EastEnders: Beautiful tears...

Last night's double bill of my favourite soap blew people away. It was highly emotionally charged and both the writing and acting were award winning.

In the first episode we said goodbye to dear old Charlie Slater, which was a lot more heartwrenching than I expected when I first heard that he was going to Walford's heaven in the sky. I think maybe Kat's heartache, upon finding out that she has a secret son, and the betrayal by her mother and Mo, made it all the more poignant.
Kat had screamed blue murder at Mo, and Charlie, too, before his attack came on. In the shock of what was happening, the Slater secrets were swept under the carpet.

I thought it was so clever, that one of Charlie's last lines was all about Brian's secret family and the the fact that he had 'three girls'. The seed of doubt was planted in Kat's mind that Kyle was lying to Stacey about being her brother. Of course, we know that Kyle is Transgender, and hasn't yet managed to tell Stacey the truth.
This might well be a good thing, as Stacey's Post-Partum Psychosis escalated to frightening lengths during the second episode last night.
Convinced that baby Arthur is the son of God, Stacey thinks that everyone is out to take him away from her. And innocent remarks from those around her spurred this on.
I especially felt for Carmel last night. She's heartbroken for Shabnam and Kush, after discovering that they can't have any more children, and knowing that her one hope of having a grandchild is just across the Square was too much for her to keep quiet about. Bonnie Langford has slotted straight in to Alvert Square and I really like her character. The secret about Kush being Arthur's real dad was also revealed to Shabnam last night, as she overheard an upset Kush breaking down to Carmel, after he and Martin frantically tried to track Stacey and the baby down.
It's a complicated situation, where I feel for everybody involved, even Kush and Stacey, because although they did betray Shabnam and Martin by keeping their one night stand a secret, as far as I remember, that it happened while neither party was in a relationship with their now partners.

It was a sad goodbye to Uncle Charlie...

Talking of secrets, Phil and Alfie's hospital scenes were also a breath of fresh air to watch, as the two men opened up to each other about their health worries. Alfie has been told that his brain tumour will need operating on in the future, but with Charlie's death, and once he finds out abut Kat's secret son, how long will it take Alfie to tell the truth?
I'm looking forward to the Ireland spin-off, where the Moon's head off to find Zoe's lost twin, Luke. The social media rumour mill has said that not only could Sean Slater be the boy, but also Stacey's ex, Luke, played by Matt Willis (remember?!) The only evidence is that the two share the same name, but as Sister Ruth said - adopted baby's names are more than likely changed.
If Kat does find her son, then another character may well be introduced to the Square - and that's never a bad thing. I assumed when the plot was announced that he would be someone already living in Walfiod (I love a Soap coincidence!) but as it's gone on, I think the likelihood of that has shrunk.

The second episode of last night ended with Stacey on the roof of the Queen Vic, but before getting there, she believed she'd found a 'sign' from her dad, and called Kyle to meet her, as she thinks that her dad sent him, as the only one she can trust. It was a heartwarming scene as Kyle, who seems so desperate to be accepted by his sister, went along with Stacey's erratic plans, promising to looks after her and Arthur, even though his face told that he was concerned about Stacey's behaviour. Once the penny finally dropped for Kyle, that Stacey wasn't well, he called Martin, who then subsequently told Stace that Brian had never had a son...
Stacey was now even more petrified, and a worried Kyle watched as Stacey ran with Arthur, into a cab, where she had a vision of Charlie, telling her to go home. For EastEnders, this was a risky scene, but worked, as it took us into Stacey's mind.
As Stacey went upstairs at The Vic, I found it strange that Nancy didn't seem worried that she just went up to their home, and didn't immediately go to find out what Stacey wanted in the flat above The Vic.

Anyhow, Stacey wanted to go on to the rooftop to be closer to God.
The episode's end was filmed beautifully picturesque, as the camera zoomed outwards and upwards, leaving Stacey teetering at the point where her beloved Bradley fell to his death. Lacey Turner was astonishing during these episodes, and her acting shone. She was even praised on Twitter for an 'Oscar Winning Performance'!

Lacey Turner's performance was award winning... Surely!

