The foundations of Suki Panesar-Unwin’s carefully constructed world have crumbled, leaving her isolated and branded a pariah by the very family she fought so fiercely, often manipulatively, to protect. At the heart of this dramatic implosion lies the secret pregnancy and subsequent termination of young Avani Nandra-Hart, a decision that has sent shockwaves through the Panesar and Gulati households, exposing deep-seated betrayals and shattering familial bonds.
The whirlwind of events began when Avani (Aaliyah James) discovered she was pregnant, the father being the manipulative Joel Marshall (Max Murray). Terrified by the prospect of raising Joel’s child and burdened by the weight of her predicament, Avani confided in her best friend, Barney Mitchell (Lewis Bridgeman), expressing her firm desire for an abortion. Her attempts to research clinics, however, were not as discreet as she had hoped, quickly falling under the watchful eye of her step-grandmother, Suki Panesar-Unwin (Balvinder Sopal).
Suki, ever the strategist and controller, saw an opportunity to insert herself into Avani’s life in a profound way, though her motives were complex and ultimately self-serving. Despite Avani’s steadfast resolve to terminate the pregnancy, Suki began to subtly, then overtly, pressure the teenager, even asserting that this might be her only chance to have a child. Avani, however, remained determined to take control of her own body and her future, preparing herself to open up to her mother, Priya (Sophie Khan Levy), and father, Ravi Gulati (Aaron Thiara), about her ordeal and her decision.
The situation escalated dramatically at the abortion clinic. Instead of supporting Avani’s autonomous choice or respecting her privacy, Suki dealt a truly troubling and manipulative offer: she would raise the child herself, alongside her unsuspecting wife, Eve Unwin (Heather Peace). This audacious proposition, made without any consultation with Eve, demonstrated Suki’s alarming propensity for control and her desire to shape the lives of those around her, regardless of their own wishes or the profound implications for others.
When Eve inevitably discovered Suki’s shocking plan, her reaction was one of pure, unadulterated fury. Eve, known for her strong moral compass and her protective instincts, was appalled by Suki’s unilateral decision, particularly one that would so drastically alter their lives without her consent. Yet, in a testament to the depth of her love for Suki and her inherent empathy, Eve gradually warmed to the idea of being a parent, a role she hadn’t seriously considered before. This glimmer of hope for a shared future, however, was quickly overshadowed by her acute awareness of Avani’s deteriorating physical and mental health. Eve could see the immense pressure Suki was exerting and understood that the decision to carry the pregnancy to term had to be Avani’s, and Avani’s alone. After a heartfelt and crucial conversation, where Eve genuinely supported Avani’s right to choose, the teenager ultimately went ahead with the abortion.
The quiet, private resolution of Avani’s pregnancy was soon shattered by a public, explosive revelation. Avani and Eve bravely decided to reveal the truth to an enraged Ravi and Priya, who were already reeling from the news. Adding another layer of unbearable tension, Suki walked in just as the confession reached its peak, immediately becoming the focal point of the family’s collective fury and betrayal.
In the aftermath, Ravi, typically hot-headed and fiercely protective of his daughter, implored Avani to tell him the father’s identity. Priya, however, with a clearer grasp of the potential dangers and complications, reassured her daughter that Joel needn’t know if she didn’t wish him to. Meanwhile, a desperate Suki attempted to salvage her crumbling standing within the family. In a surprising act of apparent self-sacrifice, she told Ravi she was prepared to remortgage the Slaters’ house to pay off the substantial debts he owed at Walford East, a last-ditch effort to appease him and perhaps buy her way back into his good graces.
But for once, Ravi was rendered speechless, the depth of his anger and disappointment overwhelming any financial incentive. He had absolutely nothing to say to his step-mother, other than delivering the most cutting insult imaginable: comparing her to his wicked, late father, Nish Panesar. This comparison, invoking the ghost of a man notorious for his manipulation, criminality, and emotional abuse, signified the absolute nadir of Suki’s relationship with Ravi. It was a declaration that she was, in his eyes, just as poisonous and destructive as the man who had tormented his family for years. Regardless of Suki’s offer, it was already too late; an order to wind up Walford East had already been issued, sealing Ravi’s fate and deepening his despair.
In her desperation, Suki then attempted to shift the blame onto Eve, accusing her of being irresponsible for taking a child to have such a major medical procedure without her parents’ knowledge. This move further alienated Eve and solidified the Panesar family’s disgust.
Adding another layer of complexity to the family’s struggles, Avani had recently celebrated her 16th birthday on screen, a milestone Ravi had promised to make lavish despite his mounting monetary issues. These financial woes had plunged him into a dangerous world of drug dealing. When Kojo Asare (Dayo Koleosho) flushed £50,000 worth of drugs Ravi planned to deal down the toilet, a desperate Ravi turned to Harry Mitchell (Elijah Holloway) for damage control. Harry, leveraging his connections, promised Avani exclusive use of the nightclub for her party, a temporary solution that seemed to appease her. However, that very night, Ravi grimly informed Harry that he now had to repay the debt by pushing narcotics on his behalf, pulling Harry deeper into his dangerous criminal enterprise, all motivated by his flawed attempts to provide for his daughter.
The tension finally snapped when Priya, unable to contain her righteous fury, strode into the room and slapped Suki across the face, branding her unequivocally as ‘poison’. Having delivered her definitive judgment, Priya then chased after Ravi, who, consumed by rage, was on a warpath to find Joel Marshall. In the chaotic absence of her parents and Suki’s immediate family, Avani began to bleed. Suki, despite the animosity, had no choice but to take her to the hospital. There, in a moment of vulnerability, Avani confessed her profound guilt, believing her physical ill health was a divine punishment for having a termination.
Meanwhile, a blissfully unaware Ravi launched a verbal assault on Joel. When Joel’s father, Ross (Alex Walkinshaw), callously suggested that Avani may have slept with someone else—or multiple people—Ravi saw red, the implication of his daughter’s promiscuity further infuriating him. Ross’s only saving grace was the timely news that reached Priya: Avani had been hospitalised. This urgent update sent both Ravi and Ross scrambling, diverting Ravi’s violent intentions. Later, compounding Avani’s emotional distress, Joel, in a callous display of irresponsibility, branded her ‘weak and stupid’ for making the decision without him, adding insult to injury.
The culmination of Suki’s manipulative actions and their devastating ripple effect came home to roost. At the end of the harrowing day, Suki returned to find her entire immediate family—Eve, her son Vinny (Shiv Jalota), and her grandson Nugget (Juhaim Rasul Choudhury)—packing their bags. They were so utterly disgusted by her behaviour, her relentless deceit, and her profound betrayal that they could no longer bear to be under the same roof. For Eve, the pain ran deepest. Suki had, through her manipulative plan to raise Avani’s child, opened Eve up to the unimaginable hurt of believing that she could one day be a mother, only to have that hope cruelly dashed by Suki’s self-serving actions and subsequent attempts to shift blame. Eve tearfully declared that she didn’t know what was left of their marriage, implying that the trust and love that once bound them had been irrevocably shattered.
Suki Panesar-Unwin, once a formidable matriarch who commanded fear and respect, now stands truly alone, disowned by her family and facing the stark reality of her poisoned bonds. The question looms large: Is this the definitive end of “Sukeve,” and how will Suki navigate a Walford where she has alienated everyone she holds dear, left to confront the ruins of her own making?
