EastEnders airs blackmail horror for Denzel Danes in cruel Craig Ingram twist in early BBC iPlayer release

Denzel Danes (Jaden Ladega) has experienced his worst nightmare in EastEnders.

Last week, the teenager made one final attempt at wooing ex-girlfriend Amy Mitchell (Ellie Dadd) by sending her a shirtless picture. She jokingly replied asking whether that was all he had to offer her - and he mistook this as flirting.

Egged on by best pal Davinder "Nugget" Gulati (Juhaim Rasul Choudhury), he then took a series of nudes and sent them to her. It didn't take long for vile Craig Ingram (Matthew James-Bailey) to discover the snaps on her phone, having asked victim Amy to prove her loyalty to him by handing over her phone.

She vehemently denied his claims that there was still a romantic interest in Denzel, and while she wasn't looking, he forwarded the photos to himself.

Later, on Bridge Street, Denzel received a demand for £1,000. Amy said that she hadn't sent on his photos and had no idea who was blackmailing him, while also encouraging him to ignore the text.

In today's episode, Craig reaffirmed his request and said the clock was ticking. Denzel had until the end of the day to find the cash, or his family would receive the photos.

Nugget could see that he wasn't himself, and offered to try and take some money from the Minute Mart to help him. While the lads raided the cash box, Yolande Trueman (Angela Wynter) walked in and demanded an explanation.

If there's anyone on Albert Square who can provide some guidance without judgement, it's Denzel's Aunty Yo'. She was appalled to hear that he'd sent such intimate photographs of himself, though advised that he should try and gain control of the situation and tell his parents.

Before he could do anything, dad Howie (Delroy Atkinson) approached and guided him back to the Fox-Trueman house to present him with a signet ring.

Pure gold, Denzel knew that this could be pawned to make up the £1k.

Amy warned him against it, though poor Denzel wasn't prepared to take the risk. Later that day, as the family gathered at the Container Junction, he celebrated the ordeal being over after transferring the cash.

Craig was watching from afar, and despite receiving the money, was furious to see Amy spending time with him. He began to tear strips off her, and after she stormed off, send the photos to Howie and wife Kim Fox-Danes (Tameka Empson) anyway.

The floor fell from beneath Denzel's feet as everyone spotted the nude pictures.

Will Amy realise that Craig is behind the awful act?

Read more:

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• EastEnders star teases "fire and carnage" when Penny Branning's baby paternity secret is revealed
• EastEnders favourite Balvinder Sopal teases Ash return is "grenade" to the Panesar family unit this autumn
• EastEnders announces hard-hitting Amy Mitchell storyline as BBC soap works with charities

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Authors

Michael Adams is the Soaps Editor at Radio Times, covering all of the hot gossip and spoilers from Weatherfield to Walford, Emmerdale to Hollyoaks and everywhere in-between. He joined the team from Metro, where he spent two years as a Soaps Reporter and previously worked on the sets of both Coronation Street and Emmerdale.