Background and production
In July 2024, it was announced that BBC soap opera EastEnders would a air storyline where Anna Knight (Molly Rainford) would get her drink spiked during a night out at Peggy's Nightclub in the episode airing on 16 July 2024. [1] [2] It was teased that the incident would initially be unnoticed and Anna's friends would believe that her behaviour is due to drinking alcohol, but they would later become concerned when they realise that her behaviour "does not equate" to the small amount of alcohol she has actually drunk. [1] [3] It was also announced that the episode would feature a QR code that would allow viewers to view an exclusive five part BBC mini-series, Spiked, that would show the incident happening from the viewpoints of Anna and her friends, with viewers choosing which platform to watch from (Tiktok, Facebook and Instagram). [1] It was the first time that EastEnders had done this, and it was reported that the series would show the effects the spiking has on Anna in addition to the internal warning signs of being spiked. [1] The BBC Controller of Youth Audience Fiona Campbell said that that QR code in the episode, which had never been done before in EastEnders, would allow the storyline to reach a wider audience, including "those most affected by spiking", which she called a plot that has "great public relevance". [1] She added, "EastEnders is one of the BBC's highest performing shows for young audiences and driving its awareness on short form video platforms where these audiences find much of their daily content diet is a priority for us". [1] Prior to the episode's broadcast, British government ministers had been calling for drink and needle spiking to be made a special criminal offence amid the "growing epidemic around drink spiking". [4]
"With incidents of spiking rising at alarming rates across the UK in recent years, we chose to explore this issue with Anna Knight who represents the demographic most affected by spiking. It was imperative for us to work alongside organisations to accurately present, and sensitively portray this storyline, and Molly's performance has thoughtfully demonstrated the dangerous realities of spiking as we look to raise awareness of the warning signs and symptoms to look out for after an individual has been spiked."
EastEnders worked with the charities Stamp Out Spiking and WithYou, in addition to experts in the matter, to make sure that the storyline was portrayed in a sensitive and accurate way. [3] Dawn Dines, CEO and Founder of Stamp Out Spiking, praised the plot and believed that it would spark conversations to protect people from being targeted, adding, "Education is key to preventing these incidents. Stamp Out Spiking are delighted to have taken part in bringing the essential storyline to the screen". [1] Lead Clinical Pharmacist at WithYou Abie Wilson thanked the soap for working with them on the "important" storyline and urged anyone affected to access support. [1] She also noted how Anna was brought to safety by her friends, explaining, "we always advise being with people you trust and who will look out for you when partying". [1] Further details about the storyline were released later that month, including its aftermath. [5] It was revealed that Anna would not want to report the matter to the police and that her boyfriend, Bobby Beale (Clay Milner Russell), would try to help her but "accidentally puts his foot in", leading to Freddie Slater (Bobby Brazier) trying to help the two. [5] Anna later decides to tell her father, George Knight (Colin Salmon), what has happened. [5]
23-year-old Rainford was pleased when she was told about the storyline as she knew many people that had been spiked, including her friends, adding, "This happens to people my age [...] I shouldn't feel lucky that it hasn't happened to me". [6] She was also glad that she could warn viewers about the dangers of spiking. [6] Rainford explained that she knew many people who had been in Anna's position and thought it was scary for young people, particularly women, adding, "We should never feel like we can't go and have fun on a night out". [7] Rainford said that being part of the storyline was really insightful for her and believed that it was important as it showed viewers what to look out for if the situation occurs as it could "happen to anyone". [7] Regarding the digital series, Rainford believed that it was "really clever" to show the events from different characters' as it highlighted how quickly the spiking changes the events of the night, and she noted how people usually take pictures and videos during nights out. [7]
