Sonia Fowler (Natalie Cassidy) lashes out at ex-husband Martin

(James Bye) and cousin Lauren Branning (Jacqueline Jossa) in EastEnders next week.

It’s all in defence of her boyfriend Reiss Colwell (Jonny Freeman),

who has been using his comatose wife Debbie’s money to fund IVF treatment for Sonia.

After a false positive pregnancy test, the couple became more desperate than ever to have a baby of their own – resorting in some equally as desperate measures.

Following an 18k bill for Debbie’s care arriving in his emails, Reiss resorted to scamming Sharon Watts’ (Letitia Dean) clients, pretending they owed her more money than initially expected and pocketing the excess.

He even planned to rent out their spare room to lodgers.

Next week, Debbie’s care home calls Reiss to inform him that she will be moved if he doesn’t cough up the cash he owes.

Realising that Sharon could once again prove to be an easy target, he heads to her house and brings up another missing VAT receipt – and of course, he’s lying. Riddled with guilt following the realisation that she has a lot on her plate, he returns home to tell the truth to Sonia.

However, when the pair get some good news, he attempts to cover but ultimately slips up.

Realising more than ever that he needs money, he backtracks with Sharon and informs her that she needs to pay up after all, and gives her a 24 hour deadline which piqued Phil’s (Steve McFadden) suspicions.

Elsewhere, Sonia is worried about their dire financial situation and and confides in Martin, before vowing to Debbie that she will always look after her, for as long as she’s with Reiss.

Returning home, she puts No. 25 on the market and Martin, Lauren and Jack (Scott Maslen) don’t approve of her selling Dot’s beloved family home. Unable to control their feelings about Reiss, Sonia rushes to his defence and ends up throwing them out.

Is he managing to divide a family?