BBC EastEnders fans 'work out' Lauren Branning's baby daddy - and it's 'not Peter Beale'

EastEnders viewers on Tuesday think they may have uncovered a paternity bombshell as they caught up with Lauren Branning's (Jacqueline Jossa) unfolding pregnancy story.

In the recent instalment of the beloved BBC soap, Lauren discovered her pregnancy after conducting a test. This revelation came after she had been experiencing ill health for weeks, following a terrifying crush incident that resulted in injury.

Lauren's healthcare concerns were compounded when a doctor advised her to cut down her pain medication due to her injuries and refused to issue another prescription. Struggling with ongoing pain and daily headaches, Lauren confided in her sister-in-law Anna Knight (Molly Rainford).

Anna speculated whether Lauren's sickness could be due to pregnancy, a suggestion met with uncertainty by Lauren who knew it could be 'true'. She decided to take a pregnancy test which confirmed her suspicions.

However, before the news was shared, viewers picked up on a nuance in Lauren's exchanges with Annaparticularly her insistence that Peter "hadn't been near her" since her accident, coupled with a telling facial expression and her hasty exit from the scene, reports the Mirror.

Adding to the mystery, Lauren mentioned her irregular menstrual cycle without detailing its duration, leading fans to speculate that her pregnancy might predate her recent reunion with Peter.

Speculation is rife among fans that Peter may not be the father of Lauren's baby, suggesting it might in fact be another character. Despite some viewers casting doubt over Junior Knight as the potential dad, a significant portion believe Zack Hudson (James Farrar) could be the one, following their earlier fling this year.

Although timing could challenge this theory, with Lauren and Zack's encounter happening towards the end of April roughly seven months ago the audience remains intrigued by the developing baby storyline. One viewer took to social media platform X exclaiming: "Peter ain't been near me? ? ? Sorry don't tell me Lauren is having Zack's baby... didn't they sleep with each other MONTHS ago."

The mystery deepens as another fan pondered: "The question is how Lauren tell Zack she's pregnant and how will Zack react."

The intricacies of the plot have prompted further comments such as: "Blimey didn't Lauren use protection with Zack? " and even predictions like: "Zack's storyline will be having Lauren's baby."

Forecasts for upcoming episodes divulge that Lauren is facing hardships, confiding in her cousin Penny Branning. But it raises the question: Will Lauren reveal the truth about the baby's paternity to Peter?

EastEnders airs Monday to Thursday at 7.30pm on BBC One and available to stream on BBC iPlayer from 6am

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