The following article includes spoilers for this week’s episodes of EastEnders, which have not yet been shown on television but are now available to watch as a boxset on BBC iPlayer.
Ben Mitchell (Max Bowden), who has been out of control since his rape ordeal, has just started using narcotics, much to the chagrin of those closest to him.
Ben has been resisting Kathy Beale’s (Gillian Taylforth) counsel, and things have gotten worse since he revealed his involvement in the death of Jags (Amar Adatia) to Kheerat Panesar (Jaz Singh Deol).
In the episode of the BBC One soap that aired on Monday (August 1) and is now streaming on iPlayer, Ben decides to go to a party with his new boyfriend James, with whom he previously had a night out.
But Kathy points out that they have scheduled a dinner for Lexi to eat after her dancing exam, which is taking place today. Ben makes a pledge to attend while feeling bad.
He keeps his word and shows up for the exam, much to Lexi’s surprise. Things, however, take a slight turn when Ben yells at Lexi for asking him why he arrived late.
When Lexi becomes unhappy and storms out, Ben once more turns to drugs for solace and skips Lexi’s celebratory supper in favour of going to the party with James.
He consumes the alcohol while there. James promptly orders for a taxi, and when Ben returns to Walford, he leaves Lexi a message saying that he expects to be there soon.
However, things take even another turn as he collapses into a pile of trash and begins to have trouble breathing.
In the meantime, Suki Panesar (Balvinder Sopal) discovers a barely conscious Ben. Ben extends his arm in the vain hope that she will help him.
However, Suki turns and leaves, leaving him to perish. Later, Ben goes unconscious, but Tony Clay’s Callum Highway and Jamie Borthwick’s Jay Brown manage to save him.
After being taken to the hospital, it is discovered that Ben had a heart attack. Thankfully, he survives.
While everything is going on, Phil (Steve McFadden) sits down with his kid and expresses his love for him before apologising for not being more helpful when he initially learned about his experience with rape.
