EastEnders reveals first storyline to celebrate 40th anniversary – and it's huge
EastEnders have revealed the first of many big storylines to celebrate the BBC soap's 40th anniversary - a big Mitchell wedding. During the earlier Christmas Day episode, Honey Mitchell and Billy Mitchell revealed they have set a date for their wedding, and it falls in the middle of the anniversary week.
Whilst with their friends and family on Christmas Day, Honey (Emma Barton) and Billy (Perry Fenwick) interrupted with a very exciting announcement. Honey excitedly told her relatives: “Save the date, February the 19th” to which Billy jokingly responded “what’s happening that day then?” with Honey pulling a face Billy then revealed “we’re getting married!”.
The very first episode of EastEnders aired on 19 February 1985, so Honey and Billy’s wedding will mark 40 years to the day of the soap’s beginnings - as long as it goes ahead, that is.
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The show will have a week of exciting episodes, returns and even a live episode. In a first for the soap, the anniversary week will have an added twist to include an interactive element where the viewers will be able to choose their desired outcome of a love story.
Whilst those in question currently remain under wraps, their fate will remain firmly in the viewers’ hands and the outcome will play out during the live episode as the cast and crew will be set to adapt the scene to portray whichever result is voted for by the public.
There have also been rumours of soap returns to mark the anniversary. On Christmas Eve, Nigel Bates, played by Paul Bradley, made his return after a 26 year absence. There have also been plenty of rumoured returns from Grant Mitchell (played by Ross Kemp), to Louise Mitchell (Tilly Keeper).
The 40th anniversary, which is set to be a week’s worth of nostalgia and a live episode and will air in February to mark the show’s beginnings in 1985. Chris Clenshaw (the producer) adds: “I can't say too much. But what I can say is that it's explosive and we’ve pretty much shot most of it, apart from the live episode, and it's looking brilliant, so expect everything!”
Adam Woodyatt, who has played Ian Beale since the very first episodes, is thrilled to be back in Walford in time to celebrate the 40th year of the BBC soap.
Adam adds: “Honestly, the anniversary week is just bonkers! I can safely say for all of us, we picked up the scripts and we all just went ‘how the hell are we gonna do this?’ But we have! We obviously haven't done the live element yet, we've done all, all the bits leading up to it and it's honestly brilliant.”
