EastEnders stars backed for awards as Jean Slater tries to save Sean's life

From Digital Spy

EastEnders had many viewers in tears on Friday (May 3) as Jean Slater desperately tried to save her son Sean's life.

It has been a whirlwind week since Sean (Rob Kazinsky) made a shocking reappearance in Walford last Friday, first snatching Amy Mitchell from her school and then getting into a graveside brawl with her father Jack Branning.

He eventually reunited with the Slaters, before mum Jean (Gillian Wright) convinced him to leave Walford with her even as she battled cancer. Their excursion ended badly when a suicidal Sean confessed to killing his father, just as Jean lost consciousness from a wound on her leg.

Friday's instalment thankfully picked up with Stacey (Lacey Turner) frantically arriving with an ambulance to save Jean just in time - but then the Slaters were left to talk down a distraught Sean from taking his life with a loaded gun.

"You are kind, Sean, and generous and sometimes - no, a lot of the time - you think of other people," Jean assured him.

When Sean vented that he deserved to be punished for killing his father, Jean told him: "Sean, do you think your dad was a saint? He cheated on me through our whole marriage. We all know I'm not an easy person to live with, and sometimes he needed to get away. Be with someone normal.

"So, he would do that and then he would come back. He's not the saint you thought he was… Your father broke my heart.

"And I let him because I didn't know that life could be different. I didn't think I deserved any better. But you deserve better!"

Jean then revealed to her son that Brian had a secret family that she'd kept from Sean, sharing that he had siblings that he'd never met.

She urged her son to let his past sins go once and for all, telling him: "It's about you forgiving yourself!"

His mother's love was enough to finally convince Sean to hand over the weapon. In the episode's closing scene, Jean reached out to a tearful Sean for a hug.

Friday's episode was one that resonated with so many viewers:

Although it may have appeared that Friday's episode was Rob Kazinsky's goodbye in this short stint, that's not actually the case. He will indeed be back in Monday's (May 3) episode to wrap up Sean's storyline.

The future for the fan-favourite character remains unclear, since Kazinsky recently admitted that he wasn't sure if he'd ever return to EastEnders.

"There's been times in my life where I thought I'd never come back, yet here I am," he said. "I have to say I've enjoyed every single second of it.

"I'm not sure what more there would be for Sean, but as long as Stacey and the Slaters are there, there's always a reason for Sean to return, but you don't know what's going to happen in the future. "It's been ten years and I love this character, these people, this place, so never say never."

EastEnders continues on Monday (May 6) at 8pm on BBC One.

We would encourage anyone who identifies with the topics raised in this article to reach out. Organisations who can offer support include Samaritans on 116 123 (www.samaritans.org), and Mind on 0300 123 3393 (www.mind.org.uk). Readers in the US are encouraged to contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 1-800-273-8255 or visit the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

Read more news, spoilers and gossip on our EastEnders homepage

Digital Spy Soap Scoop video – hit play below for all the latest EastEnders spoilers, as Louise discovers that she's pregnant and Ben causes trouble for Rainie and Max.

Want up-to-the-minute soaps news, spoilers and gossip on your social feeds? Just hit 'Like' on our Digital Spy Soaps Facebook page and 'Follow' on our @soapscoop Twitter account.

('You Might Also Like',)

• Loose Women's Stacey Solomon celebrates her "extra fold tummy lines" in bikini holiday snap

• The Chase sees one of the "best teams ever" trounce The Sinnerman to win £60k

• Slender Man movie reportedly cut several major scenes fearing a backlash