Next week we will see Martin rush up to rescue her and Arthur, but Stacey then drops the bombshell that Martin isn't Arthur's dad. God is...
Martin will then realise that something is seriously wrong with Stacey's frame of mind, but how will he help her? And now that Shabnam knows the truth about Arthur's paternity, and with Stacey suffering with her Post Partum Psychosis, will she reveal the truth to Martin straight away?
I think the secret will stay hidden for a while longer, at least. One thing I will be surprised about is if Kush and Shabnam's marriage survives. I just don't think that Shabs will be able to stay, knowing the truth. I would like to actually see her moved in with Shirley, Buster and her daughter, Jade. The relationship building between Shabnam and Jade has been a nice, slow-burning one to watch, especially with the circumstances surrounding, and I think that Shirley and Shabnam could actually be a  good partnership with bringing Jade up, as they are so polar opposite.

EastEnders has surpassed its Christmas and New Year surprises, and it's only one week into the New Year. Looking ahead, I'm excited to see what's next... especially with Phil's cirrhosis storyline and him tracking down long-lost Louise... Roxy will also almost certainly have to return at some point, and Ronnie's life will be flipped once more with Jack's permanent return.
I definitely think it's time for a full-on Mitchell comeback over the coming months!

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Merry (ahem!) Christmas from EastEnders...

The one soap bubble I'm most looking forward to this Christmas Day is EastEnders, of course.
It's always been that tradition to sit and see how the residents of Walford are spending the most wonderful day of the year, It usually isn't happily and this year, for a fact, will be no different.

However, I want to begin by musing over a story which will really kick off on Christmas Eve, as Stacey gives birth to her son.
It's been revealed recently that Stacey will suffer from postpartum psychosis, which leads to a heartbreaking rooftop scene, where the troubled mum goes to the top of The Vic, to be closer to God. It's also the same place where she lost her husband, Bradley.
We also know that Kush is secretly harbouring the secret that he is Stacey's sons father and not his best pal Martin. Even more heartbreaking is, of course, that Kush's wife, and Stacey's best mate Shabnam recently lost their own son through stillbirth.
With Shabnam now going through a medical worry of her own, waiting to find out if she can have more children, Stacey's upsetting storyline has lead me to wonder whether Kush, with Shabs' persuasion will go for custody of his son.

I think that this would be a hard-hitting plot, especially as Shabnam will also find out that her hubby is Stacey's baby's dad over Christmas.
Shabs is fragile, from losing her own son, and her fragility will be made worse should she discover that it's unlikely that she will be able to have any more children. Imagine her pain, especially as Kush was a driving force in her backing out of going for custody of her daughter, Jade, who's now living with grandmother Shirley Carter.

If Shabnam does stick with Kush, and with Stacey's postpartum psychosis, the feeling of hurt and betrayal could easily drive Shabnam to push Kush into using poor Stacey's mental health to gain the family she so desperately wants.

But what about Martin? He's already dealt with Sonia cheating on him in the past, so will he forgive Stacey and Kush, especially as he's so excited about becoming a dad again. James Bye has effortlessly stepped into Martin's shoes and I think that this would be a perfect opportunity for him to really shine, should Martin go off the rails after this latest set-back. Deep down, Martin is a real Fowler, he's a family man. But then so was Arthur, and he went off the rails at least once in his life...
I'd love to see Martin mix with characters he may not have been involved with since his return, say, Vincent for example. Another guy who wants to be a family man, but has come off the rails because of the way his life has led him.

That's if Vincent isn't the victim of the Christmas Day tragedy... I had wondered if it would be him, but I'm now changing my mind. Especially since last night's ep - which I'd like to just take a moment to appreciate drunk Phil once more! Steve McFadden plays a blinder, and as horrid as it was watching Kim worry for baby Pearl, the comedy moments of Phil creeping out, kept the scenes a little lighter. His one liners to Sharon, and her massive disapproving looks were a chuckle!
Phil also revealed to Vincent that his dad actually 'did a runner', and you could maybe see Vincent believe him? Or at least see a seeded doubt.
I've always wondered if Claudette was the one who killed her hubby, after he possibly had an affair (maybe with Aunt Sal!). But now it seems that he could have ran off... Either way, Claudette has a vendetta against the Mitchell's.
Vincent ended last night's episode by telling his mum that Phil Mitchell is a dead man, tomorrow... We know that there will be a showdown, but I'm wondering if someone innocent will be caught in the crossfire. Fatboy, maybe? He's been about at the Hubbard's household quite a bit, and we know that he's leaving the Square.

