Joel in the cafe in EastEnders

Troubled Joel Marshall is a cause for concern (Picture: BBC/Jack Barnes)
Joel Marshall (Max Murray) gives Tommy Moon (Sonny Kendall) some troubling advice in EastEnders next week.

The Albert Square newcomer has made quite the impact since he arrived from Australia last month.

Alongside dad Ross (Alex Walkinshaw) and his partner Vicki Fowler (Alice Haig), the trio came with a lot of baggage.

Vicki told her half-sister Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean) that Ross had amounted a series of debts from his divorce settlement, and wanted to borrow $50,000.

The shocking truth was soon exposed when father and son sat down – and Joel was warned not to land himself in any more hot water. They were his debts!

Joel has also slotted himself into the lives of the Walford youth, flirting with the girls and defending Amy Mitchell’s (Ellie Dadd) house from drug dealers at a party.

He also convinced Tommy that while having an AI friend was ok, he probably didn’t need it anymore as he was in his life.

In upcoming scenes, he grows closer to troubled Avani Nandra-Hart (Aaliyah James), and her dad Ravi Gulati (Aaron Thiara) is less than impressed.

Joel and Avani chat in the cafe in EastEnders

He and Avani grow closer (Picture: BBC/Jack Barnes)
Priya and Amy have a conversation in EastEnders

Priya implores Amy to keep quiet about the outcome of Avani’s complaint (Picture: BBC/Kieron McCarron)
She’s had a horrific month, having been strip searched by police and then turning to smoking weed in a bid to try and forget the incident.

To make matters worse, her mum Priya’s (Sophie Khan Levy) complaint wasn’t escalated, and she was told that the only way it would be taken more seriously would be if Avani supported it herself.

After a pep talk from Yolande Trueman (Angela Wynter), she bravely went back to the police station.

Despite that, Jack Branning (Scott Maslen) contacts Priya next week to tell her that the complaint has been dropped.

She fears for her daughter’s state of mind, and decides not to tell her. Priya even implores Amy to keep quiet, but with her and Avani’s friendship back on track, it soon outs.

Priya heads to the station to make another complaint, but the situation escalates and Callum Highway (Tony Clay) is forced to intervene.

Ravi and Priya have drinks in Harry’s Barn in EastEnders

A night out with Ravi turns disastrous (Picture: BBC/Kieron McCarron)
Tommy walks through the square with Joel in EastEnders

Tommy is given some worrying advice (Picture: BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron)
Avani is hurt and upset, and Priya agrees that she can invite her friends over for the night. Amy, Denzel (Jaden Ladega) and Nugget (Juhaim Rasul Choudhury) gather, with Joel and Tommy following.

The boys are armed with a bottle of vodka, and start to knock it back. As the teens become drunk, Tommy falls victim to teasing from his peers due to a lack of experience with girls.

Joel then offers him some worrying words of wisdom. What has he advised?

At the bar, Priya is fuelled with rage when she sees Callum and his workmates, and Ravi has to stop her from lashing out.

Avani speaks with her drug dealer as Joel interjects in EastEnders

Joel chips in for more of Avani’s drugs (Picture: BBC/Jack Barnes)
Barney looks annoyed in EastEnders

Barney is furious when Joel and Tommy gatecrash (Picture: BBC/Jack Barnes)
When she wakes the next morning, she’s severely hungover and has to take responsibility for her poor behaviour by apologising to Callum.

Avani is shocked by her mum’s actions and decides to meet up with her dealer Declan (Alfie Cain).

He refuses to give her some marijuana for free, with Joel stepping in to pay for it. The two then arrange a get-together to smoke it.

Later, Avani has an afternoon with her pal Barney Mitchell (Lewis Bridgeman), when she invites Joel and Tommy to join them.

Barney interrupts a conversation between Avani and Joel in EastEnders

Joel makes it his mission to get in the way (Picture: BBC/Kieron McCarron)
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Barn’ is hurt that she didn’t ask him, and even more so when Joel makes a derogatory comment about Avani when she’s out of the room.

Joel sees red and convinces Avani that Barney is the reason they’ve fallen out, and she storms out.

However, as the night comes to a close, she and Joel meet back up to share the weed and he makes a move on her.

Is Avani making a huge mistake by mixing with Joel?