EastEnders ‘confirms’ huge New Year stunt as cast tackle mammoth two week filming schedule
EASTENDERS has revealed that a huge New Year stunt is in the works ahead of the show’s 40th anniversary.
A cryptic message from one of the BBC soap’s directors has got everybody guessing as to just exactly what the show has up its sleeve.
Christopher McGill has been dropping plenty of clues on social media over recent weeks as to what is set to go down in Walford at the turn of the New Year.
Now, in his latest post, it seems that one character could be reaching the “end of the pier”.
Sharing an image of a closed set for EastEnders filming, Christopher wrote online: “Day Fourteen of @bbceastenders New Years Episodes #EndOfThePier.”
The cryptic message has appeared to hint at a major plot involving a pier of some sort.
Teasing further, Chris appeared to suggest that “railway lines” could also be involved in what they have planned.
One fan joked to the director: “I hope you didn’t cross the dressed set line Chris!!!!”
The director then wrote back: “Crossing all the lines. Railway lines too!!!”
It seems that the epic episodes have taken a total of two weeks to film with Chris previously confessing that his daily rundown was in relation to the “monstrous block” of New Year episodes that were being recorded.
Amid countless returns to the soap over recent weeks, it seemed that the director had also hinted that there could still be more to come.
During filming for the episodes, he previously wrote: “Week Two on our monstrous New Year @bbceastenders episodes.
“A room packed (PACKED) with EastEnd icons.”
The New Year episodes will come off the back of a “sad and tragic” Christmas on Albert Square.
In a new interview with RadioTimes.com, actor Shane Richie, who plays Alfie Moon, revealed: “I sat there watching this story unfolding in the Queen Vic that happens on Christmas Day, and as a fan of the show anyway, I was like, ‘Oh my God I can’t believe this! Stop!'”
He continued: “I had to do a line and I kept messing it up because I was so taken in with that the storyline that was happening.”
As he added that viewers are “in for a treat” on Christmas Day, he teased that the new storylines will leave BBC viewers in shock.
Most devastating soap deaths
SOAP viewers are frequently left heartbroken after watching some of their favourite characters bite the dust.
Here is a list of the most devastating deaths that have taken place in soapland over the years.
EASTENDERS
Barry Evans – Evil Janine (Charlie Brooks) lured her trusting fiance to Scotland for a quickie marriage after learning he was dying.
Her plan to inherit Barry’s fortune was thwarted when Barry told her that the doctors had mixed up his medical files.
Furious that she was no longer set for a windfall, she pushed Barry off a cliff after telling him their love was “fake”.
Bradley Branning – Bradley was accused of killing Stacey Slater’s rapist Archie Mitchell (Larry Lamb) after he punched him twice on the night he died.
He was spotted in the Square by a police woman who chased him up a fire escape.
Bradley lost his balance and tragically plunged to his death.
CORONATION STREET
Tina McIntyre – Tina was getting it on with Peter Barlow – despite him being married to Carla Connor.
When she threatened to reveal the truth, Carla’s brother Rob got into a physical altercation with her.
Tina lost her footing and fell off a balcony – then warned Rob she was going to tell the cops he pushed her.
In a panic, Rob brutally clobbered her over the head with a metal pipe.
Molly Dobbs – Molly was one of the victims in Corrie’s 2010 tram crash, alongside Ashley Peacock (Steven Arnold).
Married to Tyrone (Alan Halsall), Molly had been having an affair with Kevin Webster (Michael Le Vell) in the months before her death.
This resulted in the birth of their son, Jack (Kyran Bowes), who was named after Jack Duckworth.
As fate would have it, Kevin’s wife Sally (Sally Dynevor) was by Molly’s side in her final moments.
Sally was stunned as Molly confessed Kevin was Jack’s father, before dying of her injuries.
Vera Duckworth – Having appeared regularly in Corrie since the 1970s, there was no denying Vera Duckworth was an iconic character.
Alongside her husband Jack, the pair formed one of the soap’s most beloved couples.
Viewers were heartbroken when Vera was killed off in 2008, being discovered having passed away peacefully in her chair.
Liz Dawn, who played Vera, made a brief return two years later for Bill Tarmey’s exit as Jack.
Paul Foreman – Fans were heartbroken when Paul Foreman succumbed to his illness after battling motor neurone disease.
Introduced in 2018 as David Platt’s (Jack P. Shepherd) cellmate, he later embarked on a romance – and marriage – with vicar Billy Mayhew.
The MND storyline was announced in 2023 – with the expectation it would result in the character’s death.
EMMERDALE
Sarah Sugden – After the family got into financial problems, Sarah’s son Andy (Kelvin Fletcher) decided to make some quick cash from an insurance company by setting fire to the Sugden barn.
He didn’t realise his mum was inside the building, and she got trapped in the blaze.
Nine villagers – The shocking 1993 plane crash episode brought in 18 million viewers for Emmerdale.
Mark Hughes was killed by a falling wall, Archie Brooks was burned by jet fuel, Elizabeth Pollard was killed by debris and newcomer Leonard Kempinski died in a car crash caused by the crash.
Five other non-recurring characters from the village also died.
HOLLYOAKS
Carmel McQueen – The talented singer died in shocking scenes when a train crashed into a her family’s car.
Carmel managed to free her cousin Theresa from the rubble – but got stuck in it herself.
Moments later the train exploded and Carmel died in the arms of her family members, promising to be their guardian angel.