WHITNEY Dean is set to leave the Square in upcoming scenes of the long-running program.

In the run-up to her explosive departure, the EastEnders favourite betrays her partner Zack Hudson, leaving him crushed.

The couple respectively portrayed by departing actress Shona McGarty and James Farrar have been facing hurdles since their stay in Milton Keynes.

As BBC One viewers will recall, Zack returned to Albert Square after his heavily pregnant girlfriend Whitney fought with him to take in a wayward teen named Britney.

Whitney even put her life in danger for the youngster as she was run over by a car in recent scenes of the London-based program.

Unbeknownst to Zack, Whitney came to an agreement with Britney’s mother Keeley which involved her buying the teen off.

Next week, however, Whitney is unable to dodge Zack’s questions as she returns to Walford herself to join him… with Britney in tow.

Coming up, Zack decides to throw a welcome home baby shower for Whitney in The Vic and reluctantly invites Lauren Branning (Jacqueline Jossa) and her cousin Penny (Kitty Castledine).

After sensing his awkwardness due to him trying to kiss her in other recent scenes of the long-running program, Lauren heads to Zack’s to smooth things over.

Once there, she promises to keep quiet about the pass he made at her – but will she keep her word?

Later on, Whitney arrives home alongside Britney who reveals that she is her new foster mother and after she confirms the news, Zack storms out, furious to realise he’d been left in the dark.

Whitney finds Zack and attempts to clear the air while, as she senses the tension between the pair, Lauren looks after Britney – but it’s not long before she causes trouble in the Square.

Zack and Whitney continue to butt heads when they arrive home to the built cot and he dashes off again as Lauren and Britney arrive.

A heart-to-heart between Whitney and Lauren ensues before Zack finally arrives home to try and build bridges.

Unfortunately, tensions remain high between Whitney and Zack as she reveals that she’s taking Britney on a shopping trip.

But this is before Whitney intercepts Britney secretly discarding her sheets, having wet the bed.

In other scenes, Whitney and Britney arrive home where Zack reveals he found food hidden under the teen’s bed and reasons that they need to tell the social.

Britney overhears and explains why before Zack opens up about his own fostering journey and takes her for a cooking lesson at Walford East.

But just as Britney and Zack appear to bond, Whitney takes a phone call from the social and Lauren overhears the conversation.

Before long, she presses Whitney, prompting her to tell her the whole truth and Lauren insists she must do the same with Zack.

The pair are interrupted by Lauren’s ex Peter Beale (Thomas Law) and his date who are on their way to Lauren’s 30th at The Albert.

At the party, Lauren reasons that she’s been too hard on Whitney following a conversation with Chelsea Fox (Zaraah Abrahams).

However, Whitney promises to tell the truth later on as she continues to keep another big secret from her beau.

How will he react to her confession?

Will Whitney leave Walford after 15 years without Zack?

EastEnders airs from Monday to Thursday at 7.30pm on BBC One.