WHILE Ben Mitchell struggles to cope with his rape trauma, Kheerat Panesar has given him a shoulder to lean on.
However, things take a turn in EastEnders when the troublemaker tells him the truth about his brother Jags’ death.
Ben Mitchell fails to cope with his trauma
Kheerat Panesar has given him a shoulder to lean on
But Ben’s guilt over Jags’ death is too hard to handle next week
Less than two years after his passing, Jags Panesar’s death story is to be revisited in upcoming scenes of the BBC One soap as Ben Mitchell (played by Max Bowden) gives some harrowing details about the tragedy.
Viewers may remember that Jags was beaten to death in prison in October, 2020, after getting on the wrong side of a gang behind bars.
But his family have no idea his death could have been avoided if Ben had never called off the protection that was meant for him.
Coming up, Jags’ brother Kheerat (Jaz Deol) becomes one of Ben’s main source of support as his rape continues to take a toll on his mental health.
Kheerat is surprised to see Ben, who is meant to be on leave, at The Arches and tries to offer him some words of advice.
The businessman goes even further and asks Ben’s estranged husband Callum to check in on him, worried for his well-being.
Whether the police officer will accept remains to be seen but Ben continues to spiral and eventually takes drugs to try and cope during an evening with an old school friend.
The following day, Ben wakes up in The Arches and tries to cover when Kheerat arrives, hiding the drugs from the previous night and dismissing all of Kheerat’s concerns.
But Kheerat doesn’t back away and shares some sentimental words about their friendship.
Little does he know that, meanwhile, Ben is awash with guilt over his part in Jags’ death and, self-loathing, he takes more drugs before bumping into his father Phil.
Matters get worse when Ben causes a scene at Peggy’s and, realising he is high, Kheerat takes him back to his family home, demanding his sister Ash takes a look at him.
Ben refuses their help but, again, Kheerat is just as stubborn.
The guilt is too hard to handle for Ben and he eventually tells the Panesars he killed Jags – he called off the protection he was asked to give him.
How will Kheerat react?
Could this prompt Suki, Jags’ own mother, to come clean herself?
Ben may be part of the reason why Jags was killed but he can’t be to blame for the late character being in prison in the first place.
Jags was incarcerated after he was found guilty for a robbery at Ruby’s and for attacking Martin Fowler – which he was framed for by Suki.
The scheming businesswoman didn’t support his relationship with Habiba Ahmed, due to her being Muslim and Jags being Sikh.
But by making him pay, Suki lost her son for good – along with her grandson.
With Jags in prison, Habiba decided to leave the Square shortly after his death and was pregnant with his child upon her exit.
She gave birth to a boy named Tyrion during the summer of 2021.
Is hell about to break loose at the Panesars?
Tune in to BBC One to find out.
Tensions arise at the Panesars’
How will they react to Ben’s bombshell?
