Denise Fox's (Diane Parish) cancer battle intensifies next week on EastEnders, but a breakthrough emerges when Kim Fox (Tameka Empson) discovers Denise has a half-brother, Darnell Larson Jr (Christopher Colquhoun), through an ancestry website. Jack Branning (Scott Maslen) presses Darnell to see if he's a stem cell match for Denise, who is on borrowed time. Elsewhere, Alfie Moon (Shane Richie) throws a Benidorm-themed party to lift Kat Moon's (Jessie Wallace) spirits, but chaos erupts. Amy Mitchell (Ellie Dadd) falls deeper under the influence of Craig Ingram (Matthew James Bailey), while Eve and Suki Panesar-Unwin (Heather Peace and Balvinder Sopal) receive awful news.
Denise's Condition Worsens, Then a Glimmer of Hope
On Monday, August 24, Denise's condition worsens, forcing doctors to place her into a medically induced coma. However, a glimmer of hope appears when Kim discovers Denise has a half-brother via an ancestry website. Despite her initial determination to manage things alone, Penny Branning (Kitty Castledine) reluctantly accepts Vinny Panesar's (Shiv Jalota) help in preparing for the baby's arrival, though her guilt deepens when Vinny also ropes in Harry Mitchell (Elijah Holloway). Meanwhile, Priya Nandra-Hart (Sophie Khan Levy) and Jean Slater (Gillian Wright) try to snag DNA samples from Max Branning (Jake Wood) and Ravi Gulati (Aaron Thiara) for a DNA test, while Amy learns of a development in Joel Marshall's (Max Murray) assault case.
Darnell Meets Denise, Then Flees
On Tuesday, August 25, the Fox-Truemans desperately search for Darnell. Kim hits paydirt, and he agrees to meet them. When they reveal the real reason for contacting him, he is left reeling. Upon meeting Denise for the first time, Darnell becomes overwhelmed and flees. A warning from Howie Danes (Delroy Atkinson) puts an end to Denzel's (Jaden Ladega) plan to ask Amy out. When she makes a move, he turns her down, sending her away to seek solace in Craig. Elsewhere, Eve and Suki are floored to learn that Ria Virdi's (Aaria Sharma) mother could potentially seek custody, leading Suki to force a bitter clash with Vinny. Alfie worries about Kat when footage from Bert and Ernie Moon's (Cody and Elliot Briffett) school project visibly upsets her.
Treatment Still Not Working, Alfie's Party Plan
On Wednesday, August 26, the initial relief of doctors bringing Denise out of her coma is short-lived. They tell the family that the treatment still isn't working as well as hoped and that the search for a stem cell donor is as urgent as ever. Denise is happy to hear of Darnell, but Jack tracks him down, leading to a clash between him and Darnell's daughter, Grace (Krysstina Frempong). Jack is forced to deliver the bad news to the family. In an effort to lift Kat, Alfie plans a Benidorm-themed party. Despite the Slaters questioning him over why he hasn't addressed the issue with her directly, Alfie is overjoyed to see Kat moved by his efforts. Also, Max is left unnerved when Cindy Beale (Michelle Collins) asks Oscar Branning (Pierre Counihan-Moullier) to organise his stag-do with Jack preoccupied.
Chaos Erupts at Alfie's Party
On Thursday, August 27, chaos erupts in the square as the community comes together to enjoy Alfie's party. A community support officer intervenes, shutting the entire thing down and threatening the Moons with a fine. As Alfie tries to settle Kat, things get worse when Ria is injured. With a potential custody battle weighing on her, Suki threatens legal action against them. Meanwhile, Priya and Ravi reaffirm their love and pledge their future to each other. The search for a stem cell donor for Denise continues, with Darnell's reaction leaving the family uncertain about the outcome.
