EastEnders is set to air a terrifying twist for Anna Knight, played by Molly Rainford, where she will get her drink spiked in hard-hitting and upsetting scenes.
In an upcoming episode of the BBC soap, which will air on Tuesday, July 16, Anna will find herself in danger when she gets spiked whilst on a night out at Peggy’s.
Anna’s friends believe that her behaviour is down to alcohol so the incident initially goes unnoticed. But it soon becomes clear that her antics does not equate to the little amount of alcohol she has actually consumed, leaving her loved ones concerned for her welfare.
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In a never-seen-before twist and digital first for EastEnders, an exclusive five part mini-series will be made accessible to viewers via a QR code.
It will feature within the main episode and will take the audience to a link giving them the option of which platform to watch through.
The digital series will offer a unique insight as viewers see the incident from Anna’s own perspective, and from the perspective of her friends, confirmed the BBC soap.
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They added: “As Anna grapples with her detachment from reality, viewers of the mini-series will experience the internal warning signs to look out for when spiked, whereas additional footage captured by Anna’s friends will showcase the outward effects the drugs have on her behaviour and mobility.”
EastEnders is working with leading charities Stamp Out Spiking and WithYou, as well as experts in the field, to ensure the storyline is portrayed as accurately and as sensitively as possible.
Executive Producer, Chris Clenshaw, said of the storyline: “With incidents of spiking rising at alarming rates across the UK in recent years, we chose to explore this issue with Anna Knight who represents the demographic most affected by spiking.
“It was imperative for us to work alongside organisations to accurately present, and sensitively portray this storyline, and Molly’s [Rainford] performance has thoughtfully demonstrated the dangerous realities of spiking as we look to raise awareness of the warning signs and symptoms to look out for after an individual has been spiked.”
Dawn Dines, CEO and Founder at Stamp Out Spiking added: “EastEnders is a wonderful vehicle to drive the safeguarding message and with its huge popularity amongst a wide range of the public, it will help inspire conversations to help protect men and women being targeted.
“Education is key to preventing these incidents. Stamp Out Spiking are delighted to have taken part in bringing the essential storyline to the screen.”
