Aaron Monroe’s criminal antics caught up with his father Harvey in recent EastEnders as Maya Hussain revealed who she really was. But who was her husband and what happened to him?

Harvey Monroe was reminded that the past is rarely put to bed in Albert Square as he faced Maya Hussain’s revelations about her husband.

The pair met earlier this year in Walford, before the EastEnders cabbie portrayed by Ross Boatman looked Maya (played by Doctors actress Bharti Patel) up on social media, much to her dismay.

It became instantly clear to BBC One viewers that the newcomer was hiding something and the secrecy was finally lifted when Harvey wound up in her home, coming face to face with Maya’s distressed husband Abdul Hussain.

In another twist, as viewers of the London-based programme theorised Harvey could embark on an affair with the new character, Maya announced that Abdul had been attacked years ago and never fully recovered.

Aaron Monroe terrorised the Square with his far-right and racist gang in 2021, before he was thrown behind bars (Image: BBC / Kieron McCarron/Jack Barnes)

Who is Maya’s husband?

In recent scenes of the London-based programme, Maya introduced her husband Abdul, played by Sanjiv Hayre, as one of Aaron Monroe’s victims as she revealed the far-right criminals actions had had a life-changing impact.

Diehard EastEnders fans may remember that Abdul was attacked off-screen by Aaron and his far-right gang in October, 2021, when he was lured to the back of a pub.

At the time, Aaron claimed he was in need of a lift to be picked by Abdul, who worked for a taxi company, but the cab driver was brutally beaten by his customer and Maya informed Harvey that he had been left blind in one eye after the altercation.

Harvey got wind of the attack after it happened when a police officer named DS Hawkins revealed to him the extent of Abdul’s injuries, which included four broken ribs.

Despite this, the cabbie had made the decision to provide Aaron with a false alibi, insisting his son was with him the night of the attack.

Maya, on the other hand, revealed to Harvey that she had to leave her job as a result of Abdul’s attack, which led them to experience severe financial difficulties.

Who was Aaron Monroe and what did he do?

As mentioned, Aaron (played by Britain’s Got Talent star Charlie Wernham) was Harvey’s only son and Dana Monroe’s brother, making his first appearance in October, 2021.

The racist and violent character’s troubled past was known to his father but Harvey naively hoped Aaron had put it all behind him once he left home for a city job in finance.

Upon his arrival in Walford, however, and after two failed dates with Tiffany Butcher, it was revealed to soap fans that he was part of a racist group, organising multiple racially-motivated attacks throughout Albert Square. One of his victims even included fan favourite Keegan Baker.

Aaron’s trajectory then led him to join forces with group leader Neil Hughes as the duo schemed to plant a bomb in the Argee Bhajee, which was transforming into a mosque, on New Year’s Eve. They were halted in their tracks when Harvey finally refused to enable his son any further and turned him in to the authorities.

In 2022, Aaron was thrown behind bars and was last heard from when it was announced he’d been the victim of a horrific prison attack and was fighting for his life.

Meanwhile, EastEnders viewers predicted things could go awry for Harvey, due to the harm Aaron brought to Maya’s family but some fans hold on to hope as she admitted she harboured strong feelings for the cabbie. How will it pan out?