Killer Gray gets new ammunition as he closes in on Chelsea in EastEnders

Gray Atkins (Toby-Alexander Smith) may be behind bars, but next week in EastEnders, he’s far from finished causing trouble as he gains new ammunition in his ongoing bid to stay connected to Chelsea Fox (Zaraah Abrahams) and their son Jordan (Izaiah Hagan-Brown).

Despite serving time in prison, Gray continues to pull strings from afar, and thanks to his grandmother Sheila’s growing involvement with the Fox family, he could soon have more access to her son Jordan than ever before.

The worrying storyline comes after weeks of Sheila trying to insert herself into Chelsea’s life.

This week, viewers saw Chelsea struggle financially while secretly receiving help from Sheila, something that left her deeply uncomfortable.

Although Sheila appeared eager to help, Chelsea couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more to her generosity than met the eye.

Her suspicions only grew after Sheila bought Jordan a much-needed wheelchair and hinted that she could continue supporting him financially in the future.

The situation quickly raised concerns for Kim Fox (Tameka Empson) and Howie Danes (Delroy Atkinson), who questioned where the money was coming from and why Sheila seemed so determined to stay involved.

Meanwhile, Gray was given a boost after seeing a photograph of Jordan, making it clear that he remains obsessed with knowing what’s happening in his son’s life despite being locked away.

Next week, that obsession grows even stronger.

As Denise Fox (Diane Parish) continues her treatment away from Walford, Kim finds herself carrying a difficult secret. Knowing that Sheila has been getting closer to the family, Kim worries about what Denise will think when she eventually comes home.

Jack Branning (Scott Maslen) encourages Kim to stop avoiding Denise and pay her a visit. Feeling guilty, Kim finally agrees, but when she sees her sister she keeps quiet about everything that’s been happening with Sheila.

While Kim struggles with her conscience, Gray is busy making plans from prison.

Elsewhere, Sheila secretly provides Gray with more photographs of Jordan. The images leave Gray desperate for even more, and he quickly pushes Sheila to take things a step further by obtaining videos of his son.

It’s a worrying development, especially given Gray’s history and the lengths he appears willing to go to in order to maintain a connection with his family. Back in Walford, Kim and Howie decide enough is enough and confront Sheila directly about her intentions.

However, Sheila soon proves she has her own methods of staying useful.

After overhearing Ian Beale’s (Adam Woodyatt) defence strategy at Knight Fusion, Sheila passes on the information. Her actions appear to work in her favour, earning her further access to Jordan and strengthening her position within the family’s lives.

For Kim, it’s a nightmare scenario.

Already concerned about Denise discovering the truth, she becomes increasingly worried about what her sister will return home to.

Every day that passes seems to give Sheila another opportunity to become more deeply embedded in the family’s world.

Meanwhile, Gray continues receiving updates from prison and remains determined to stay involved, no matter the consequences.

With Sheila gaining trust, Gray demanding more information and Kim struggling to keep everything under wraps, tensions are beginning to build.

The big question is whether Chelsea will realise just how much influence Gray still has from behind bars before it’s too late.