EastEnders: next week's disaster is unmissable, says Tilly Keeper

The BBC1 soap has yet to reveal what the upcoming set-piece event will be, although fans have been told that the neighbourhood will be thrown into chaos following the incident and that the residents will be rallying together to help those in need.

Keeper - who plays Louise Mitchell - wouldn't confirm whether she herself would be in the thick of the action, although the 19-year-old will be on screen at the 2017 National Television Awards, where she is a nominee in the Best Newcomer category.

Asked to name a highlight from her debut year on EastEnders, the actress said: "Working with Dame Barbara Windsor - I didn't think I'd ever be able to do that. And the Mitchell storyline has been really emotional for me. I think Steve McFadden has knocked it out of the park. He's such an amazing actor and someone we all look up to."

In recent months, Louise has been seen being a source of support for best friend Bex, who faced anxiety about whether or not to lose her virginity to boyfriend Shakil. And Keeper added that she thought EastEnders was well placed to tackle such issues of relevance to teenagers:

"The show is good at highlighting social problems that parents might feel too awkward to address. So, the teenage characters are able to bring to light problems that an older generation might not even be aware of. It gives issues like sexting and losing your virginity a platform in a fictional setting."

As for what Keeper hopes for own character, she stated that she wants to become a full-on femme fatale: "When she's older, I'd like Louise to have an arc like Ronnie Mitchell's.

"I'd like for her to have that kind of power and be a businesswoman on the Square. The interesting thing about Ronnie was that she was strong, but she also had her vulnerabilities. And I think that's true of Louise too."

You can watch a 60-second rundown of next week's episodes of EastEnders below

And visit our dedicated EastEnders page for all the latest news, interviews and spoilers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHw7MWJFKsE