EastEnders' Steven Beale looks set to murder his step-mother Jane Beale after he sets the family restaurant on fire and leaves her to burn to death inside.

Laurie Brett as Jane Beale

Laurie Brett as Jane Beale

The deranged chef - portrayed by Aaron Sidwell - has been told to get rid of the disabled housewife (Laurie Brett) once and for all by manipulative businessman Max Branning (Jake Wood) after she finds out about his revenge plot and discovers her step-son has been lying to his relatives about having an incurable brain tumour.

But, rather than come clean about his actions and the bribe he's fallen victim to, Steven decides the only way to keep his secret hidden is by killing off Jane.

It's not known whether the blonde busybody manages to get out alive or whether Steven has a change of heart and pulls her out of the burning building, but this won't be the first time the restaurant worked has attempted to kill his step-mother.

Steven - who has mental health issues - accidentally shot Jane in the stomach 10 years ago and, as a result, she is now unable to have a child of her own.

Although the outcome of the fire isn't known, Aaron - who is set to bow out of the long-running soap this year in order to do some theatre work - has teased that his alter-ego will turn "full on evil" over the next coming weeks as he's put under more pressure from his girlfriend Lauren Branning's (Jacqueline Jossa) father Max.

He said recently: "He's willing to go as far as it takes, whatever that might be and whoever it may hurt. We're really going to see this tug of war - Steven's always been this character that could go either way.

"He could go full evil or he could redeem himself and become the good guy. I think we're really going to see that battle across this week especially."