EastEnders fans ‘work out’ twist after major fan theory is seemingly ruled out

EastEnders fans are still convinced that a major character – that we all know – is Joel Marshall’s (Max Murray) mother.

The troubled teen has been forced to stay in Albert Square after it transpired that he committed a serious crime in Australia.

Joel had upskirted a pupil in his class, and Ross had paid her family $50,000 in exchange for their silence.

Unfortunately, since arriving, his behaviour has continued to spiral.

From introducing extreme adult content online to Tommy Moon (Sonny Kendall), impregnanting Avani Nandra-Hart (Aaliyah James), and sexually assaulting a passenger on the tube, dad Ross (Alex Walkinshaw) is now at a loose end with how to control him.

The problems worsened this week after Joel discovered that his mum, Cleo, was remarrying.

Now that we’d finally discovered his estranged parent’s name, it seemed to quash a huge fan theory – that Zoe Slater (Michelle Ryan) was his mother!

Up to this point, all we knew about Cleo was that she abandoned Joel as a child, and he referred to her as a ‘slapper’.

During Zoe’s 20-year absence, little has been said about what she has been up to, given her distance from mum Kat (Jessie Wallace) and years spent living in Ibiza.

Further fuel was added to the fire when Joel made an unknowing reference to one of EastEnders’ most iconic scenes.

Back in 2001, Zoe discovered that her sister Kat (Jessie Wallace) was actually her mother.

She was planning to head to Spain for a new life with their Uncle Harry (Michael Elphick), unaware that he was in fact Kat’s rapist – and therefore her father.

‘You can’t tell me what to do, you ain’t my mother!’ screamed Zoe, as Kat attempted to prevent her relocation, howling back: ‘Yes I am!’

In the present day, after an explosive row with Vicki Fowler (Alice Haig), Joel yelled out: ‘Well, you ain’t my mum, you don’t get to tell me what to do!’

Just a strange coincidence, perhaps?

Viewers are still convinced that Zoe is Joel’s mum, with one taking to X to say: ‘Hmm well I’m not convinced about this “Cleo”. It’s a double bluff. Joel’s too involved with all the Slaters not to be a Slater himself. He HAS to be Zoe’s.’

‘Joel is absolutely Zoe’s spawn! All of the women he treats like crap are gonna end up being his blood,’ said another.

A third suggested that she’d assumed the pseudonym Cleo after her departure in 2005.

A fourth fan wasn’t as convinced: ‘So Zoe isn’t Joel’s mum then after all?Good, that would have been too much of a ridiculous coincidence.’

But what do you think?