We know it definitely won't be Phil, as he has a new battle of his own coming up in the New Year. Cirrhosis of the liver. Will this be the storyline to get Phil back on the wagon?
I think it's an amazing storyline to tackle, and as far as I believe, it's not yet been done in soap before. This could also see the Mitchell's really pull together again, after fraying over the past few months. There's no other family who forget their differences in a crisis like this one - and with Phil's teenage daughter Louise on her way home, maybe this time next year, Christmas at the Mitchell's will be a happier affair... But then again, maybe not!

I'll leave you with one final thought...
Remember that Bobby Beale is still about, and I'd look out for that one this Christmas Day, too... That's one kid definitely on Santa's BAD list!

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Christmas on Enders looks to mark the End of who?

Walford Christmases. Ah. it's all tinsel, community, and destruction. And I love it!
What more could you want after a bellyful of turkey than to sit down with a Christmas chocolate and a glass of wine to see our favourite soap characters revel in misery!

And Christmas 2015 is set to allow us all to do just that, as death and destruction are promised - with twists at each festive corner.

Enders' Executive Producer has revealed that the unlucky character who meets their maker on Christmas Day will be kept under wraps, promising that 'no one knows', and the soap has taken homage to Live Week back in February when planning the Christmas episodes.
We already know that Charlie Slater will be returning, only to tragically die in early 2016, but that's now obvious to be completely separate from the other tragic news.

With the Mitchell's and Vincent going head-to-head, my main runner has got to be that it's Kim's hubby who comes to a sticky end.

While the promo photo sees the police whisperer looking on top of things, as he tries to crush the Mitchell clan, I won't be so sure that he will actually pull off his dastardly deeds.
There has already been talk of Vincent's dislike of Christmas, after his father passed away at that time of year, so it'll add all the more poignancy, maybe? And we all know that no-one ever beats Phil Mitchell, even if he has fallen off the wagon. Ronnie, who has been forced to save herself from a prison sentence, and help Vincent set Phil up has already killed before, and even though it looks like she's turned her back on her family, I don't buy it.
To add to the tragedy, should Vincent be the grim reapers Christmas Day victim, his mum Claudette will disown him over the next week, as she finds out that he is actually a police informant...

But while Vincent is my man for now, there's also danger over at the Beale's, as Staircase-Bobby's behaviour worsens, leading to himself and little Dennis Jr going head-to-head, triggering a catalogue of incidents, leaving lives hanging in the balance.
Jane and Ian are determined to keep the truth about Lucy's murder underwraps (even though half of the Square already know it was Bobby!) Sharon (who's also in on the not-so-secret-secret) will do anything to protect her own family.

It's been revealed that Ian gifts Jane with a new car for Christmas, is this the same car Vincent is standing on, crushed beneath him?

Let the twists and turns begin...

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EASTENDERS: Where's Ronnie?

That was a nice little twist from the Enders gang last night, wasn't it? 

After my rant about how Dean's downfall might well be Ronnie's revival, and wondering how she would return after being arrested for Carl White's murder - it turns out that she wasn't arrested at all! 

Roxy was panicking after going into Walford Police Station to tell-tale on her sister (and breaking the biggest of all Mitchell codes of conduct!), suddenly having a change of heart, and telling Ronnie to run, before a detective came knocking. 

But it was in the car afterwards, as Ronnie was being driven away that she realised the two men weren't Old Bill at all... 

Cue an almighty 'WHO ARE THEY?!' from me, followed by a DUFF DUFF from them... 

It's been whispered that we won't have to wait too long to find out Ronnie's fate at the hands of her kidnappers, as some 'surprising answers' will be revealed this week. 

Initially in our house, we pointed the finger at Vincent. Was it to do with his secret meeting a few weeks back with the mysterious man at the tube station? Does he really harbour romantic feelings for Ronnie, and after getting wind of her impending arrest, sent some heavies round to take her away to safety? 

To be fair, the man throwing a 'that's not a good idea' at Ronnie while she desperately tried to open the locked car door didn't sound very safe... So she might really be in danger. 

And if so, maybe it is Vincent, and he's doing it for some kind of revenge (again, in partnership with mystery tube man) or has evil Gavin returned, to put yet more revenge on the Mitchell family? More interestingly, is this something to do with Charlie Cotton? He knows that Ronnie killed Carl, and he has played make-believe policeman before, on his arrival to Walford.

