BBC EastEnders viewers fuming as explosive new affair is ‘sealed’ and beg bosses to take action

George Knight sought comfort following the death of his mother Gloria and found it on his ex-wife Cindy Beale’s lips in EastEnders.

As BBC One viewers will recall, the former boxing champion has been spiralling out of control in recent scenes of the London-based drama after losing his mother in the beginning steps of their reconciliation.

Elsewhere, George’s adoptive father Eddie Knight was sentenced for the murder of his biological dad, Henry Kofi Asare, bringing a plethora of unanswered questions about his parentage. Needless to say, a whirlwind of emotions has overwhelmed the fan favourite.

But through it all, George has been intent on shutting out his fiancée, Elaine Peacock (played by Harriet Thorpe), despite her offer of support, with his ex-wife Cindy Beale (Michelle Collins), whom he once knew as Rose Knight, being the only one able to get through to him.

During Tuesday’s (April 16, 2024) EastEnders instalment, George’s struggle continued when he was told by Gloria’s brother that Eddie was clearing out their home from prison, prompting him to realise he was being wiped out of their family.

George’s grief, particularly as he has been banned from Gloria’s funeral by an incarcerated Eddie, took over as he stormed outside The Vic, while a confused Cindy called Elaine out for not following him.

Powerless, Elaine still stood her ground, urging her rival to leave her fiancé some space. But the villainess marched to the beat of her own drum and went after George.

Several nods to Cindy and George’s marriage were made throughout the episode and their palpable chemistry culminated into a tender moment in The Boxing Den at the end of the episode, as Cindy remained determined to help him in his ordeal… and George awkwardly kissed her hand.

The pair reminisced over Lucy Beale’s decade-old death with George branding the time of the tragedy as “the week that changed everything.” To which Cindy responded with: “Maybe we had to go through everything to get to this point.”, before the instalment ended with their kiss.

Meanwhile, pub landlady Elaine chatted with Patrick Trueman, who is set for a heartbreak of his own, unaware of the betrayal as viewers took to X, furious. Some soap watchers were seething as they considered George was overshadowing Albert Square legends as he has been thrown at the centre of huge storylines in recent months.

“Oh yay another storyline for George (tonight’s duff duff) on the back of baby farming, identity crisis, racist dad killed real dad, real mother being dead, adopted mother dying, underground boxing and now kissing Cindy. Ffs #EastEnders give George knight a rest, sick of him now”, one viewer penned.

The fuming soap watcher added: “He really is Mick Carter 2.0 as in getting big storylines one after the other. Yet Adam Woodyatt has had f*** all to do as Ian Beale since the big comeback storyline with him and Cindy! Stop shoving George Knight & his random relatives we don’t care about down our throats.”

Another jumped in: “this George storyline needs to end”, just as a third echoed: “not even shocked at Cindy and George bored of it now.”

“Cindy and George kissing, what a shock”, another X user sighed while a final fan quipped: “How long before George and Cindy get back together??? Can’t imagine Ian and Elaine together though lol.”

Cindy and George were once married, while the former was under protection and lived as Rose Knight. Upon his EastEnders debut last year, mentions of Cindy aka Rose were made as she was said to have walked out on George and their two daughters, Anna and Gina. For a time, Linda Carter was even convinced George knew more about Rose’s disappearance than he let on.

It was later revealed that Rose Knight was none other than Cindy Beale, who had been presumed dead for decades and when she made her own return to Albert Square, soap fans immediately believed she’d be causing trouble for George and Elaine’s relationship.