EastEnders biggest Christmas storylines from affairs to murders

EastEnders: The Six – Revealed teased in BBC trailer

EastEnders fans have been eagerly waiting since February 20, 2023, to find out who is going to be killed on Christmas day since they were given an insight into the highly anticipated storyline. Albert Square is known for having the worst Christmases in history, with many not being able to enjoy the happy day.

For its viewers, they know that one Walford male will find himself on the floor of The Queen Vic in the dreaded cufflinks. But there remains two questions which need an answer who is it and how has he come to be there?

The men of Walford can’t seem to help themselves when it comes to the drama and whilst the exact circumstances relating to his death have remained a tightly kept secret up, there is one certainty. Six of Walford’s much-loved women will find themselves at the centre of the murder and in a flash, their lives will be permanently changed forever.

In celebration of the big Christmas episode, Express.co.uk has taken a look back at the most iconic Christmas storylines over the years.

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Frank Butcher’s Return

Frank Butcher (played by Mike Reid) left Walford in 1994 after finding himself in debt, asking Phil Mitchell’s (Steve McFadden) help and accidentally killing a homeless man in the middle of his insurance scam.

He left his family in the dark and forced his wife Pat Butcher (Pam St Clement) to get on with her life.

She began to date car dealer, Roy Evans (Tony Caunter), but when she received a letter from a psychiatric hospital saying that Frank had recovered from a breakdown and wanted to reunite, she teared up the letter.

On Christmas Day 1995, Frank made his epic return unannounced and was furious to discover that Pat was living with Roy.

Frank declared he wanted his house, business, and children back and refused to leave Walford. Roy tried scaring Frank away via various underhanded tricks.

In a moment of remorse, Frank threatened to confess his involvement in the arson attack to the police, but Pat attempted to make him reconsider which led to them having sex.

Pat regretted her actions but Frank took great pleasure in telling Roy, leaving him furious, and threatening to leave her, so she lied and said Frank had made it up.

She convinced Frank that she didn’t love him and left him once again to leave Walford in March 1996 and move to Manchester.

Archie Mitchell killed by beloved Queen Victoria statue

Archie Mitchell (Larry Lamb) was only in Walford for a year and a half before he died, but during that time he caused turmoil for a lot of people.

Whilst he gave off a loveable and caring persona, Archie had a sadistic nature about him which came to light when he raped Ronnie Mitchell (Samantha Womack) and Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner).

On Christmas Day 2009, Archie convinced Janine Butcher (Charlie Brookes) to skip Christmas dinner as he had a surprise treasure hunt for her.

But to her shock, she eventually found an envelope containing a one-way ticket to Poland and discovered that Archie had packed a bag for her to move out of the Queen Vic.

Archie told Janine that he was aware that she had been planning to defraud him in a conspiracy plan, before taunting her with the fact that she was the reason why her father Frank abandoned her.

After throwing Janine out of the pub, Archie was visited by a number of people whom he has antagonized throughout the year.

Jack Branning (Scott Maslen) threatened to kill him if he hurt Ronnie again, Sam Mitchell (Kim Medcalf) tried to confront Archie but he shut the door on her.

Ronnie told him that he would not make her care for him and she would not care if he died before he threw her out reminding her of the exact spot she pushed Danielle Jones (Lauren Crace) onto the night she died.

Peggy Mitchell (Barbara Windsor) threatened him, telling him that she was not just a sweet, innocent old lady and that he had no idea who he was messing with. She told Archie if he did not leave the pub that night he would regret every cruel and evil act he had ever done.

However, his violent streak was out in full force and told her that unless she returned, he would have the pub converted to flats.

Bradley Branning (Charlie Clements) visited Archie and punched him, warning him to stay away from his girlfriend Stacey.

Once Bradley left the pub, Archie picked up the snow globe from the floor and shook it around, not noticing the bust of the Queen Vic being pushed from the bar and coming straight towards him.

Archie was struck on the head by the falling bust and was left fatally injured with his daughters finding him.

As Roxy Mitchell (Rita Simmons) arrived in the pub she saw Ronnie crouching down behind their dying father. Archie then died of the head injury, but not before blurting out: “Veronica, I’m sorry.”

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Abi and Lauren fall off the roof of the Queen Vic

The Branning family was never far from the drama, especially at Christmas and in 2017 the family were shaken to their core when the two sisters fell off of the roof of the Queen Vic pub.

After Lauren Branning (Jaqueline Jossa) learned that her sister Abi Branning (Lorna Fitzgerald) had been having an affair with her boyfriend Steve Beale (Aaron Sidwell) and was pregnant with his child, their relationship became fractured.

Abi left Walford for a while to sort herself out but upon her return, she learned that Max Branning (Jake Wood) was involved in a plan to redevelop Albert Square, including turning businesses such as the Vic, into luxury flats and evicting people from their homes and places of work.

Abi and Lauren discovered that Max knew Abi was pregnant, leaving Lauren to disown him while Abi tried to offer support, but he insulted her and called her baby “a Beale brat”.

It was soon revealed that Max caused Matthew Mitchell-Cotton (Zack Karbritz), Jack’s stepson, to be taken away from him, leaving Abi to turn on her father again. On Christmas Day, Tanya Branning (Jo Joyner) returned to take Lauren and Abi away from Walford, revealing that Max killed Steven and tried to kill Jane Beale (Laurie Brett).

