EastEnders sends fans into a frenzy as soap airs Christmas 2023 ‘flash-forward scene’

Virgin Radio

21 Feb 2023, 11:02

The EastEnders Christmas special is must-watch telly during the festive season, and for 2023, the BBC soap has started their storyline extremely early. 

During Monday night’s episode (20th February), EastEnders aired a ‘flash-forward’ scene for a moment 10 months from now, which marks a first in the soap’s history. 

In the foreboding clip, six of Walford’s much loved matriarchs, Denise (Diane Parish), Kathy (Gillian Taylforth), Linda (Kellie Bright), Sharon (Letitia Dean), Stacey (Lacey Turner) and Suki (Balvinder Sopal) are faced with a dead body, with the identity remaining a secret to the audience. 

In the remaining moments of the episode, the ladies are seen enjoying a drink together, with Sharon drunkenly raising a glass to men, adding: “May they get what they deserve.”

The clip then cuts to a Christmas tree in the Old Vic pub, alongside a table seemingly adorned with a wedding cake. The women then crowd around the body, while Stacey’s hands are covered in blood.

The camera zooms in on the arm of a man, focusing on his cufflink, before Sharon, decked out in a wedding dress, whispers: “He’s dead.”

EastEnders sleuths took to social media to start trying to decipher what the scene and clues meant before the rest of the year plays out. 

One fan commented on Twitter: “Linda has cut lip. Kathy's dress is torn. Denise has broken bottle. Stacey's hands r covered in blood. Sharon has blood on her. Only 1 I see uninjured is suki. Deffo think nish started on her&they defended her.”

Another commented: “Me looking for cufflinks over the next ten months on every male character who wears a suit.”

A third said: “The flash forward clip & the men mentioned tonight could just be to throw us all off. I wouldn’t rule out it being someone who wasn’t mentioned. For example, who killed Lucy promotions/trailers had no sign of Bobby. Expecting Dean & Ryan to return but many twists along the way.”

Others believe the dead body could be that of someone fans aren’t even aware of yet, as one Twitter user added: “I think it's someone we don't know yet that's going to have a big story! The opening credits followed that guy walking into the pub and the camera stayed on him for ages a bit unusual for just an extra????”

According to showbosses, the idea for a 10-month flash-forward has been in the works for a long time. 

Chris Clenshaw, executive producer of the soap, said: “It’s been in the pipeline since I took over at the beginning of last year (2022). I was looking for a blockbuster story for 2023 and there was clearly an appetite for a ‘whodunnit’, but I was reluctant to play a ‘whodunnit’ in the traditional form…

“...We developed the idea and thought it would be even more exciting if we didn’t reveal who the victim is – becoming so much more than a ‘whodunnit’… It’s a ‘who-is-it’ as well. We then decided to kick the story off at a time when The Six (women) – Linda, Suki, Kathy, Stacey, Denise and Sharon – are each involved in stories connected to the men in their lives, which fortunately happened to be around the 38th anniversary of EastEnders.”

EastEnders airs on BBC One at 7:30pm Monday-Thursday and on BBC iPlayer.