EastEnders spoilers follow.

EastEnders‘ Harvey Monroe is left further intrigued by newcomer Maya Houssain next week.

Show bosses have cast Doctors star Bharti Patel in the role of Maya, who befriended Harvey as she made her first appearance in Wednesday’s episode (May 29).

Harvey took Maya on a trip in his cab when she needed a lift, and they bonded when they realised they were both Tottenham Hotspur fans.

Later this week, Maya kindly buys Harvey a vintage football programme and they enjoy chatting at the Queen Vic.

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Harvey is open when it comes to introducing Maya to his partner Jean Slater, but Kat is suspicious over their connection.

In follow-on scenes next week, Harvey is left disappointed when he realises that he has lost Maya’s number.

The cabbie asks Kat’s son Tommy for help with tracking Maya down online, but this backfires when she returns to Walford and confronts him for snooping on her social media.

Harvey apologises for overstepping the mark and invites Maya for a drink. She explains that her husband died last year, which leads to another heart-to-heart between them.

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When Maya leaves, she forgets to take her hat with her. Harvey heads back online to message Maya, but he’s baffled to find that her account has been deleted. Does she have something to hide?

Last week, EastEnders bosses confirmed that Bharti had joined the cast to play Maya for a guest stint.

Show chiefs teased “an unlikely friendship” for Maya and established character Harvey, who’s feeling lonely following the departures of Rocky Cotton and Mitch Baker.

Bharti has appeared as Ruhma Carter on Doctors since 2015, but the daytime series is ending this year.