If it's none of the above, this man at the door may have been pretending to be a police officer at Walford Station - another hint towards Charlie?
Roxy did go there and it was clear that she dobbed her sister in, from her pleas to Ronnie to run. So, as Dean kept asking, where were the police to arrest her? The man at the door also knew all of the information - Carl White, and murder. 

Or, is this when the Mitchell's realise Ronnie's in danger, if the real police come knocking in tonight's ep? 

So many questions... 

But one thing remains, and that's that Roxy will be shut out and disowned by her faaaamily, even more so that Ronnie is now in what looks like bigger trouble than just being arrested for murder. 

I'm sure we'll find out more tonight and as the week unfolds, but what do you think the twist in this tale will be? 

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EASTENDERS: Dean's downfall may be Ronnie's revival

I think EastEnders have done a brilliant job in their storytelling of Linda's rape aftermath, which occurred just over a year ago.
Many fans were a little perplexed that Dean didn't get his rightful punishment, and Linda didn't get justice, after police decided there wasn't enough evidence to take him to court. But, as the Enders bosses said at the time, this is true for many people who suffered like Linda.

But, in soap especially, it is important to show that bad people do get some kind of comeuppance, and Danny Dyer, who plays Linda's hubby Mick, has already said that justice is served beautifully in the end. But how?
Because recent pictures, which will be aired over the New Year (and Mick and Linda's big wedding!) have shown Mick trying to save his rotten half-brother, after Dean tumbles into a lake.

Has Dean met a watery end?

Rumour has it that Dean won't survive his watery fate, but will he be outed for the rapist he is before he departs the Square for good?

We've seen over recent week's that Dean has become increasingly possessive over his new fiancee Roxy Mitchell, going head-to-head with Ronnie in the process.
Ronnie is one of my favourite characters, as I think she's so layered as a character. She's been through so much trauma, and caused a fair bit herself. She's even a murderer! Yet, like some characters, you can have sympathy, even when their actions take them seemingly beyond repair.
Ronnie will be arrested next week for killing Carl White (walloped over the head and crushed in the boot of a car, remember?!) after he tried to assault Ron... Even more surprising  is that Roxy goes against all Mitchell family values, and admits, as Ronnie's being led away, that she was the one to report her sister to the Old Bill. And there you have it, the Mitchell's cast Roxy out, meaning that all she has is Dean to lean on. Bet he's pleased as punch!

She'll be back! 

However, here's where Dean's downfall could really begin...
Having Roxy all to himself, he will no doubt continue his possessive behaviour. We've already seen him 'accidentally' burn her with hair straighteners and then cut a chunk out of her hair, during a row. Last night, too, we saw Dean hold Roxy's wrists a little too tight, leaving her to ask him to let her go, while they were in the bedroom. Ronnie noticed the marks later, in front of the Carter clan.
It has since been announced that Dean will attempt to rape Roxy towards the end of this year, leaving her traumatised - and possibly alone.

Will Ronnie be out of police custody by the time Dean attempts his attack? Well, we know that she'll be back - those Mitchell's always manage to somehow obtain a 'get out of jail free' card (anyone for Monopoly?!) at just the right time don't they!
And this is how Ronnie could be revived, and shed another of her many layers... Dean will be gone, Roxy will no doubt be welcomed back into the Mitchell bosom (she is faaaaamily after all, and will need their support more than ever) and Ronnie will (somehow) be rid of her worry about her murderous crime catching up with her.

That until the Charlie Cotton secret unravels. And who WAS that bloke Vincent plotted with at the tube a few weeks ago?

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EASTENDERS: No Faaaammmillyyyy Values...

I'll repeat it again, I think EastEnders has been great this week, all beginning when Max turned Ninja and jumped the dock after his guilty verdict.

