Heather meets a tragic end

Heather is keen to make amends with Shirley following recent events, admitting that she can't get married without her. However, a stubborn Shirley insists that their friendship is over. Soon afterwards, Ben becomes concerned that Heather may have overheard the truth about his false police statement, as she is present at the Beale house on cleaning duties when he chats to Ian about the situation. Ben confronts Heather as he wants to know how much she heard, before leaving her stunned by admitting that he's been lying about Phil all along.

Later, Ben's worst nightmare comes true as DCI Marsden turns up at the Beale house, wanting to clarify some points in his statement. Assuming that Heather has spoken to the police about his deceit, Ben feels backed into a corner and admits to Marsden that he was lying. Marsden is forced to formally arrest Ben for perverting the course of justice.

Meanwhile, Andrew isn't happy when Heather goes looking for Shirley, and he fears that she will always come before him. The couple have been considering eloping, so Andrew tells Heather that he's leaving Walford and he'll wait in The Vic until 6pm if she wants to join him. When Heather does find her best friend, Shirley cruelly rejects her once again.

After returning to her flat, Heather receives a visit from a furious Ben, who wrongly believes that she informed Marsden of his lies. Jay turns up shortly afterwards and tries to calm things, but the situation escalates as Ben starts ransacking the flat in his rage, looking for the money that Dot gave to Heather so that he can use it to run away before Phil is released. When Heather tries to stop him, Ben lashes out in a moment of fear and desperation - grabbing a picture frame and smashing it hard across the side of her head. Tragedy strikes as she falls backwards and hits her head on the kitchen worktop. Lying lifeless on the floor, Heather is dead…

Elsewhere, Shirley promises to wait for Phil as she visits him in prison and is later delighted to hear that he'll be released, while Mandy's ex-boyfriend Alex is hoping to win her back.