EastEnders fans all have the same concern as Gray Atkins gets closer to Ian Beale

EastEnders viewers have been left increasingly concerned for Ian Beale after his unexpected prison alliance with Gray Atkins, with many convinced the former solicitor is carefully setting him up for a much bigger plan.

Since arriving in prison, Ian has struggled to adjust to life behind bars, making him vulnerable as he searched for somebody he could trust.

Gray quickly stepped into that role, appearing to offer Ian protection before attempting to persuade him that Chelsea was responsible for the situations they both now find themselves in.

For many viewers, the conversation immediately raised alarm bells. Across Reddit and social media, fans have been discussing Gray’s behaviour, with one viewer writing that Ian was “walking straight into Gray’s trap.”

Another commented that Gray was “playing the long game”, adding that every word spoken to Ian appeared carefully calculated rather than spontaneous.

A third fan wrote that Gray “always has an agenda”, predicting the prison friendship would soon reveal a much darker purpose.

Others believe Ian’s biggest mistake could be trusting Gray at all.

One viewer suggested Ian is exactly the kind of person Gray likes to manipulate, arguing that the former solicitor has always targeted people when they are at their most vulnerable.

Another fan predicted that Gray is simply “using Ian until he gets what he wants”, while several others believe Chelsea and Jordan remain at the heart of his real objective.

One Reddit user wrote that Gray “hasn’t forgotten about Jordan”, while another predicted Ian would eventually discover he has been drawn into a revenge plot far bigger than he first realised.

Gray first appeared in Albert Square in 2019 and quickly established himself as one of the soap’s most memorable villains. Behind the image of a successful solicitor, he secretly abused wife Chantelle before killing her. He later murdered Tina Carter and Kush Kazemi as he fought to keep his crimes hidden from those around him.

His crimes eventually caught up with him after Chelsea uncovered the truth and helped bring him to justice, leading to his arrest and imprisonment.

Although Gray is now serving a life sentence, viewers believe his latest scenes prove he remains just as manipulative as ever.

Some fans are even hoping Ian eventually recognises what Gray is doing before it is too late, with one writing that they would love to see Ian “turn the tables” on the killer instead of becoming another victim of his manipulation.

For now, EastEnders is keeping Gray’s true intentions firmly under wraps, but judging by the reaction online, viewers are expecting plenty more twists before the prison storyline reaches its next chapter.

EastEnders can be viewed on BBC One, while episodes are also available to stream and catch up on through BBC iPlayer.

Images: BBC used for editorial purposes only.

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