Major EastEnders star teases ‘classic’ Christmas and ‘bonkers’ anniversary episodes
EastEnders is gearing up for a truly dramatic Christmas Day with Cindy Beale’s affair with Junior Knight set to be revealed in spectacular fashion. Actress Michelle Collins and producer Chris Clenshaw have revealed this year, the festive episode will also include nods to previous memorable moments over the last 39 years.
Chris says: “As we’re entering our 40th year, it was really important to us that it was a classic EastEnders. So there were lots of nods to the past, like Arthur Fowler’s breakdown all the way back in 1986.” Michelle adds: “You can expect classic EastEnders, there will be turkey and sprouts - it’s got a bit of everything!”
Michelle continues: “I'm really proud to be in the Christmas episodes and what EastEnders do so well is there was so much else going on and, and even though there is darkness, there is also some humour as well, which I think it really needed. But it’s never a normal Christmas in EastEnders, is it? I didn’t even get to eat any turkey either! I never even ate a sprout, nothing!”
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Christmas in Walford is always trouble from shocking affair reveals, to tragic accidents, deaths and spectacular family rows. This year, the drama doesn't end with Christmas - there's still lots more to come with a huge New Year’s Day episode, and a week's worth of special 40th anniversary episodes set to air in February 2025.
Chris reveals: “We’ve got a New Year’s Day storyline with Suki and Eve’s wedding central to the action, it’s EastEnders’ first lesbian wedding, but we know that Nish is out there, and he’s gone underground - it's his final act of vengeance. My heart was in my mouth when I watched those episodes and I knew what was coming. So expect a lot of drama this New Year.”
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 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.”
