EastEnders airs worrying Amy update as Craig uses sinister new tactic

EastEnders has aired a new development in Amy Mitchell's grooming storyline as Craig Ingram has used a vile tactic to keep her close. The BBC soap has been exploring a grooming storyline with teenager Amy and sacked cop Craig.

As the pair had sex for the first time in yesterday's scenes, Amy was feeling uneasy and went silent on Craig before leaving him a voicemail, telling him their encounter had been "nice".

A worried Denise Fox checked in on Amy, making sure Jack's daughter wasn't holding a grudge after the twosome's tense conversation.

"We're okay, I promise," Amy said, "As long as you're going to chemo tomorrow."

Amy made Denise promise she would continue treatment, adding: "I'm not a little girl anymore."

An exhausted Denise asked Amy to tell her "anything" to take her mind off her cancer diagnosis, to which Amy 'fessed up to having slept with her boyfriend. Denise knows Amy is seeing someone, but the teen had made it sound like she's dating a boy her age.

Amy admitted she was feeling unsure about the encounter and asked Denise if it was okay to wait before having sex again, with Denise reassuring her.

"Darling, it's your body," Denise said, reminding Amy that whoever didn't respect her boundaries wasn't the right boyfriend for her. Amy then asked Denise not to tell her partner Jack, to which Denise reluctantly agreed.

After receiving a text from Craig, Amy dashed off to meet up with him. She told him she'd rather wait before having sex again as she wanted to get to know him better, but Craig guilt-tripped her.

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The ex-police officer first said he was worried Amy would throw "some wild accusations", then accused her of wanting to break up with him.

"I'm going to give you the space that you've asked for," he said angrily, urging her to make up her mind and get out the car.

At home, Amy and Jack had a heart-to-heart about Denise's donor falling through. When Amy tried to comfort Jack, telling him it was okay to cry, he reacted defensively.

"I don't need a lecture from you about emotions, all right?" he snapped at her. "This ain't Instagram."

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A disheartened Amy then reached out to Craig, apologising to him and asking if she could stay over that night.

"I forgive you," Craig texted back. "See you soon."

Will Amy confide in Denise about seeing Craig? And what will Jack do when he finds out?

EastEnders has been working on Amy's grooming storyline with support from Barnardo's and End Violence Against Women, with support and information available via their websites.

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.