BBC EastEnders in massive schedule shake-up this week ahead of Christmas murder mystery
CHRISTMAS has been welcomed with a collective sigh of relief as soap viewers are keen to know what's due to unravel in Walford tonight.
However, while EastEnders fans have been used to a precise schedule, their patience will be put to the test again this week on BBC One.
Soap bosses threw fans into a hunt for clues in February, 2023, after a grisly flashforward scene teasing an explosive murder on Christmas Day was aired on our screens.
Ten months have since flown by, months that keen TV viewers have spent on social media such as X, formerly known as Twitter, or Reddit, sharing their wildest theories about upcoming events in Albert Square.
The wait finally ends tonight as Linda Carter (portrayed by Kellie Bright), Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean), Denise Fox (Diane Parish), Suki Panesar (Balvinder Sopal), Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner) and Kathy Beale (Gillian Taylforth) take centre stage and their lives will be changing in a flash.
Seven men are said to be in mortal danger in the upcoming episode, from villainous Nish Panesar (Navin Chowdhry) to Walford legend Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden) - but who will be meeting their demise?
But just as the excitement grows, soap bosses may have a riot on their hands due to another schedule change.
Christmas will be coming late to viewers tonight as the festive instalment will be aired at a later time slot, making way for BBC sitcom Ghosts and its own Christmas special at 7.45pm.
The series will then be followed by Call The Midwife, which will feature a flashback to the launch of Apollo 8's moon mission in December 1968.
This means that EastEnders will finally air hours after its regular slot, at 9.45pm on BBC One, with church bells ringing for Sharon Watts and Keanu Taylor's wedding in an hour-long special due to end in tragedy.
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Patience will then be required once again on Boxing Day (Tuesday, December 26) as EastEnders will be aired past its usual 7.30pm slot.
The beloved program will hit out screens tomorrow at 8.25pm due to the airing of a special documentary, Charles III: The Coronation Year.
EastEnders will return to its normal schedule on Wednesday and Thursday before another unexpected episode is exceptionally aired on Friday, December 29, at 7.30pm.
Episodes for this week will also be dropped on at 6am from Tuesday to Friday.
The long-running show has been the target of many schedule changes, much to the dismay of many soap fans, most recently due to the UEFA Women's Nations League.
Fans have also been warned that chaos is ahead in the soap schedule next year as the Euro 2024 will be taking place in the summer.
But how will the events of tonight's long-awaited EastEnders instalment play out?
Who will be killed off?
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Who will do the killing?
EastEnders airs tonight at 9.45pm on BBC One.
