The fall of the barmaid, played by Martine McCutcheon, will leave viewers of the BBC soap wondering whether she slipped or was shoved by her screen husband Grant Mitchell, (Ross Kemp).

The pair will be seen quarrelling at the top of the Queen Vic steps before the cameras focus on unconscious Tiff, who leaves the show shortly.

Tiffany confronts her philandering husband

The dramatic scenes are part of a tension-building plot which will lead to McCutcheon's departure to pursue a recording career.

Their screen argument follows the revelation that Grant slept with Tiffany's mother, Louise Raymond.

Tiffany overheard about the affair on a baby monitor in a nail-biting episode aired on Monday.

She decides to flee once again with baby Courtney but after visiting the Vic to pick up her passport ends up in a confrontation with hot-tempered Grant.

Peggy and Grant look concerned

After the incident Grant is seen staring into space with blood on his cheek as his horrified mum Peggy (Barbara Windsor) looks on.

The EastEnder's 'is she or isn't she dead' storyline is the latest in a series of tragedies to strike Britain's soap stars.

Earlier this month Coronation Street's Des Barnes died as a result of injuries sustained when he was attacked in his own home.

Cindy Beale, also of EastEnders, died during childbirth in a London prison.

In 1993 rural soap Emmerdale saw a host of older characters wiped out in a plane crash which marked the programme's change of direction.