), Ravi Gulati (Aaron Thiara) and Keanu Taylor (Danny Walters).
Funeral ‘lie’
EastEnders have already confirmed that Jack’s daughter Penny Branning and niece Lauren Branning are returning to Walford in the New Year. Penny hasn’t been seen on screen since 2008 but will make a shock comeback with her big cousin in January. Eagle-eyed fans noticed that both Kitty Castledine and Jacqueline Jossa, who play Penny and Lauren, are both wearing black in their promotional pictures when their return was confirmed.
In a long Reddit thread, one theory stated: “Penny and Lauren are coming back and are dressed in black.” A second added: “I think the funeral being Aunt Sal’s is a lie because I really don’t think it makes any sense for Penny and Lauren to be at her funeral.” Another fan added that it’s been revealed Penny and Lauren will return “after hearing about what has happened at home”. Cast members have been pictured filming funeral scenes which reports suggest is a send off for Aunt Sal.
Chilling threat
EastEnders fans were left wondering if Jack’s wife Denise could potentially kill him on Christmas Day after she issued him a chilling threat after learning he cheated on her. Demanding Jack reveal who he slept with, he claimed it was a stranger. As Jack begged Denise to fight for their family, she issued a chilling threat which caused speculation amongst fans.
Denise said: “Betray me again I honestly don’t know what I will do.” She later spotted Jack secretly going to visit Stacey to tell her that Denise knows he slept with someone but he lied and said he didn’t know who she was. They agreed not to confess to sleeping each other, unaware that Denise was watching from the window. The scenes sent fans into a frenzy with one writing on social media: “Denise was kinda giving Christmas killer in tonight’s episode.” Another echoed: “Denise watching patiently from the upstairs window, ready to make her man pay in exactly one week.” A third chipped in: “After tonight’s episode Stacey and Denise could both end up killing Jack.”
Link to The Six
Beyond Jack’s fractured relationship with Denise and growing closer to Stacey, who he shares a grandchild with, Jack knows that Linda’s youngest child, Annie, is actually his niece after her affair with his brother Max Branning (Jake Wood). Might history cause Jack to clash with Linda, or could Jack be caught in the crossfire of her battle to hold Dean accountable for raping her, after Jack was recently seen supporting Linda?
Jack also broadcasted the news that Nish and Ravi have been arrested for the murder of Eve Unwin (Heather Peace), who viewers know is very much alive, could Jack step in to help Suki Panesar (Balvinder Sopal), having previously been investigating Ravi for other crimes?
EastEnders airs Monday to Thursday on BBC One at 7.30pm
