CHANTELLE Atkins hatches a plan to leave her abusive husband Gray next week in EastEnders after months of torture in lockdown.
The BBC One soap’s domestic abuse storyline has been unravelling over the past year, with it all coming to a head when Gray – who is played by Toby-Alexander Smith – raped his wife earlier this year after she miscarried their baby.
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Viewers have watched in horror as Chantelle supported her abusive husband through therapy sessions as he promised to stop abusing her – even breaking down in tears as he opened up about the abuse he had suffered at the hands of his father.
But next week’s episodes of EastEnders will see Chantelle finally realise she needs to break free from Gray’s clutches after months of torture during lockdown.
The upcoming scenes will see her organise to meet with one of Gray’s rival law firms to seek out the best divorce lawyer.
But the hairdresser is gutted when she realises it’s going to be expensive.
Meanwhile, Gray continues to try and control his wife’s every move and installs a tracking app to Chantelle’s phone and takes her credit card.
Later, Chantelle meets with Kheerat to ask if he can lend her money.
When the trading standards pay the Panesar’s a visit to check on Kheerat’s affairs, Suki lets slip that it was Gray who reported them and suggests that Kheerat cut Chantelle and the Atkins family off for good.
But later in the week, Kheerat gives Chantelle as much money as he can despite his own financial troubles.
When Kheerat asks her what she needs the money for, Chantelle admits she needs the money for a divorce.
As he promises to help her, the pair share a moment.
Later, Chantelle hatches a plan to escape with the kids while Gray heads off to work.
But will Gray realise what she’s up to before she manages to get free?
EastEnders fans have been predicting that Chantelle and Kheerat will have an affair for months after noticing their chemistry – and that he’ll save her from her abusive marriage to Gray.
Tension between the pair came to a head when a power cut trapped Chantelle alone with Kheerat at the Panesars’ call centre.
But Chantelle was more worried about how Gray would react if he found out she was alone with Kheerat and rushed off.
Will Chantelle give into her feelings for Kheerat now she’s decided to leave Gray?
