Avani's drugs ordeal in EastEnders spirals as things get much worse (2025)

EastEnders’ Avani Nandra-Hart (Aaliyah James) continues to spiral next week as she uses drugs to cope with her recent strip-search ordeal.

Last month, the teenager was harrowingly searched at the police station after being brought in for questioning with friends Lily Slater (Lillia Turner) and Amy Mitchell (Ellie Dadd).

Police suspected a completely innocent Avani was in possession of drugs after a bag of pills was seen at her feet having been dropped by her vape dealer.

However, in the wake of her trauma, Avani has started smoking weed with Lily, who is also grieving her beloved stepfather Martin Fowler (James Bye).

Next week, the two girls heads to the Square Gardens to smoke weed, but Lily is surprised when Avani requests payment and later resorts to underhand measures to get the cash.

After later picking up another batch of drugs from dealer Declan, Avani takes them to a party Amy is throwing at No. 29. However, a conversation with her friend makes Avani immediately regret the decision and she bins the weed.

But her troubles are far from over, as Declan gatecrashes the party and she’s forced to lie that he is her friend.

She soon reveals the truth to Amy in the hope she will raise the alarm with her copper dad Jack Branning (Scott Maslen) –will Amy risk landing them all in more trouble?

Meanwhile, Avani’s parents Priya Nandra-Hart (Sophie Khan Levy) and Ravi Gulati (Aaron Thiara) also speak with Jack to get him to try and escalate their complaint about their daughter’s strip-search with his bosses.

The concerned parents also encourage Avani to make a complaint of her own, which she strongly refuses. But some comforting words from Yolande Trueman (Angela Wynter) soon give her some food for thought…

Will Yolande manage to get through to Avani?

EastEnders airs these scenes from Monday 14 April at 7.30pm or stream first from 6am on iPlayer.

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