WARNING: The article below is packed full of spoilers for EastEnders today, which is already available to stream on BBC iPlayer, but has yet to air on terrestrial television, in which Jasmine sets out to ruin Max.
Jasmine has left chaos in her wake since setting foot in Walford, and Tuesday’s episode (January 20) proves she is far from finished. This time, she sets her sights on yet another person’s life, with explosive consequences.
Her troubled past has never been a secret. Abandoned by Zoe as a child, Jasmine’s reunion with her birth mum has spiralled into disaster. Since arriving in the Square, she has torched a house, almost killing her boyfriend, and teamed up with Chrissie Watts in a calculated bid to tear Zoe’s world apart.
Most shockingly of all, Jasmine killed her own father, Anthony, while he was attacking Zoe, and has been hiding the truth ever since.
With Kat pushing her to give a statement, the walls are closing in. Kat believes that if Jasmine talks to the police about Chrissie, blame for Anthony’s death will fall on Chrissie and Zoe will walk free.
But Jasmine has no intention of going anywhere near the authorities, not when she is the one responsible for Anthony’s death.
The pressure becomes unbearable when Zoe decides she will plead guilty to manslaughter. Wracked with guilt, Jasmine reaches breaking point and in Monday’s episode (January 19) she made the drastic decision to run away from Walford.
Will Oscar leave the Square?
Today’s episode sees Oscar initially reject Jasmine’s offer. Having only just reconnected with his dad and sister, he is reluctant to walk away from his family so quickly.
There is also a growing sense that Jasmine is not telling him everything, especially given her sudden urgency to leave.
But a conversation with Max only makes matters worse, rubbing Oscar up the wrong way and convincing him his dad is not worth sticking around for.
In the end, Oscar agrees to Jasmine’s plan. He is even willing to crash on her friend’s sofa in Thailand. What he does not realise is that this is not a carefree getaway. Jasmine is planning a one-way trip.
Max grows suspicious when he overhears Jasmine arguing with her adoptive mum on the phone in The Vic. Realising she has no intention of coming back, alarm bells begin to ring.
Max unearths Jasmine’s lies in EastEnders
After Cindy warns him just how dangerous Jasmine can be, Max knows he has to act. He cannot let his son make a life-changing mistake.
Spotting Oscar at the fruit and veg stall, Max tells him that Jasmine is clearly running from something. Jasmine jumps to defend herself, but the confrontation quickly escalates into a blazing row.
Later, father and son share a quieter moment in the Square. Max admits he is terrified Oscar will end up heartbroken. Oscar, however, insists he loves Jasmine and believes she is worth the risk.
EastEnders: Jasmine does the unthinkable to Max
Unwilling to drop the issue, Max confronts Jasmine in The Vic. He accuses her of putting Cindy in hospital and demands to know what she is really hiding.
Jasmine knows she cannot afford to let the truth slip. Acting fast, she shoves Max hard, sending him stumbling back into the wall.
The outburst alerts Oscar and Kat and they both demand answers. Before Max can explain, Jasmine delivers a devastating lie.
She claims Max tried to kiss her, leaving him utterly stunned. Given Max’s history, he is now facing an uphill battle to clear his name, while Jasmine once again slips through the cracks.
Read more: All the biggest flaws as Jasmine reveals she killed Anthony