As natural to Brits as exchanging gifts, tuning in for the EastEnders Christmas Episodes is a sure-fire way to inject some festive drama into your holiday season. Even if you’re not a regular viewer, you might recognise some of these unforgettable storylines that have unfolded on Christmas Day in Walford.

From shocking revelations to chilling murders, here are ten of the most memorable EastEnders Christmas episodes.

Den giving Angie divorce papers – 1986

The second-ever EastEnders Christmas episode is one for the ages. It’s probably the most unforgettable Christmas Day episode, regardless of whether you were around to see it first-hand.

Who could forget the moment Dirty Den handed Angie her divorce papers? The scene at the foot of The Vic stairs, after he discovered she had been lying about having cancer, where Den hands Angie both the documents and the iconic line ‘Happy Christmas, Ange’, is etched in soap history.

Jamie Mitchell passes away – 2002

In 2002, Martin Fowler hit Jamie Mitchell with his car, leaving him in hospital and on life support after suffering damage to his spleen.

Jamie’s girlfriend, Sonia Jackson, rushed to his side, where they confessed their love for each other, with Jamie even slipping a ring onto her finger. The tragic scene shows Jamie taking his last breaths as the hospital machines started beeping.

Ian’s attempt to murder Simon Wicks – 1990

The Beale household seems to have a knack for drama, doesn’t it? Just like in 2024, Ian’s Christmas Day in 1990 was dominated by the revelation that Cindy had been unfaithful. This led to Ian trying to kill his romantic rival, Simon Wicks, by tampering with the brakes of his van on Christmas Day.

Recognising that Ian wouldn’t let the feud go, Simon, Cindy and Steven left Walford the next day to start afresh.

Stacey and Max’s affair exposed – 2007

This Christmas Day episode marked the climax of an illicit affair between Stacey Slater and Max Branning, who happened to be the father of her then-husband Bradley Branning.

In the iconic episode, the family is gathered around the Tv on Christmas Day, watching videos from Stacey and Bradley’s wedding. Little did they know, a kiss between the bride and her father-in-law was caught on tape and revealed to the family by Max’s daughter, Lauren.

The whole family, particularly Bradley and Max’s wife Tanya Cross (Jo Joyner), were left completely shocked. Chaos ensued, with Max desperately trying to convince his wife Tanya that they were recording it as a joke, Stacey admitting to having an affair, and Bradley getting into a physical fight with his father Max. No wonder why the shocking scene still occasionally goes viral on social media.

A paternity test in a Christmas cracker – 2008

In a shocking twist, infamous EastEnders villain Archie Mitchell discovered that his son-in-law, Sean Slater, was not the father of his granddaughter. This revelation dampened the festive spirit, leading him to arrange for the results to be hidden in a Christmas cracker.

The aftermath was even more dramatic: Sean feigned forgiveness towards Roxy and suggested they move away together. However, he then drove Roxy and Amy to a frozen lake, revealing his murderous intentions.

In a desperate bid for survival, Roxy managed to get Amy to safety, but she and Sean fell through the ice. Miraculously, they both survived, and Sean fled.

Pauline Fowler’s tragic death – 2006

After being slapped by Sonia, falling to the floor and breaking the Fowler fruit bowl, beloved character Pauline Fowler tragically died of a brain haemorrhage in the snow on Christmas Day, leaving viewers shocked and heartbroken.

Sadly, Wendy Richard, the actress who portrayed the long-standing character, passed away just a year later following a battle with breast cancer.

The Brannings’ fall from The Vic’s roof – 2017

Christmas Day 2017 was marked by tragedy when sisters Lauren and Abi Branning, the latter being pregnant, attempted to prevent their father, Max Branning, from jumping off the top of the Queen Vic. Unfortunately, this resulted in both of them falling over the edge.

The incident left Abi brain dead after giving birth to her daughter, Abi Jr.

Frank Butcher’s comeback – 1995

Mike Reid, better known as Frank Butcher, left everyone in Albert Square shocked when he made a surprise return on Christmas Day in 1995. He had previously disappeared from Walford and his family without any notice in 1994.

The drama was heightened as his wife Pat Butcher had just started a relationship with Roy Evans. Upon discovering Pat living with Roy, an enraged Frank demanded his house, business, and children back.

Chaos with ‘The Six’ – 2023

Labelled as ‘The Six’, Stacey, Suki Panesar, Linda, Sharon Watts, Denise Fox and Kathy Beale were the focus of Christmas Day 2023. The scorned wives of Walford found themselves in a perilous situation when Nish Panesar aggressively confronted his wife Suki.

Denise came to Suki’s rescue by striking him over the head. Audiences thought Nish was dead, but it was actually Keanu who got murdered after Linda stabbed him with a meat thermometer defending Sharon.

Archie’s murder – 2009

After conquering a long list of enemies, Archie Mitchell met his end when the iconic Queen Vic bust fell onto his head. The suspenseful ‘who killed Archie’ mystery was finally solved in February 2010. As part of the soap’s 25th anniversary, viewers discovered that Stacey Slater had killed Archie as revenge for his abuse of her.

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