EastEnders fans predict Ned's 'affair' with Walford resident, but it's not Nicola

Newcomer Ned Hawkins (Jamie Bamber) made his debut on BBC One soap this week, arriving with the rest of Nicola Mitchell's (Laura Doddington) estranged family, including her sisters Gemma (Patricia Potter) and Jodie (Anna Constable), mum Rose (Marian McLoughlin) and Gemma's son Ryder (Felix Uff).

It is clear that Nicola and mum Rose do not get along, despite Gemma being desperate to reunite the fractured family. In Wednesday's episode (September 2), Gemma and Ned were told they could no longer stay at The Vic. However, they were soon relieved when Nicola had a change of heart and offered them a temporary stay. Soon enough, though, she learned the real reason the Hawkins had arrived in Walford: a failed insurance scam the family had tried to pull off.

With more drama to come, fans have predicted a shock affair for Ned with a Walford resident. On an EastEnders Facebook fan page, one person wrote: 'Definitely an affair coming for Ned.' Another chimed in and suggested soap legend Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean), saying: 'I can see him and Sharon.' A third penned: 'Yes!' Another also commented: '100%'.

Speaking about joining the BBC soap and stepping onto the iconic set, actor Jamie Bamber - who has starred in the likes of Beyond Paradise and US hit Battlestar Galactica - said: 'Seeing it in person for the first time was a real thrill. What struck me most is how real it feels. It doesn't feel like a television set at all. It genuinely feels like a place. Because it's so lived in and familiar, it does a lot of the work for you as an actor.' He added to The Mirror: 'I love filming in The Queen Vic because it's where so many characters and storylines collide. As Ned is new to Walford, a lot of his early scenes involve him observing people and taking everything in. The Vic is perfect for that because you get to watch the entire community interact around you.'

EastEnders airs Monday to Thursday at 7:30pm on BBC One.