Last night, he was captured, and Ninja status stripped, but not before correctly guessing that Bobby killed Lucy, and shouting it across so that the whole Square could hear.
Of course, no one will believe him now. But how could his daughter, Lauren, let it all get this far?
No family values, those Branning's...
Well, that's nothing we didn't already know, as Lauren once ran her dad over purposefully, Abi stalked and tried to drown Lauren last Halloween, and Tanya buried Max alive one Good Friday night. It all seems to happen on Good Friday in Walford, eh!
I mean, could you imagine any one of the Mitchell's letting one of their own go down for something they knew they didn't do? To be fair, even if they did do it, they would still do anything to get them off the hook!
Max was always fighting a losing battle with Abi, who's been 'brainwashed' by the Mitchell's according to Lauren. It was Abi who called the police, revealing her dad's location, while giving her best Janine-esque look to Carol and co... Talking of Carol, I really liked the ridiculous idea of her going off with Max on the run. She needs some fire in her blood of late, and that would've been a quirky exit for her!
But it wasn't to be, thanks to Janine Abi, and Max was surrounded. The scene where he realised who he was taking the blame for was tense. You could feel Jane's stress seep through the telly, and Laurie Brett has been on fire since the Lucy story begun. When Lauren revealed that she knew, too, a heartbroken Max uttered that she was dead to him.

He disowned one daughter, and his other disowned him.

But whatever next?

We know that last night was Jake Wood's final Max scenes for just over a year, but how on earth will this play out and how can Max be released when Jake returns next year?
Stacey is the only one truly in Max's corner. She may urge him to fight an appeal, and she already believed that Jane was hiding something, so surely Max's pleas of Bobby being the killer will set even more alarms off in her head?
Lauren is also headed off again until the New Year... Maybe with her tail between her legs, leaving her dad to languish after he 'deaded' her... But even Lauren can surely see Max's feeling of betrayal. I can't get over how she's allowed his to go for the length of a trial. Yes, she trusted Jane, but as soon as that Guilty plea was heard, she should have spoken up. And she especially should now, that Max is in even hotter water. But my guess is, for whatever reason, she will head back to New Zealand keeping schtum.

Next week, the Beale's have a new dilemma, as Ian leaves a suicide note and a panicked Jane rushes off to find him. Ian will then see Kathy for the first time (and probably die of shock!)
I wonder how the Beale's will ever come back from this Bobby killed Lucy drama. Comeuppance is 99% a must in soap, and the whole family will come a cropper should the truth be revealed.
Let's face it, Max will be back on the Square by next Christmas, either because the truth comes out before then, or he wins an appeal, meaning that the police investigation will re-open, and they will surely have to look into the Bobby allegation?

Then again, a lot can happen in a year. Bobby could always 'accidentally' kill again before then.
I mean, he does seem to like those stairs...

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EASTENDERS: Who DOESN'T know, that's the question!

How epic was Monday night's EastEnders!

Gasps occurred from our living room as Max jumped the dock, and punched DC Bryant, after being found (wrongly!) guilty for killing Lucy Beale.
It was the first time in a long while that a 'doof doof' genuinely shocked me, and I loved it!

Last night saw Max return to the Square - possibly like a Ninja - as he managed to duck and dive away from many a Walford cop on his route to the Beale's house...
Before I get more into that, I wasn't too surprised that Phil had actually done the dirty on both Jane and Sharon, but paying the foreman off to find poor Ninja Max guilty, instead of not. It's always been about faaaaamily for the Mitchell's, and even though Phil has never been Max's number 1, I think he did this to get any possible leftover-light shone on his son, Ben, who was also arrested for Lucy's murder not-so long ago. Phil also did a good job in scaring Lauren into keeping schtum about Bobby being the killer... So for now no-one else knows.

Well - apart from Ian, Jane, Sharon, Phil, Lauren, Peter, Cindy, Liam - and soon to be convicted Max himself!
Yep, as Max arrived at the Beale's last night, he will on Thursday confront Jane about why she gave him the alibi. Did Jane not think that Max, even if he were found NOT guilty, wouldn't wonder why she admitted to an untrue night-of-passion with him?

Anyhow, Max will correctly guess that Bobby is the killer!
Yep, so that will be nine Albert Square residents knowing the truth (not forgetting that Mick Carter also had a wobble that Ian knew more than he was letting on).
But will Jane admit this to Max, especially as she's now concluded that when Max's is found by the police after his Ninja stint, that it'll be best for him to serve time for a crime he didn't commit.
Let's face it, if Max's right guess is confirmed by Jane, then he'll surely not keep quiet. Would you?

But, he might also find out that his daughter also knew the truth and allowed his trial to continue. That, in Max's eyes would be unforgivable.

As Jake Wood bows out from EastEnders this week, taking a year out, we've been promised that the rest of this week's unmissable episode will lead to him going with a bang - along with daughter Lauren, who will return in the new year - his sister, Carol, who's leaving with her son Robbie, who I'm loving on his return by the way!

