EastEnders airs shocking new Ryder Hawkins twist in early iPlayer release

EastEnders spoilers follow for Tuesday’s episode (13 October), which is available to watch now on streaming service BBC iPlayer and hasn’t yet aired on TV.

EastEnders has aired a shocking new episode, as Ryder Hawkins becomes the victim of his dad Ned’s sinister scheme. In recent episodes, Ryder told his auntie Nicola that he was gay, a secret he is keeping from the rest of his family including his parents. But Ned then spotted his son kissing another man in the Square and was displeased.

This week, as Ned slyly attempted to steer Ryder’s life in a different direction, Ryder planned to come out to his mum that evening. Meanwhile, Ned rumbled Mark and Lauren’s affair – so he used this sordid secret to ask Mark for a favour.

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In today’s episode, Ned told Mark that Ryder’s life was threatening to go down the wrong path. In a disturbing development, he asked him to scare his son and show him that the world can be a dangerous place.

Mark was horrified and immediately refused to follow Ned’s orders. Ned returned to his family in the club, and when he realised that Ryder was about to have an important chat with his mum, he gave his son some cash to have a night out with friends instead.

Ned followed Mark home, pouring them a drink and trying another tactic. He suggested that Mark isn’t bothered about his affair being made public because he hopes that Lauren will choose him over Peter.

Ned gave Mark food for thought by reasoning that if he wants Lauren to end her marriage, Mark needs to continue the affair – and said he would confirm where and when he wanted Mark to carry out the attack on Ryder.

Meanwhile, Ryder headed into the Square and spotted grieving Josh drinking by himself. Ryder offered a listening ear and the pair began to bond, before heading into The Albert for another drink.

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Ned saw his son going into the bar and texted the location details to Mark, who had been persuaded to follow these shocking orders after a chat with desperate Lauren.

As Ryder phoned his mum outside, Mark approached in a balaclava and attacked him. While Ryder fought back, Mark was too strong and he was left lying beaten in the road.

Guilty Mark returned home, while Harry rushed to the injured Ryder when he found him unresponsive and helped carry him back to No.1.

Gemma was devastated, while Ned suggested that Ryder had been attacked because he was outside a gay bar. Has Ned’s evil plan halted Ryder’s decision to come out to his family?

EastEnders airs on Mondays - Thursdays at 7.30pm on BBC One. The show also streams on BBC iPlayer, where most episodes drop early at 6am ahead of their TV broadcast.

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