EastEnders spoilers: Kathy’s life implodes as she discovers Rocky started the fire that left Peter for dead

Rocky Cotton (Brian Conley) has been hiding a huge secret from wife Kathy Beale (Gillian Taylforth) in EastEnders, but it is soon set to come out in dramatic fashion.

After being blackmailed by Rocky’s ex-wife Jo Cotton (Vicki Michelle), Kathy and Rocky found themselves in serious debt, with Rocky’s gambling addiction doing nothing to help their situation.

Driven to extremes and trying desperately to keep the true extent of their problems from poor Kath, Rocky took out a loan with sinister Nish Panesar (Navin Chowdhry).

This proved a fatal move, and when Rocky realised that he couldn’t afford the repayments he took drastic action by setting fire to Kathy’s beloved café, hoping that the insurance pay out would solve all of their problems.

What he didn’t bargain for was Peter and Bobby Beale (Thomas Law and Clay Milner Russell) getting trapped inside, or Kathy being arrested for arson.

Rocky had no choice but to tell the police that the fire had been a result of his poor attempts to fix the electrics, leaving Kathy free but rendering their insurance claim invalid.

With no café and no money, Rocky was offered a final proposal from Nish: Convince Kathy to sell him the café at a reduced price and he would write off Rocky’s debt.

In upcoming scenes, Nish will continue to pressurise Rocky into selling him the café, leaving him on tenterhooks.

With his life falling apart, Rocky confides in best friend Harvey Monroe (Ross Boatman) who advises him to come clean to Kathy once and for all.

‘He’s got no one else to blame but himself and he really shouldn’t have gone to Nish to ask for a loan – what did he ever expect?’ Actor Brian Conley explained.

‘It’s made even worse that it is Christmas. I think moments like this really do magnify over the Christmas period where everyone is joyous and looking forward, so he’s just devastated about the whole thing and I don’t think he can see a way out even though he tries to remain positive.’

As Rocky despairs, Kathy has a conversation wit her sons which leaves her willing to hear Nish out over a deal for the café. After much discussion at No.45, Kathy agrees to sell the café to him.

Unfortunately, stealing Kathy’s livelihood isn’t enough for power-hungry Nish, and he soon delights in implying that Rocky had something to do with the fire…

Horrified Kathy turns to Harvey for the truth, and when he all but confirms her suspicions, she sets about confronting Rocky.

Will he finally come clean about the fire that left her grandson fighting for his life? And will their relationship survive this betrayal?

The next day, Kathy rejects Ian’s (Adam Woodyatt) suggestions to shop Rocky to the police, and soon takes on Nish in the Vic.

She is quick to blame him for piling debts onto Rocky and demands an apology for everything he has put them through.

Vile Nish refutes her claims, and ends up lashing out at Bernie (Clair Norris) in the process, earning himself a smack in the mouth from protective brother Keanu (Danny Walters).

With the café now under Nish’s control, will Kathy ever get it back, or is it time for her to start fresh?