The four are said to not be leaving quietly, but how will they go?

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EASTENDERS - The mother of all trials begins...

After being away for a week, it seemed as though the soaps had moved on in epic steps. So I've done my best to catch up quickly, and am glad to be back on my sofa in time for Max's murder trial in EastEnders.

Max takes the stand...

We've been promised surprise twists and turns throughout, which is something EE seems to be doing greatly since DTC has been back at the helm.
With Lauren's brief return and birth giving revealed, Max's eldest daughter lays down the law of her own to Jane, telling her that if Max IS sent down, she will reveal all...
Laurie Brett has also spoken out about her character covering for her son, saying that Jane would hold a gun to even Ian's head if it meant saving Bobby. Laurie has also spoken of her pondering over whether Bobby really knows the truth that he did kill his sister. This is something I've said all along.

Over the last week Jane has been in meltdown central, especially since Ian took off with Bobby, and now even Phil knows the truth. How many more people can find out and keep schtum? Phil was right when he said that Bobby needed help (after being almost assaulted with a golf club by the boy himself) and there are so many different ways the story team can go with Bobby and the Beale family. Especially with Kathy soon being thrown back into the mix!

The trial of Max will be sure to take precedence over next week's episodes, and I can't see him being found guilty at the moment.
Why? Especially because all the odds are so out of his favour? Well, we've been promised twists and turns... Abi will apparently have a mini meltdown on the stand, after realising that Max and his brief Marcus Christie are actually setting her up as she gives evidence. And that man Marcus is the pawn in the game which could be Max's changer. The dodgy solicitor has gotten the Mitchell's out of some more than massive troubles in the past, he soon became their arch enemy, after doing them over, and it takes one hellaver person to get one up on the ultimate Walford faaaaamily.
Max has been shunned now by all of his family, with Carol choosing to believe he's guilty and his nephew Liam deciding to keep the Beale's secret and leave the Square with Cindy in tow. But with Lauren back and on her dad's side, surely it'll give him a lift. It's ironic really, as Abi was always daddy's girl over Lauren, who even once ran her dad over in the Square because she hated him that much... But securing that Max's innocence is found would be the ultimate make up for that!

It will be interesting viewing to see how it goes, especially with there being so many other stories entwining within the trial drama.

Elsewhere, the Carter's will soon be having some fun, fun, fun after the last year of hell for them. With the anniversary of Linda's rape approaching, she, Nancy and her mum Elaine have all headed off to Spain with baby Oliver. I'm glad the character of Elaine has returned for a stint once again, as she's great to watch and brings the old-school EastEnd classic feeling back.
Elaine will also soon have a toyboy lover, which will no doubt cause mayhem in The Vic. And he's a looker!
Mick meanwhile, will support Lee through darker times as he confides in his dad over his depression. It's nice to see a male go through something so taboo, with another male as his confidant. Yes, Lee's girlfriend Whitney and sister Nancy know, but I think Mick will be Lee's real rock.

Talking before of old EastEnd classic characters, Bonnie Langford is now a permanent cast member. When Bonnie joined as Kush's kooky mum, Carmel, I wasn't sure I'd like her in the role but I was wrong and she fits in perfectly. She's a 'Peggy-esque' type and something Walford was missing.
Carmel also showed her calmer, supportive side of late, after the heartbreaking story of Shabnam and Kush's baby being stillborn.
The storyline was hard to watch, of course for some viewers more than others, but an important story to tell. If it raised awareness of 'counting the kicks' for just one expecting family, then it's been worth it, I'm sure.
The acting was beautifully done.

Enders is right where it should be at the moment, giving us the right mix of real-life hitting plots, fun and drama.

Here's to it continuing next week... Good luck in the stand, Max!

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EASTENDERS: Max knows who?

EastEnders has really lift the lid on Lucy's murder storyline once again, even more than we could have imagined.
With last week's twists and turns, by Friday it could've been an easy guess that Max Branning would be the unlucky EastEnder to be charged with her murder. And he was...

