In EastEnders, as Ricky (Frankie Day) and Lily Slater (Lillia Turner) get used to being parents, Jack Branning (Scott Maslen) gets a preview of what the upcoming few months will be like.

Charli’s parents are currently Lily and Ricky. These two had a difficult pregnant journey, to put it mildly. Due to their youth, Lily and Ricky had to repeatedly meet with social workers to demonstrate that they would be able to care for a baby with the support of their family.

After a restless night brought on by Charli, Lily wakes up and persuades Stacey and Eve (Heather Peace) to leave the house so she can take care of her little daughter.

Stacey agrees reluctantly, but then disaster hits when Jack witnesses Lily and Ricky playing about with the child while they are out.

Jack approaches Stacey and makes allegations; she is embarrassed and drags Lily home.

When Jean (Gillian Wright) notices Stacey and Lily acting like everything is OK during another appointment with the social worker, she advises Stacey not to be so strict with Lily and that it is better to let her make mistakes and learn from them.

Can the family adjust, though?

Or will Jack act once more, putting the Slater family under even more strain?

‘I think Stacey was always going to be hands on with Lily and the kid, but she’s even more overprotective than she would have been because she’s hiding all of those worries about Theo,’ Lacey Turner said.

“Stacey just wants to make sure Lily is supported because she knows how overwhelming it all must be,” she said. Lily is still her child, therefore she wants to do anything she can to make sure that she is not overburdened.