EastEnders' Oscar Branning's criminal secret exposed ahead of dad Max's huge return

During tonight's EastEnders, the residents were in party mode as they celebrated Yolande and Patricks hen and stag do - but things quickly turned sour for both parties, with Oscar landing himself in huge trouble before his father Max's return later this year...

Yolande headed off to Harry's Barn with the girls, although their party was rudely interrupted by Julie's chicken David Peckham. However, Patrick was having a worse time on his stag do, as a fight between Howie and Oscar resulted in him having an anxiety attack.

Since robbing and attacking Patrick a few weeks backin a bid to pay off dangerous gangsters, Oscar has been feeling the guilt, and has even befriended the couple in hopes to feel better about himself. As they built up their friendship by playing dominos, Oscar received an invite to Patrick's stag do, leaving Howie fuming.

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Howie was previously seen blackmailing Oscar, aware that he was the one who hurt Patrick - but today, Oscar accidentally let his secret slip in front of his uncle, and DI, Jack Branning.

During the party as Patrick's Howie and Oscar met in the hallway, as Howie exclaimed: "I don't know how you can sit in there with him after what you've done to him!"

"Coming from a bloke who's lying to his whole family?" Oscar asked.

Fuming, Howie responded: "What do you know about family? You're just a spoilt little thug!"

The two then broke into a physical fight, with Jack having to break things off. Confused, he later revealed all to Lauren who told Jack Oscar had been sleeping with a knife, and was so fearful, that he'd even attempted to attack Peter, thinking he was someone coming after him.

Jack then stormed over to Oscar drinking in the park, revealing that Lauren had told him everything. Of course, she hadn't told Jack that Oscar was the one who attacked Patrick, although Oscar believed she had - and confessed all.

"I didn't know Patrick was going to home!" he explained.

"I'm talking about what you did to Peter..." Jack said. "You're the one who hurt Patrick?" As the episode came to a dramatic end for the week.

Being a police man will Jack report his nephew?

The drama comes before Jake Wood returns to reprise his role as Max Branning, which we were told would be later this fall. Last month, EastEnders revealed Max will return briefly in autumn, before making a permanent return later in the year - so his arrival can't be too far away.

Wood said: “I’m over the moon to be coming home to Walford. Max has got lots of unresolved drama with many characters, so I’m sure he’ll be busy.

“I’m excited to see what he’s been up to, and what is next for the character, but if his last 15 years in the Square are anything to go by, I’m sure there will be plenty of chaos.”

Will Max be able to fix the Branning family chaos?

EastEnders airs Mondays to Thursdays at 7:30pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. * Follow Mirror Celebs and TV on TikTok, Snapchat,Instagram,Twitter,Facebook, and Threads.