EastEnders is gearing up for a blockbuster autumn and one of several major storyline strands that will kick the drama off will see the introduction of Mel Owens mysterious ex husband Ray, Metro.co.uk can exclusively reveal.
Viewers have seen Hunter attempt to make contact with Ray but very little is known about the character at this point. Brother to criminal Ciara Maguire, Ray will arrive and will be quite the smooth operator – but this is only concealing a dark edge that Mel and Albert Square should be very worried about.
So what is he after from Mel and how will this impact on her relationship with Jack Branning? And could Rays arrival push an already troubled Hunter further over the edge? Our EastEnders insider has promised that this will be the story to watch over coming months.
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They whispered to Metro.co.uk: What executive consultant John Yorke has done over the last few months is lay the groundwork for some truly big storylines – autumn is going to be huge in Walford and will see things really start to kick off and viewers will see exactly why the long game has been played to get to this point.
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The idea was to re-introduce Mel to fans who remembered her but also allow those who didnt watch during her era get to know her and get a feel for who she is and how she operates. Now that Mel is settled after overcoming her initial challenges and has secured a job and built a relationship with Jack, its time to weave in her first major storyline since her return. And it is a big one – she really shouldnt trust Ray and he will make his presence felt immediately after arriving.
Teasing more details of how the story materialises, our source added: Hunter will again make contact with Ray and it brings him to Albert Square while everything seems to be calm and going well for Mel. Hes got charm and charisma but given his family ties to Ciara, he is not to be messed with and he has an agenda.
Rays arrival will have a massive impact on Jack, Mel, Hunter and others in Walford. It will be interesting to see where he finds his place in the Square, whether he could be the next big villain and whether he might clash with other alpha males on the Square such as Phil, Jack and Max who are bound to be interested in who he is and what his game is.
Metro.co.uk approached EastEnders for informaion on the storyline but they declined to comment.
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Our source tells us that Ray will make his debut later on in the summer, and they added that it is just one of several major storylines set to materialise into the autumn and beyond.
Casting for the role of Ray is yet to be officially finalised – but you know where to come when you want more information!
If you love soap gossip, spoilers, interviews, exclusives, videos, opinions, features and more you can find all of Metro.co.uks articles on our soaps homepage. Beware, once youre there, you wont be able to stop reading!
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