OPINION
XMAS CARNAGE
I watch EastEnders every Christmas – bosses must make this year’s episode explosive after dragging out The Six storyline
Let's relive the soap's most dramatic Christmas day fallouts through the years
CHRISTMAS day in Walford is always eventful, but here's why this year needs to be more explosive than ever.
EastEnders has become synonymous with explosive Christmas episodes, but this year, fans are eager for an especially dramatic payoff after the long-running "The Six" storyline.
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With a tradition of shocking twists and high-stakes drama during the festive season, the pressure is on for the show to deliver a gripping and satisfying episode that ties up lingering plotlines and keeps viewers on the edge of their seats.
The question remains - will this year's episode meet the heightened expectations?
THE SIX
Last year's festive celebrations in Albert Square took a deadly turn as Linda Carter (Kellie Bright) shockingly ended Keanu Taylor's (Danny Walters) life.
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The dramatic murder unfolded as Linda fought to save her best mate Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean) from a strangling menace.
The gritty tale of friendship and betrayal has left viewers on the edge of their seats.
Although the murder of Keanu was unexpected, the build-up with The Six lasted nine months and lacked explanation.
The clues from the flash forward and matriarch's storylines lacked depth, only making sense weeks before Christmas Day.
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This left viewers confused and with no clues to piece together the murder.
Now as it's been nearly two years since The Six flash forwards, yet nothing has changed.
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Minor characters such as Bernie, Jack, and Eve have uncovered the truth along the way, but Linda is still battling her guilt, and the lives of the other Six matriarchs have not dramatically changed.
BBC viewers saw Denise Fox's (Diane Parish) mental health deteriorate, but nothing significant has happened to characters Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner), Sharon Watts or Kathy Beale (Gillian Taylforth) this year, which seems like a missed opportunity.
The Six has been the predominant storyline this year, and it is still unclear if it has ended with Nish Panesar (Navin Chowdhry) taking the fall, which feels unsatisfying.
Other characters have definitely been in the background, and there has been a lack of other storylines or drama.
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.
The Six has overshadowed other potential plotlines and characters, leading to a sense of imbalance in the soap.
When a single storyline dominates, it can indeed leave other interesting arcs and characters underdeveloped, making the overall narrative feel lacking in variety and depth.
Unlike last year, there has been no clues to what this Christmas has in store.
It’s always more exciting when there are hints and teasers leading up to big events, especially in a show known for its dramatic twists.
The lack of clues this year might leave viewers feeling a bit left in the dark.
Hopefully, that means they’re planning an even bigger surprise that will really shake things up in Walford.
ICONIC CHRISTMAS DAYS
Some of the most iconic Christmas Day episodes on the BBC soap date back more than a decade, with fans still reminiscing about their unforgettable twists and drama.
Arguably the most memorable was Christmas 2007, when Max Branning (Jake Wood) and Stacey's affair was exposed in a heart-stopping moment during Lauren’s DVD screening.
The shocking revelation tore the Branning family apart, leaving viewers gripped and the fallout still talked about today.
Brannings seem to do it best as another explosive Christmas was in 2012.
Max's wife, Kirsty Branning (Kierston Wareing), made a dramatic appearance on his wedding day to Tanya (Jo Joyner), while the long-awaited reveal of Kat Slater’s (Jessie Wallace) secret affair sent shockwaves through the Queen Vic.
In a nail-biting moment, Kat pointed to Derek Branning (Jamie Foreman) as her lover, shocking Alfie Moon (Shane Richie) and the audience alike.
In recent years, however, Christmas episodes have lacked the same build-up and lasting impact on viewers.
Could this year’s festive drama revive the magic of those iconic moments?
Fans are certainly hoping for a return to the high-stakes storytelling that made EastEnders' Christmas episodes so unforgettable.
CHRISTMAS 2024
This year's festive episode shows promise to be explosive through spoilers, especially with the affair between Cindy Beale (Michelle Collins) and her former stepson Junior Knight (Micah Balfour) being exposed.
Fans will remember that bird recorder Freddie Slater (Bobby Brazier) inadvertently caught Cindy on tape confessing to former lover and Ian's half-brother David Wicks (Michael French) that she had been sleeping with Junior but was also still in love with his dad George Knight (Colin Salmon) - despite being engaged to Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt).
The tape will be played on Christmas Day and all hell will break loose among the Beale and Knight families and soon fury and accusations will be dispensed in every direction.
Bosses appear to have gone in a similar direction to 2007 with Lauren's DVD exposing his dad's affair, but will this year have the same impact?
The reaction from the Knight family will indeed be pivotal. With George and Cindy's daughters being Junior stepsisters, the shock and disturbance will undoubtedly stir up emotions and conflicts.
This unexpected revelation will transform their relationships forever, creating a ripple effect throughout their family dynamics.
Meanwhile, Christmas Day is becoming increasingly predictable for Linda Carter, who seems to face life-altering drama every year.
This Christmas, it looks like Linda will be caught in the throes of her battle with alcoholism once again, a storyline that has started to feel repetitive for viewers.
While her struggles have been a key part of her character arc, many fans are growing tired of seeing the same plot unfold year after year.
What’s frustrating is the feeling that soap bosses are focusing too much on Linda’s storylines, sidelining other matriarchs in Walford who have been around for much longer.
Characters like Kim Fox, Kathy Beale, and Jean Slater have been part of EastEnders for decades, but often seem relegated to the background while Linda remains in the spotlight.
Linda has a central role in the soap on Christmas day the past few years after her wedding to Mick Carter (Danny Dyer), Mick's death, Dean revealed as Mick's brother, and being Keanu's murderer.
And it looks like Linda will continue to dominate the narrative with her daughter Nancy (Maddy Hill) returning and leaked photos of a Carter funeral.
It is time to see Linda killed off for good as its starting to feel that Linda’s arc has reached its conclusion.
However, there's also a chance that the funeral photos could be a clever misdirection to mislead viewers.
EastEnders is known for throwing curveballs and building suspense.
But if Linda dies, she can never be reunited with her ex-husband Mick Carter, whose body was never found - a deliberate move by the writers to keep a possible return on the cards.
With EastEnders' Christmas episode scheduled for the later time of 10pm, viewers can expect upsetting or possibly gory scenes.
And we know someone is going to die after a script was left on a tube and read by a fan.
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Let's hope it's worth the wait.
EastEnders airs Monday to Thursday at 7:30pm on BBC One and is available on BBC iPlayer.
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