Feeling as if he had nothing left, Max went to the roof of The Queen Vic, planning to commit suicide, but Lauren and Abi climbed onto the ledge to try and stop him. As Max agreed to his daughter’s pleas to not jump, Lauren slipped on the wet surface and as Abi grabbed her hand to stop her from falling, both sisters fell off to the ground.

Still alive, they were taken to hospital, where an ultrasound showed that Abi’s baby was alive, but unfortunately, Abi was brainstem dead and had no chance of regaining consciousness.

Max was hopeful that Abi would recover and didn’t tell Lauren the truth, but was furious at Max when she found out.

Max obtained a court order to stop Abi’s life support being withdrawn and planned to take her to the US for a treatment that would have cost £2,000,000, but Dr Harding (Nick Waring) urged Max to do the dignified thing for Abi as she was already dead.

Max barricaded himself in Abi’s hospital room, but was talked into letting the hospital staff in when a nurse told Max about her own son’s death and that she never got to say goodbye.

When Dr Harding explained what would happen to Max and Lauren, Max requested Abi’s life support be turned off at Abi’s time of birth, 8.32 pm.

Mick discovers Dean raped Linda

After returning to Walford in 2014, Dean Wicks (Matt DeAngelo) acquainted himself with his mother’s, Shirley Carter (Linda Henry), family but when they found out he was verbally abusing her, it caused a rift.

Dean became obsessed with Linda Carter (Kellie Bright) who lent a shoulder to cry on after Shirley hurt him by stealing from him after owing Phil Mitchell.

Linda comforted Dean but he took it the wrong way and attempted to have sex with her, but when she protested Dean took no for an answer and raped her.

Linda told no one about the ordeal but was mentally traumatised, more so when she discovered she was pregnant and feared that the baby was Dean’s. He on the other hand continued on as normal and began dating Stacey who began to notice Linda flinch whenever Dean was around.

She ended her relationship with him, throwing him out and refusing to believe his version of events; that sex with Linda had been consensual and that Linda’s reaction stemmed from guilt.

Stacey persuaded Linda to tell Mick Carter (Danny Dyer), which she finally did on Christmas Day, leaving Mick to punch Dean and was only stopped by Shirley’s confession that Mick and Dean are, in fact, brothers.

The revelations caused a split in the family, with Shirley siding with Dean and refusing to believe Linda.

Max and Stacey’s affair is exposed

Back in 2007, Stacey and Max embarked on an affair with one another, despite Max being married and Stacey dating his son Bradley.

After Bradley dumped Stacey, she made the move on Max and kissed him, and a few days later they ended up sleeping together.

They began their affair, but Stacey was continually irked by coming bottom of the pecking order, behind Tanya, Lauren and Abi.

Realising he missed her, Bradley came to Stacey’s window and begged her for another chance, she knocked him back since Max was in her bed.

Max and Stacey called their affair off after Max told Stacey he didn’t love her and was only in it for the sex. However, they got back together and Max was heard on the phone to Stacey by her brother, Sean Slater (Robert Kazinsky).

Stacey and Bradley eventually got married, but that didn’t stop Max from kissing her moments before the ceremony, unbeknownst to them, it was all caught on camera.

Max had a row with Lauren, during which he told her he preferred Abi to her, leaving her to then discover the video of Max and Stacey kissing before editing it into Bradley and Stacey’s wedding video, which she intended to give Bradley for Christmas.

The Branning and Slater families sat down to watch the video, and Max’s affair was exposed. Max attempted to bluff his way out, and a scuffle with Tanya caused her to fall down the stairs, but she eventually kicked him out.

THE SIX

Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean) and Keanu Taylor (Danny Walters) prepare to finally say ‘I do’ but unbeknownst to one another, both are hiding massive secrets. Keanu staged Albie’s kidnap and Phil is the young boy’s biological dad. With stakes running high, both fight to conceal the truth but as the viewers know all too well, secrets never stay secret for long in Albert Square…

Kathy Beale (Gillian Taylforth) is heartbroken having finally learnt about Rocky Cotton’s (Brian Conley) involvement in the café fire that left grandson Peter Beale (Dayle Hudson) fighting for his life. Having also sold Kathy’s café to Nish Panesar (Navin Chowdhry) under false pretences, has Rocky got what it takes to talk himself out of this one, or will it be the final nail in the coffin for their marriage?

Denise Fox (Diane Parish) found herself in hot water after a steamy hotel visit with lover-turned-enemy, Ravi Gulati (Aaron Thiara), had disastrous consequences for her marriage with Jack. With an unresolved feud with Ravi, and more infidelity on the cards for the Brannings, only time will tell if their marriage, and Jack, will survive…

Linda’s world was turned upside down when Dean made a sinister return to Walford on Halloween. With Dean showing no signs of remorse for his crimes, will the consequences of his actions catch up with him before Linda does?

After enduring a stalker ordeal, Stacey is about to find herself embroiled in drama with another Walford man. With best friend Eve Unwin (Heather Peace) also presumed dead and having killed Archie Mitchell in the exact same spot almost 14 years ago, is history about to repeat itself?

Suki Panesar (Balvinder Sopal) is set to hit rock bottom after news of Eve’s “death” reaches Albert Square. Believing that controlling husband Nish, and murderous stepson Ravi are responsible, Suki will stop at nothing to make sure revenge is served…

EastEnders Christmas Special airs Christmas Day 9:45pm on BBC One.

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