Priya Nandra-Hart (played by Sophie Khan-Levy) is pregnant in EastEnders and it now looks more likely than ever that she is the woman in Max Branning’s bed during the New Year flashforward.
Naturally, the big question is who the baby’s dad will be. Some fans are already convinced they’ve worked it out, but there’s a pretty big reason why it might not be as straightforward as it seems. Let’s take a look.
Priya is pregnant in EastEnders
Tonight’s episode began with Max and Priya waking up after falling asleep together the night before. Max scrambled to get dressed before going to find Cindy, claiming he’d been out all night drinking with a client. If she believes that, she’ll believe anything!
It was the night of Cindy’s hen do and she was already flustered because nothing had been organised. So she enlisted frenemy Priya to help Gina get everything set up.
But while Cindy enjoyed all the attention, Priya was whisked away by Ravi, who sat her down at the Boxing Den and proposed to her. Priya burst into tears, claiming she was a bit overwhelmed, and promised to think about it.
The real reason for her reaction was that she was feeling incredibly guilty about her affair with Max. She went to see her lover, intending to end things.
Priya eventually returned to the party at The Vic, but told Cindy she wasn’t feeling well. She then promptly threw up all over Cindy’s perfect white outfit.
Suspecting that her sickness could be more than a bug, Priya managed to sneak away, buy a pregnancy test and return to The Vic to take it.
And as she stood holding the pregnancy test in the toilets, the result was clear. It was positive. Priya is pregnant in EastEnders.
So who is the dad of Priya’s baby?
Since early June, Priya has been sleeping with Max Branning. Despite Jean catching them recently, the pair have failed to end their affair and have continued sneaking around behind Cindy’s back.
At the same time, Ravi has been trying to rebuild his relationship with Priya. He left Walford after having a breakdown and has now returned determined to win his family, including Priya, back. However, they haven’t slept together since his return in July.
So does that mean Max has to be the father?
Well, plenty of fans seem to think so. But there’s one very important detail to remember. Priya slept with both Ravi and Max on the same day before Ravi left. That was back in late May, on the day of Vicki and Ross’ wedding.
That means if Priya is roughly three months pregnant, either man could be the father. So it looks like we’re heading for a classic who’s the daddy storyline.
The fact Priya appears to be in Max’s bed during the New Year flashforward could point towards the baby being Max’s. But could that simply be another red herring? Could it not even be Priya in the bed, with someone else actually being pregnant?
Tragedy ahead for Priya and Ravi after EastEnders’ pregnancy news?
With the revelation that Ravi actor Aaron Thirara is leaving the soap after four years, viewers are already predicting tragedy for the couple.
One theory doing the rounds is that Ravi will be the baby’s dad, only for him to die in dramatic scenes during the flashforward.
“Why do I get the feeling that Priya will realise she’s carrying Ravi’s baby but he gets killed off at the end of the year in the conclusion of the Flashforward?” suggested one on X.
“I think the baby will be Ravi’s,” agreed someone else.
“I get the feeling it will be Ravi’s and he dies at the end of the year after a final showdown with Max on NYD. That would literally be the cruellest twist in existence,” added another.
So who really is the dad? And with Priya now pregnant in EastEnders, could the answer spell heartbreak for her and Ravi?
Read more: EastEnders spoilers for next week as Priya makes a risky move