EastEnders has announced a major new child sexual abuse storyline involving Danny Dyer's Mick Carter.
The plot was revealed in tonight's episode and will see Mick come to terms with the abuse he experienced as a child.
Last week Frankie revealed that Mick is her father and when she mentioned the name of her mother, Katy Lewis, he appeared visibly shaken.
In tonight's episode a blissfully-unaware Tina told Frankie about a care worker called Katy who looked after her and Mick as children - and Frankie realised that Mick was just 12 at the time and her mother had abused him.
The storyline, which has been developed in conjunction with the NSPCC and SurvivorsUK charities, will follow Mick as he struggles with the revelation and the long-term impact on his mental health.
Jon Sen, EastEnders' executive producer, said: "Viewers have always been aware that Mick spent many years in care, which has been the cause of his fractured relationship with Shirley - but now the audience will discover just why Mick's childhood has been so traumatic.
"This storyline will see Mick having to confront the demons of his past, something he has desperately tried to avoid for many years and face up to the realisation that he experienced abuse whilst he was in care.
"We hope this storyline will help to challenge the perceptions, the stigma and the shame - particularly experienced by male survivors."
EastEnders continues Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays on BBC One.
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