Dean Wicks frames Jean Slater for horrifying crime in EastEnders

JEAN Slater has been dedicated to making sure Jade Green is settled in Albert Square, despite knowing her father Dean Wicks is no good.

The EastEnders villain makes sure the cleaner gets blamed for one of his crimes to isolate and keep his teen daughter by his side.

Jade Green returned to Walford in late 2023, shortly after her treacherous father Dean Wicks (played by Matt Di Angelo) made his own comeback to the fictional borough, ahead of Halloween.

Since she has come back to the Square, Jade (Elizabeth Green) has been looked after by Dean and by Jean Slater (Gillian Wright) who was particularly friendly with her mother Shabnam Masood and paternal grandmother, Shirley Carter.

Due to her wanting to take care of Jade in Shabnam and Shirley’s absences, Jean has somewhat agreed to stay cordial with Dean but tensions continue to emerge between the pair next week on BBC One.

Jean was recently warned by Linda Carter (Kellie Bright) who told her that Dean was not as good as he makes himself out to be – and she could get proof of Dean’s villainous nature next week.

Coming up, despite the aura of conflict, Dean leaves Jean in charge of Jade after a reporter from the Walford Gazette requests an interview with him.

However, Dean is unable to catch a break as Johnny Carter (Charlie Suff) interrupts the interview, offering to give a character reference on Dean.

Johnny made it clear that he was ready to take Dean down for his mother Linda’s 2014 rape.

Can Dean stop Johnny from exposing his past?

Meanwhile, Jean and Jade are alone in Dean’s home and the cleaner presses the teen for answers.

She soon discovers that Dean has been administrating her medication and finds the empty pill cases.

Later on, Dean arrives home as Jean is attempting to take Jade back to the Slaters, but he thinks on his feet and puts the blame on her.

How will Jean react?

Could she believe his claims that she tampered with Jade’s medication?

Could Dean’s gaslighting have a horrific impact on Jean, who was diagnosed with bipolar disorder several years ago?

Regular viewers of the London-based program will remember that Dean is actually guilty of tampering with Jade’s antibiotics.

Jade has been taking antibiotics after she received a lung transplant a handful of weeks ago due to her cystic fibrosis leaving her gravely ill.

The villain stooped to this new low after finding out that Jade was getting ready to leave the country to go to Pakistan with her mother.

Desperate to be in her life and have his daughter all to himself, Dean believed that making her ill could make Jade more likely to stick around in Albert Square as her health wouldn’t allow her to travel.

But could someone figure out what he has been up to?

Will Jean realise that Dean is playing her?

EastEnders airs from Monday to Thursday at 7.30pm on BBC One.