EastEnders has finally revealed the truth of the paternity of Lily Slater’s baby, after fans were shocked to learn the 12-year-old was pregnant.
The BBC One soap began the shock storyline on New Year’s Day, kicking off 2023 with the news that 12-year-old Lily (Lillia Turner) is expecting a baby.
The teenager finally learned of the pregnancy this week, as mum Stacey broke down while she told her daughter, and the family have been left reeling from the bombshell.
Yet, Lily has refused to reveal who the father is, leaving mum Stacey fearing the youngster had been groomed and preyed upon by an adult.
EastEnders fans at home have been similarly speculating over who the father could be, with Freddie Slater ( Bobby Brazier ) among those fans feared could be the culprit.
However, EastEnders fans are now set to learn the truth in tonight’s episode, which has already dropped on iPlayer for eager fans to stream ahead of its linear transmission.
*Warning, the rest of this story contains spoilers so look away now if you have not seen the episode*
The revelation comes in scenes towards the end of tonight’s episode, when mum Stacey is at the end of her tether after Lily’s refusal to share the identity of the father.
The scene began with Stacey begging Lily, as she says: “Please darling, at least then I will know you haven't been abused and groomed by some pervert!”
However, Lily remains tight-lipped and it is only when grandmother Jean appears that she manages to work the name out of her.
Jean reminds her that although the whole family wants the pregnancy not to have happened, they can’t change the situation.
She says: “You're not a child. In fact, I think you're more grown up than I am sometimes. Please, please, put your mum's mind at rest.”
A tearful Lily then tearfully insists the father is not her boyfriend, as she tells mum Stacey the pair ‘only did it once’.
She then confirms that the father is indeed Ricky Junior – who Jean almost confuses for Ricky Butcher – before a sobbing Lily demands the fellow 12-year-old can never know about the pregnancy.
Ricky has been on the soap for some time after he originally lived away from Walford following his birth.
He is the son of Sam Mitchell and Jack Branning, but Sam initially claimed the father was Ricky Butcher, hence the name.
EastEnders airs Monday to Thursday at 7.30pm on BBC One
Got any theories or thoughts on the storyline? Let us know in the comments section below.
