Heartbreak rocks EastEnders as ailing Denise collapses

| Freelance Soaps Reporter Published September 25, 2026 9:00pm Denise gets some words of wisdom from Phill. Will it be enough? (Picture: BBC) Denise Fox (Diane Parish) is fighting a long, hard battle against cancer in EastEnders. Tragically, she might be about to admit defeat. The no-nonsense matriarch of clan Fox had her life turned upside down by an acute myeloid leukaemia diagnosis earlier this year. While the cancer was devastating, the treatment has also taken its toll on Dee’s health. It’s made her weak ad frail, caused all her hair to fall out, separating her from her family and friends. Worse still, the cancer proved Denise resistant to treatment, meaning that she had to be placed in a medically induced coma. Dee’s last hope was a stem cell transplant, prompting her desperate partner Jack Branning (Scott Maslen) and her fiercely loyal sister Kim Fox (Tameka Empson) to search far and wide for a matching donor. The mama-bear of Clan Fox takes a terrifying turn for the worse. (Picture: BBC) Hope finally came in the form of Denise’s long lost half-brother called Darnell (Christopher Colquhoun). Kim found him on an ancestry site and Jack urged the newcomer to get tested. The problem? Darnell refused. Losing his wife had left him with a deep-seated fear of hospitals, and while he was sympathetic to Denise, he simply couldn’t bring himself to face that trauma again. The brother Denise never knew may be her only chance of survival. (Picture: BBC) Fortunately, Darnell’s mind was changed due to the arrival of his daughter Grace (Krysstina Frempong), who convinced her dad to help and take the swab to see if he could save his sister’s life The good news kept on coming when Denise recently learnt that a provisional stem cell match has been found. Ask Metro Use AI to go deeper into the stories you care about – powered by Metro and trusted publications. Will Darnell be the one to save Denise? And will it be too late when the Walford legend suffers a shock collapse? All will be revealed in upcoming episodes of EastEnders…. Denise awaits Darnell’s stem cell results and distracts herself by playing matchmaker withe Amy Mitchell (Ellie Dadd) and Denzel Fox-Danes (Jaden Ladega). But she soon starts feeling worse for wear due to the treatment and confides her health concerns in her daughter Chelsea Fox (Zaraah Abrahams) and Kim. Encouraged by Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden) to open up to Jack, Denise instead finds herself questioning whether she should continue treatment… Later, Kim continues probing Amy about her mystery boyfriend, but their conversation is interrupted when Denise is feeling faint. Will Denise be all right? Deals of the Day I tried L'Oréal Paris's new PDRN serum and my skin looked glossier after one use This new Cricut gadget turns your favourite photos into stickers in minutes From kitchen hatches to burgundy walls – the biggest home trends for 2027 Oodie’s cosy blanket sale has arrived just in time for Christmas shopping Save over £700 on Simba's top-rated mattresses in this limited-time sale Arrow MORE: Major EastEnders exit reversed and Denise’s fate as spoilers reveal what happens next Arrow MORE: Who plays Darnell in EastEnders? Denise half-brother twist explained Arrow MORE: All EastEnders spoilers for next week as a family is at war The Soaps Newsletter – Daily All the latest soaps spoilers and gossip, in your inbox every morning.