In an interview with Inside Soap , Rainford explained that during the night out, Anna feels safe as she is with people she knows but she is confused as she has suddenly gone from sober to really drunk, and she is also scared as she becomes very confused by her surroundings. [7] Revealing the aftermath, the actress explained that Anna would wake up in hospital and feels scared but also blames herself for being spiked, which Rainford called a "very common misconception"; she also added that Anna is scared of going out again, which Rainford believed nobody should feel like. [7] Anna is initially wary about telling her father as she does not want to burden him as he has been through a lot. [7] The episode also sees Anna questioned over her relationship with Bobby by her sister, Gina Knight (Francesca Henry); Rainford explained that Anna is frustrated that she keeps having to justify her relationship despite it being proved that Bobby is a "good guy". [7] Rainford also explained that Anna is a bit worried that Bobby is not responding to her attempts to invite him on her night out, but she added that Anna likely thinks that Bobby is just trying to be "more cool about everything" by not responding. [7] Rainford added that an unwell and stressed Anna later gets stressed with Bobby, who wants to "make sense" of the situation, and she turns to Freddie instead as she wants someone to listen to her and not question how she feels, though she believed that Bobby meant well. [7]
The episode aired on 16 July 2024. [8] [4] It was released on BBC iPlayer earlier in the day. [9] The episode was also set in the countryside. [9]
The episode also features the continuation of Jane Beale's (Laurie Brett), who had returned at the end of the previous episode and had not been seen on the soap since her second departure in 2017. [9] [10] Jane was revealed to be the person that Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt) had been secretly meeting with. [9] Brett believed that her surprise return was a shock to viewers and teased that her scenes would "intense, exciting and emotional". [10] The actress said that she was nervous on her first day back on set and was unsure if she knew how to play Jane again, but her worries "melted away" when she saw "familiar faces" cast and crew members that she knew from her original stints that were welcoming towards her. [10] EastEnders executive producer Chris Clenshaw had told Brett about Jane's return storyline, which convinced the actress to return to the soap. [10] She was excited to work with Woodyatt and Thomas Law (Peter Beale) again, and noted that Law was now taller than her as she had worked with him when he was a child. [10] Brett had previously worked in Woodyatt in a play after her EastEnders departure and said that she finds working him easy as they have a "have a sixth sense of where we are going with our scenes". [11] Brett was also excited to work with Clay Milner Russell, who portrays Jane's adoptive son, Bobby Beale. [10] [9] She explained that when Jane sees Bobby, it is "almost like an out-of-body experience for her", adding, "The whole world stops, and all she can see is him. Her heart is exploding with love, and everything else fades to black". [11] Brett called it a "beautiful" scene and believed that some of the scenes in the episode would make people cry, adding, "No matter what Bobby has done to Jane in the past, a mother will always forgive". [11]
The episode includes a showdown between Jane and Cindy Beale (Michelle Collins), which was teased beforehand in spoilers; [11] both had been married to Ian and Jane had helped raise Cindy's children, but the two women had never met prior to that point. [10] [9] Back in 2014, Jane had covered up Bobby's killing of Cindy and Ian's daughter Lucy Beale (Hetti Bywater). [12] Brett believed that what Jane did that night was "unfathomable" but acknowledged that she been a great mother to Cindy's children before that. [11] The actress believed that there is a lot of drama between Cindy and Jane but added, "they are both mothers - funnily enough, of the same children - and most mothers would do anything for their kids". [11] Brett explained that Cindy is angry at Jane, but Cindy is also lashing out as she feels guilty that she was not there; Brett added that both characters know they have both made mistakes and thus it is "complex". [10] The actress also added, "Jane is sideswiped by Cindy, but she's also a bit indignant, thinking, 'What are you doing in my house?' Seeing Cindy is almost like seeing a ghost for Jane. Jane's head is spinning, which is only natural, given how bizarre this situation is." [11] Brett was excited to work with Collins and they enjoyed working together as they are similar offscreen, with Brett adding, "Michelle is nothing like Cindy, and I'm nothing like Jane, but we are very similar creatures to each other in many different respects", and revealed that the pair kept "getting the giggles". [10] Brett compared the "old school" dynamic between Cindy and Jane to former EastEnders characters Peggy Mitchell (Barbara Windsor) and Pat Butcher (Pam St Clement). [10] The end of the episode sees Ian threaten to end his relationship to Cindy. [9]