BBC EastEnders birth drama for Whitney Dean as she goes into labour while trapped in van

EastEnders viewers will see baby drama next week, as Whitney Dean goes into labour in the worst possible moment.

The character seems to have a row with her friend Lauren Branning while she’s also facing upset from stepmother Bianca Jackson. Penny Branning seems keen to see Lauren and Whitney sort out their differences, but her efforts leave the pregnant character in trouble.

Whitney has yet to find out Lauren has slept with her partner Zack Hudson, and Bianca is on the warpath. Bianca is furious with Lauren looking like a saint as she helps out with Whitney and Zack’s stag and hen do celebration.

She gives Lauren an ultimatum: tell Whitney the truth or she will do it instead. Lauren starts planting seeds of doubt in Whitney’s mind about the romance with Zack, while she ends up bottling it and doesn’t tell her.

But it seems she riles Whitney up with her comments, resulting in a falling out. Lauren’s cousin Penny then locks them both in a taco van to get them talking, only for Whitney’s waters to break.

Whitney goes into labour and fears she will have to give birth in the van, with them locked in. Their screams for help are unheard and Penny has left, while Lauren’s phone dies so they can’t call for help.

It comes just as Lauren prepares to tell Whitney the truth about her and Zack, but she’s stopped in her tracks. Meanwhile with Whitney going AWOL, Zack attempts to look for her but he is soon distracted – so will he find them both in time?

It’s not clear what happens next and when Whitney will give birth, or if she will find out about Lauren and Zack. But the character is leaving the soap soon after 15 years, with actress Shona McGarty having filmed her final scenes already.

An exit date has not been confirmed, and we don’t know her specific exit storyline. But it seems Whitney’s exit will air in June or early July, so will Zack’s betrayal drive her away for good?