BBC’s EastEnders’ dramatic 40th anniversary celebrations are well underway as the soap is set to make history with an experimental episode.
Thursday night’s episode will be broadcast live from Albert Square with show bosses teasing anything could happen. Viewers will be given the ultimate power as they will get to decide the outcome in a soap first. The live episode is “set to change Walford, and the lives of those who live in it forever”.
In celebration of the soap’s 40th anniversary week, major icons have returned to Walford. Wednesday night saw dramatic scenes following its special hour long episode showing the aftermath of the Queen Vic fire. However, not everyone will make it out of the pub alive following the shocking events on Tuesday that led to the fire.
Earlier in the week, it was revealed Kathy had attacked Cindy on Christmas Day. An altercation with Ian led to Cindy ‘accidentally’ shooting him in the arm, and a further row between the pair had Cindy pushing Ian into the road and into the path of Reiss’s car. He swerved to miss Ian, but instead crashed into gas cans that exploded in the beloved Queen Vic. Amid all the drama, here is what fans can expect from tonight’s live episode…
Tonight, fans will get the pick whether Denise Fox (Diane Parish) will reunite with her estranged husband Jack Branning (Scott Maslen) or choose to embark on a new romance with lover Ravi Gulati (Aaron Thiara). The vote opened at 8:30pm on Wednesday, February 19th and will close at 7:10pm on Thursday, February 20th – moments before the live episode airs.
The choice won’t be an easy one, and fans have been divided. Should Denise go back to her ex, who has supported her through her breakdown over her involvement over the death of Keanu Taylor, or should she choose the younger Ravi, who excites her and wants her for who she is?
Of course, Jack and Ravi both have their downsides. Jack, Albert Square’s corrupt detective, cheated on Denise with Stacey Slater, who is the grandmother of his grandchild. As for Ravi, he’s a known drug dealer who killed the man he thought was his father and also previously dated Denise’s daughter, Chelsea Fox.
When the live special was announced, Chris Clenshaw, executive producer of the BBC soap, said: “We’re all so excited to give our audience their first ever chance to decide how one of our big storylines plays out. Their votes will determine whether Denise picks Jack or Ravi, with the outcome being revealed as part of our live episode. There is a lot to come over the next few weeks for all three involved, so it’ll be extremely exciting to see which way the audience choose to take the story.”
Once all votes have been cast, the decision will be independently verified and passed on to Clenshaw just before the show begins, and the cast and crew will then disregard the losing script as they prepare to depict the winning scene.
Denise’s outcome isn’t the only decision fans get to make as they will be given the big choice over the name for Sonia’s baby. Viewers can pic either Julia or Toni, to commemorate the two creators of EastEnders, Julia Smith and Tony Holland. Sonia was last seen trapped in the Vic, in labour, with Bianca and Lauren by her side.
Her killer fiancé, Reiss, found them, but Sonia refused to let him near her, and shouted: “You are a freak, Reiss. You are a murdering freak. You’re not going to be any part of my daughter’s life.” Bianca waved a rolling pin at him to push him away, and he fell backwards. After a small piece of rubble fell on Reiss, he thought he was safe as he breathed a sigh of relief and said: “That was close”. But, moments later, a massive bath tub then came crashing down, crushing him to death. Bianca confirmed he was dead after a look at his smashed body.
While Sonia struggled in labour, she told Bianca that she wanted to name her daughter either Julia or Toni (“with an i”). Following the episode, the BBC posted the question “What should Sonia name her baby?” with a link to vote.
Fans have been left on a cliffhanger as Martin chose Stacey over Ruby, only for a giant metal beam to crash down from the ceiling, threatening their happiness. He gallantly threw Stacey out of the way of the falling beam, only to be crushed by it himself. Fans took to social media to express their shock about whether he will survive, as one said: “Is Martin going to die. And is Stacey going to tell ruby he chose her?”
Another added: “Martin chooses Stacey then gets crushed by a steel beam.” Someone else commented: “Martin better live or I will have words. I think Martin is a red herring. I think he’ll live and someone dies in hospital.” A fourth wrote: “Please let Reiss be the only one deceased, we cannot lose Martin!”
Two stars have revealed they will not be in the live episode ahead of the exciting programme. Ross Kemp, who plays Grant Mitchell, confirmed his absence as he told ITV’s This Morning earlier this week: |I’m not doing the live, I’m no longer there, I’ve departed – not in a hearse, I hasten to add.”
Grant recently returned to Albert Square after pleas from his childhood pal Nigel Bates to help his brother Phil Mitchell, who has recently been suffering with his mental health and experiencing suicidal thoughts. In dramatic scenes earlier this week, Phil was seen attempting to take his own life for a second time before Grant, Nigel and Linda Carter step in. Their words failed to convince a gun-wielding Phil who pulled the trigger – but the gun was empty as Cindy earlier took the weapon and shot at Ian Beale.
Wednesday night’s hour long episode saw a mental health professional come and visit Phil in The Arches after his heartbreaking attempt and he decided to travel to a mental health facility for help. Meanwhile, Cindy Beale was seen being carted off in an ambulance after she was injured in the explosion at Queen Vic.
She was seen wearing an oxygen mask in the back of the emergency vehicle as a paramedic told her she ‘has a lot to thank’ her mother-in-law Kathy Beale, who saved her from succumbing to her injuries in the pub. Cindy takes off her oxygen mask and bitterly responds: “Thank her? No chance,” after discovering Kathy tried to kill her on Christmas Day.
Cindy will also be missing from the live episode as she recently told the Metro: “I’m actually not going to be in the live. I am allowed to say that.”
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