Nish Panesar (Navin Chowdhry) is about to drop a bombshell on his family in upcoming EastEnders scenes. He reveals that he is dying, but that’s not the only shock he has in store for them. Suki Panesar and girlfriend Eve Unwin (Balvinder Sopal and Heather Peace) are caught off-guard when Nish arrives on their doorstep claiming that his solicitor mistakenly sent both copies of their divorce paperwork to him. Nish hasn’t been seen since he was disowned by the wider Panesar family after they witnessed him violently attacking Suki. His sudden arrival prompts them to change the locks, but Nish is determined to find a way in. He convinces granddaughter Avani Nandra-Hart (Aaliyah James) to let him inside.
When Nish finally persuades the Panesars to listen to him, they are stunned by his admission of his impending death. However, it becomes clear that they don’t believe him. Actor Navin Chowdhry points out, “It’s an indication of what Nish is capable of that he can turn up after three months away, tell them he’s dying, and his family don’t believe a word of it. This distrust is the emotion that he’s inspired within his own family.”
Nish’s latest actions send shockwaves through the family. They quickly kick him out, but he remains adamant that he is telling the truth. He tries to reach out to both Priya Nandra-Hart and Nugget Gulati (Sophie Khan Levy and Juhaim Rasul Choudhury) to convince them. However, when Ravi Gulati sees Nish and Nugget talking, he becomes furious and shoves Nish out of the way. Nish falls and ends up needing to be rushed to the hospital.
With Nish in a bad way, the family discusses the best course of action. Suki decides to hold a vote on whether or not to let him back into the fold. Ravi is conflicted, while Nugget and Avani plead Nish’s case, unaware that another huge shock is about to unfold. As Nish has made a significant decision, shockwaves continue to run through the family. Ravi is given food for thought when Nugget points out that he would never leave his dad to die alone, no matter what he had done. Will Nish find a way to worm his way back into the Panesar family?
