Looking back on Suki and Eve’s groundbreaking relationship as their EastEnders wedding day nears

EastEnders fans will be looking forward to the soap’s Christmas Day episodes, but there’s also the small matter of the New Year Day’s storyline which will – unless Nish has his way – involve Suki and Eve’s wedding.

Suki Panesar, played by Balvinder Sopal, and Eve Unwin (Heather Peace) met several years ago when they both moved to Albert Square.

Eve first appeared, shockingly for fans, as Stacey’s wife after the pair were released from prison. But it turned out to be a marriage to outwit the probation service, although Eve did move in to Number 31 with the Slaters.

Suki brought her children with her to Walford while husband Nish was serving a prison sentence for murdering a man he believed was having an affair with the Panesar’s matriarch.

In an episode aired in June 2022, Suki invites Eve over for dinner after previously confiding in her about Nish’s verbal abuse and his imminent release from prison.

During dinner, Eve wants to tell Suki that she should let her children know about Nish’s release but quickly loses her train of thought when Suki’s leg touches hers.

Eve then tells Stacey about her feelings for Suki, who, unknown to viewers for some time, has been struggling with her sexuality and pushed away any notions of liking women because of her internalised homophobia.

When Eve tell Suki that she feels a spark between them and kisses her on the cheek, Suki slaps her and demands she leaves.

But not even one month later, the pair have reconciled as friends, although Suki tells Eve that she overstepped her boundaries.

But, as they hang out at Number 41, listening to records and dancing, Suki says: “If you stay any longer, I’m gonna end up doing something stupid,” to which Eve boldly replies, “Define stupid.”

Suki then grabs Eve, pushes her into a wall and passionately kisses for the first time – delighting queer EastEnders fans.

Despite this, Suki refuses to acknowledge any kind of a relationship between them because of her heritage and what is expected of her as a wife and mother. However, by the end of the year, they are meeting secretly, including in a hotel room while supposedly away on business. Disbarred lawyer Eve had been hired by Nish who has been released from prison.

Suki’s son Vinny finds out about the affair and blackmails Suki into ending it. But the lovers are unable to resist their lingering chemistry and end up back together after a short time apart, even though Eve had become involved with another woman.

Suki is desperate to keep her secret from Nish but he finds out by viewing CCTV footage from the Minute Mart after funds are taken from the till – by Suki herself.

Nish is horrified to see the pair kissing and smashes up his corner shop in a fit of rage. He then texts Eve on Suki’s phone to lure her to a meeting. When she arrives, he tells her he knows about the affair and knocks her unconscious.

Nish drags Eve into the kitchen and orders his son Ravi to kill her. Ravi agrees, putting her in the boot of a car and driving to a secluded location. However, Eve wakes up and her life is spared under the condition that she leaves Walford for ever.

Nish and Ravi are later arrested for murder but are released when it is discovered that Eve is still alive.

During the EastEnders Christmas special last year, Nish is violent towards Ravi and Suki, leading her to leave the house and call Nish to the Queen Vic.

Suki is accompanied by five other women and in typical Enders Christmas style, a fight ends with Nish hit over the head with a champagne bottle by Denise. After he wakes from an induced coma, he cannot remember what happened. Suki tells him that Keanu Taylor (Danny Walters) attacked him.

In fact, Keanu has been killed during the pub fight, stabbed in the back by Linda Carter as he was strangling Sharon. Nish later recalls what really happened and blackmails Suki into remarrying him in exchange for his silence.

Earlier this year, it was revealed that Nish is dying of viral myocarditis and he realises that Suki will never love him so he confesses to killing Keanu – on the condition that his ex-wife does not marry Eve.

But, once Nish finds out that Eve and Suki’s wedding is back on, he stages an armed escape and has been in hiding since, biding his time to derail the wedding and the couple’s relationship once and for all.

So, what will happen next for Eve and Suki?

Eve and Suki are preparing for their joint hen do later this week, but the celebrations are cut short when the police tell them that Nish has been spotted in Walford. Suki then gets cold feet about the wedding but decides to go through with it.

Of course, the outcome has remained a closely kept BBC secret but Sopal told Metro: “There is a huge cloud hanging over this happy moment in Suki’s life, and Nish isn’t somebody to let things lie.

“Nish has the potential to totally rip that from under her feet. Everyone is bracing themselves as Nish has a vendetta.”

But, it’s someone else who unwittingly stirs up trouble first…

Suki and Eve’s EastEnders wedding airs on New Year’s Day from 10pm on BBC One and iPlayer. The Christmas Day episodes begin at 7.30pm and 10.35pm.

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