As if Ian Beale hasn’t had enough shocks about his family this year. In last night’s cliffhanger, Sharon Mitchell dropped the bombshell she might be his half-sister.

Ian (Adam Woodyatt) is still reeling from the revelation that his son Bobby killed his daughter Lucy.

Sharon (Letitia Dean) has been searching for clues to the identity of her biological father and after deciding her parents Den and Angie Watts must have adopted her from someone they knew on Albert Square, told Ian she thinks his father Peter Beale, may also have been her dad.

Sharon seems excited by the idea Ian could be her brother, but he is not so keen (BBC)
Sharon seems excited by the idea Ian could be her brother, but he is not so keen (BBC)

Sharon told a bewildered Ian: “I know this is going to sound crazy, but who was closer to Den than Pete? No wonder it’s a secret. Pete was Den’s best friend. Well you know what that means – my dad, my real dad, it was Pete. Which makes us brother and sister! I’m right, Ian – we’re going to do the DNA test to prove it.”

We don’t know if Sharon’s theory is right, but the pair do not begin their relationship as potential half-brother and sister very well, as they fall out over parenting in tonight’s episode.

Sharon turns to Ian after a violent row with her troublesome son Denny.

Ian calls Sharon a bad mother (BBC)
Ian calls Sharon a bad mother (BBC)

But when Sharon clashes with Ian’s wife Jane (Laurie Brett), he loses his temper and lashes out at Sharon, calling her a bad parent.

Former EastEnders scriptwriter Sarah Phelps returned to the show especially to pen the episode. Her previous storylines included Den’s return episodes in 2003 and his death in 2005.