EastEnders star explains "frightening" Anna spiking scenes

EastEnders spoilers follow.

EastEnders star Molly Rainford has weighed in on a spiking storyline involving her character Anna Knight.

In upcoming scenes on the BBC soap, Anna's drink gets spiked whilst she's on a night out with her sister Gina, Felix Baker and Freddie Slater.

"Anna starts to appear and feel really drunk all of a sudden, but she's hardly drunk anything the whole night," the soap star said.

"She feels safe in the respect that she's got everyone with her, but she's confused as to why she's gone from sober to drunk all of a sudden. Anna starts to become really confused by her surroundings which is obviously really scary."

anna knight, eastenders
BBC

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After the spiking, the soap will piece up the night in question in a digital series available on the show's TikTok, Instagram and Facebook channels, showing how the events unfold through Anna's point of view as well her friends'.

"I thought it was really clever to see our night out through the characters lens," Rainford said.

"Anyone on a night out usually snaps pictures and videos of themselves having fun. Viewers will see the night from Anna's point of view and from the point of view of her friends as we see the night unfold, and highlight how quickly the events of the evening change [following Anna's spiking]."

Anna will be profoundly impacted by the incident, as Rainford explained her character will fear going out again.

freddie slater, anna knight, gina knight, eastenders
BBC

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"I think there's a massive mixture of emotions for Anna. Part of her is obviously scared, because not being able to remember the events of the evening is quite frightening," she said.

"The unknown in anything is frightening so it's playing on her mind and she's wondering what really happened. There is also another side of her that questions whether she's to blame, which is ridiculous but also a very common misconception.

"On top of all of that, there's another part of her that is now fearing going out again, and going inward which is sad because no one should have to feel like that. It's her local bar which her parents' friends own, and it shouldn't be a place where she feels unsafe."

freddie slater, anna knight, gina knight, eastenders
BBC

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Rainford explained the storyline has been "insightful" for her as she knows how terrifying spiking could be.

"Even though I shouldn't have to say this, I feel very lucky that I personally haven't been in that situation [getting spiked] but I know so many people who have, and I think that's so scary especially as young people, and especially as young women," she said.

"We should never feel like we can't go and have fun on a night out, and be in that danger.

"It can happen to anyone, and this story is so important as it really highlights what you should look out for in yourself or your friends if this happens."

EastEnders airs on Mondays - Thursdays at 7.30pm on BBC One. The show also streams on BBC iPlayer, where most episodes drop early at 6am ahead of their TV broadcast.


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