EastEnders finally confirms who attacked Joel

| Deputy Soaps Editor Published August 13, 2026 9:57am Updated August 13, 2026 9:57am Joel’s attacker has been revealed (Picture: BBC / Shutterstock) EastEnders spoilers follow for Thursday’s (August 13) episode, which can now be streamed on BBC iPlayer. The episode in question will air at 7:30pm. The mystery of who attacked Joel Marshall (Max Murray) has officially been solved, with an unexpected confession made during the latest edition of the BBC One soap. Joel, as viewers know, was attacked with a hammer last month and left for dead. The occurred incident 45 minutes after he’d been tied up by a group of local teens, who wanted to teach him a lesson after what he’d done to Avani Nandra-Hart (Aaliyah James) and Vicki Fowler (Alice Haig). A police investigation was launched in the aftermath, with DC Craig Ingram (Matthew James Bailey) the lead detective on the case. With Ricky’s (Frankie Day) bike lock having been used to restrain Joel on the night in question, Amy Mitchell (Ellie Dadd) made it her mission to get to the bottom of what Craig knew, quizzing the policeman on the investigation to no avail. Ask Metro Use AI to go deeper into the stories you care about – powered by Metro and trusted publications. Lily Slater (Lillia Turner), meanwhile, confessed to having freed Joel prior to the attack while Denzel Danes (Jaden Ladega) and Avani admitted that they’d been with one another when the attack was carried out, thus ruling these three characters out. Joel was attacked last month (Picture: BBC / Jack Barnes / Kieron McCarron) Amy didn’t take news of Denzel and Avani’s romance too well and, following a clash with dad Jack (Scott Maslen), she sought solace in a bottle of alcohol before heading to McKlunkeys, where she crossed paths once more with Craig. Craig offered his support, with Amy opening up about her feelings on Joel and how the plan was simply to ‘teach him a lesson’ that night. In dramatic scenes, she admitted that she was the one to attack the teen with the hammer. The revelation left Craig reeling. The question is: will he report Amy’s confession to his superiors? Amy confided in Craig, revealing she attacked Joel (Picture: BBC / Jack Barnes / Kieron McCarron) He’s already concerned that his decision to withhold video footage of the teens restraining Joel before the attack will come back to bite him, so will he feel compelled to do things by the book and arrest Amy? If so, is Amy facing prison? Or will she manage to find a way to get out of this? Deals of the Day Parents can save up to 30% on Kickers school shoes ahead of the new term The back-to-school hack that's helping parents avoid queues and sold-out sizes Could your hair be wavy rather than straight? This brand thinks so Could your star sign improve your skincare routine? This new beauty launch thinks so Best skincare for menopausal skin? This dermatologist-created treatment is tailored to you EastEnders airs Mondays to Thursdays at 7:30pm on BBC One or stream from 6am on BBC iPlayer. If you’ve got a soap or TV story, video or pictures get in touch by emailing us soaps@metro.co.uk – we’d love to hear from you. Join the community by leaving a comment below and stay updated on all things soaps on our homepage. Arrow MORE: Infuriated Ross tackles Amy over Joel in EastEnders after making a big discovery Arrow MORE: Craig suspended in EastEnders as he eerily moves in on teen Amy Arrow MORE: Joel confronts all teen suspects over the attack with an EastEnders twist coming The Soaps Newsletter – Daily All the latest soaps spoilers and gossip, in your inbox every morning.