EastEnders’ Nicola Mitchell actress Laura Doddington has revealed emotional scenes ahead on the BBC soap next week as her character goes into labour prematurely
Emotional scenes will take their toll on one EastEnders favourite next week.
Pregnant Nicola Mitchell is left distressed as she goes into premature labour. The character initially experiences pains and tries to keep them to herself.
After a visit to the hospital she heads back to Walford, but soon after a row with Penny Branning, the character is rushed to hospital where she gives birth to a baby girl.
Sadly Nicola is not allowed to see her baby daughter due to an infection, while the baby’s father, George Knight, is on hand to support her. Actress Laura Doddington has said we will see a more vulnerable side to her character as the episodes air, with Nicola left “broken”.
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Laura said: “It takes a significant toll on her, and we see a real vulnerability in her, compared to her usually combative and protective parenting style. This week, the emotional strain and the inability to see her baby leave her broken, and the situation becomes heartbreaking for her, especially knowing that everyone else can see the baby while she cannot.”
It all begins at the start of the week, when Nicola hides the concerns about her unborn child that she’s facing. Laura explained: “She is incredibly distracted because she hasn’t felt the baby move, something that she initially keeps to herself.
“With the Knight Fusion launch being an important moment for George, she wants to support him and avoids raising his worries while trying to manage her own.” After admitting her fears she gets checked over before being allowed to leave.
Back in Walford there’s a moment where Nicola supports pregnant Penny after a run-in with Suki Panesar. Laura said: “From Nicola’s perspective, she was simply trying to speak with Penny when Suki interrupted, which infuriates her!
“Her opinion of Suki is already low given the recent issues involving Ravi and Harry. With Penny in the early stages of pregnancy, Nicola understands the anxieties that come with that experience.
“She also has a soft spot for Penny, who has supported Harry throughout his recent rehabilitation.” But soon Nicola realises Penny’s baby could be her son Harry’s, and not Vinny Panesar’s.
Laura revealed: “Nicola wants clarity as soon as possible on whether the baby is Harry’s. She’s incredibly protective over him and carries guilt about what he has been through.
“She also feels she has fallen short as a mother, so if the baby is his, she wants to support him from the outset. Harry has hinted that he does want children and is beginning to think seriously about his future. With Harry and Gina still early in their relationship, she feels it’s important to establish the truth now rather than risk a more painful revelation later, once they have invested more in their future together.”
It’s during a confrontation about this with Penny that Nicola is overcome with pains, and eventually learns she is in labour. Laura shared: “Nicola is used to dealing with things on her own and doesn’t want to burden George with any additional worries.
“She is already dealing with loads of concerns that she wants to keep to herself, convincing herself they may not be serious. Having experienced false labour with both Harry and Barney, part of her also believes the pains could simply be another false alarm.”
Teasing what will happen for George and Nicola now that their daughter has arrived, Laura added: “I think they will make an excellent team, as they bring different energies and moral standings that complement each other. They have open and honestly conversations with each other, addressing things head on rather than avoiding them and they have learned from their previous parenting experiences.”
EastEnders airs Mondays to Thursdays at 7:30pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. * Follow Mirror Celebs and TV on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .
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