Things are far from settled between Elaine Peacock and Ian Beale next week in EastEnders, as their ongoing feud takes another turn, and this time it gets physical.

The latest drama kicks off when Elaine’s plans for a campaign event hit a major setback. After putting effort into organising it, she’s left frustrated when the venue reveals there’s been a mix-up, meaning she can no longer host it there. It’s a real blow, especially as Elaine had seen this as her chance to prove she’s still got what it takes as a landlady, even though she’s no longer running things at The Vic.

Understandably disappointed, Elaine opens up about how much it meant to her. That’s when George Knight steps in to support her. Wanting to help, he offers up Knight Fusion as an alternative venue and even lets her use it free of charge.

It’s a kind gesture, and one that gives Elaine a bit of a boost. But rather than quietly getting on with it, she decides to make the most of the situation, especially when it comes to Ian.

Never one to miss an opportunity, Elaine makes sure Ian knows exactly what’s going on, clearly enjoying having the upper hand for once. But it doesn’t go down well. Ian, who’s been clashing with Elaine for months now, isn’t impressed, and it doesn’t take long for things to escalate.

Before long, the pair are at each other’s throats again, with tensions boiling over into a full-on tussle. It’s messy, it’s heated, and it’s proof that neither of them is willing to back down anytime soon.

Their rivalry has been bubbling away for a while now, mostly centred around their competing business interests. Elaine has been focused on building up Peacock Palace, while Ian has been busy with his own ventures, including his involvement with Kathy’s café.

Over time, it’s turned into a proper back-and-forth. There have been digs about each other’s businesses, complaints to the council, and plenty of attempts to outdo one another. From arguments over signage to snide comments about food quality, it’s been more than a little petty at times (although very entertaining to watch).

Elaine has even gone as far as using underhand tactics to get ahead, including exposing a councillor’s affair to secure planning permission, flipping the situation in her favour just when Ian thought he had the upper hand.

Ian, meanwhile, hasn’t exactly played fair either. He’s been quick to interfere where he can, doing his best to make life difficult for Elaine whenever the opportunity comes up.

Now, with Knight Fusion thrown into the mix, there’s even more reason for tensions to rise. What started as a business rivalry has clearly become something much more personal, with neither side willing to let things go.

And as next week’s scenes show, it’s gone beyond just bitter words.