There is never a dull day in EastEnders where the Taylor’s are concerned, and Karen and Keanu’s (Lorraine Stanley and Danny Walters) latest scandal is set to send shockwaves through Albert Square.
Viewers will know that Keanu recently staged the kidnapping of son Albie after his plan to take him out of the country went wrong.
He had soon dragged Karen into his mess, and together they managed to extort £50,000 from Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean), via the pockets of Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden).
‘His original intention was to obtain his son, so in Keanu’s mind he was always doing it for the greater good,’ actor Danny Walters explained.
‘He’s not an evil character, he just makes really poor decisions and unfortunately his love for Albie took precedent. Keanu wants to hold on to this secret and never let it get revealed.’
With a few close calls along the way, the pair managed to get away with it, and traumatised Sharon was soon reunited with her beloved son.
However, after a suspiciously generous bar tab and a shifty visit from Malcolm, recent scenes saw Mitch Baker (Roger Griffiths) demand the truth from a tearful Karen, who soon revealed all.
Things will only get worse for the family, when Phil Mitchell manages to work out their involvement in the kidnap plot, and reveals all to Sharon.
Following Phil’s outburst and the dramatic events that follow, the Taylor’s become the talk of Albert Square, and soon things go from bad to worse for Keanu.
When Dean Wicks (Matt Di Angelo) makes derogatory comments about Keanu’s family, it is clear he has found another enemy in Walford as Keanu draws battle lines against him in the Vic.
Things only get further out of control when Keanu steps in to stop a vile attack on Bernie (Clair Norris) from Nish Panesar (Navin Chowdhry), but thankfully the fight is soon diffused.
Back at home, Sharon and Keanu try to put the events of the day behind them, with Keanu unaware that Sharon is hiding a huge secret of her own: Albie isn’t actually his son.
With their upcoming stag and hen do’s, Sharon is determined to do whatever she can to protect her family’s happiness. Will she manage it?
‘I think with Keanu and Sharon, as we can see it’s not a smooth relationship and probably is quite toxic at times,’ Danny explained. ‘However, there is a deep lust and love for one and other. Unfortunately, external factors in their relationship always seem to create dramas.’
With their wedding approaching, will the couple make it down the aisle?