I love how the writers have managed to make it such uneasy viewing. That's really clever. It's awkward, as we watch the Beale's watch Max in court, knowing he's innocent. Phil's digs about it in Ian's ear making him (and us) squirm even more.
Then there's Abi. Always a daddy's girl, until now, who also knows that she's lied about Max pressuring her to keep quiet about his whereabouts on Good Friday 2014. Ab's really wants to be a Mitchell, but even Mitchell's by marriage aren't really Mitchell's. Phil still keeps Sharon at arms length when needs be, and he's known and loved her for years, regardless of them now being man and wife. Sharon was a Mitchell with Grant and now a Mitchell again, but when it comes down to it, Mitchell blood is always thicker. This was even proved with Billy turning Jay in last night, even if it was for selfish reasons to keep Lola.

Which, by the way, I don't think was a great exit. Lola and Jay were meant to be in new young love, and she's just gone to Newcastle, leaving him in Walford nick, not even checking he's okay or when he will be released? It seemed rushed, in my opinion, and the character deserved a more fitting exit than one slapped in the middle of an already charged episode. #JustSaying.

Back to Max, however, and it looks like right now, he's only got Stacey on his side. Even Carol didn't go to see him in court and has a niggling doubt.
Ian and Jane need to be careful, too, as they don't seem angered or shocked enough that their Lucy's killer has supposedly been found. I think this is a clever quip from the story team, too, because it's keeping us wondering if one of them will crumble. As a viewer, who knows the whole story, they're not acting right, so to characters who don't know the full shebang, especially the people of the Square who are really clued one (Mick Carter being one to already call Ian out...) will surely notice their behavior is a little hit an miss?

Before the 'duff duff' last night, Max called Stacey and pleaded with her that he didn't kill Lucy. We know that, Stacey believes that, but what we weren't bargaining for was the line 'but I know who did'.
Who Max? Who?
Of course we know it was Bobby the Staircase-Boy, but does Max?

It's all in his eyes... and the things he hears on the stairs...

This is the clever thing with Max, because he might well think he knows who murdered Lucy, but he'd also not think twice about framing someone else, either. Especially after being back-stabbed by his own daughter.
It was an unfortunate twist of fate that caused Lucy's blood to be on Max's shoes, and word online is saying that he might believe Abi did it. Or did he see more than we realise on the night Lucy was killed by her brother? Does Max think Jane did it?
I guess we'll find out tomorrow, but Stacey will help Max, that is a given. He helped her escape when she admitted killing Archie, so she owes a lot to Max, not to mention their history together.

I'm enjoying the way that EastEnders are getting viewers excited about the Lucy case again, even though all the secrets have now been told (we think!).
What's more is Bobby and his creepy, innocent-but-not-so-innocent, look. Shouting 'Die Die Die' at the computer game, in the exact spot his sister died, just as Ian came home was a stroke of genius. Then his 'have I said something wrong?' when mentioning going to University one day... The little actor, Eliot Carrington, who plays him is doing a great job. 

As I keep saying, whether it's through overhearing conversations, or in a premeditated way, Bobby the Staircase-Boy knows more than the Beale's think!

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EASTENDERS: Lucy, Lucy, what would you do?

It feels like an age since the EastEnders live episode - and it kind of has been since it was all the way back in February...

Now, five months later, and the police still haven't charged anyone with her murder. Probably because they're not looking for an 11-year-old boy, who creeps around on staircases!
Anyhow, last week, as innocent Ben was arrested (and Marsden returned...) the Old Bill were pleased that they thought they had their man. I say innocent, because in this case, he really is.
I wondered, when the whispers of a secret arrest were, well, whispering, if it would be Ben. What a moral dilemma that would leave Ian in. His brother, getting arrested for killing his daughter, when he actually knew that it was his young son who did it, and his wife covered it up. It's like an episode of EastEnders... Oh, wait...

Anyhow, last night's episode gave me more than I expected it would. It was humorous in places. I loved Ben's sarky comments to Marsden, especially. And Phil's little quips to the 'filth'. Marsden was also unprofessional on many levels, but she wants a Mitchell. She always has. Phil, to be precise, but as he always seems to fall free from her handcuffed clutches, his son must be the next best thing for her.
The police did a deal with an immigrant cab-driver witness, and as he spoke to Keeble, he then noticed Max Branning, who was dropping Abi off to see how Ben was getting on. Another one I had already wondered on being in the frame...
Keeble took this info to Marsden, who only seemed interested in Ben.  But with someone due to be charged with Lucy's murder in next Tuesday episode - and more twists promised - will Max be the one to take the brunt?
Jake Wood is taking a sabbatical from the soap for a while, and it would most definitely be easier on the Beale's to allow Max to go down, instead of one of their own... Lauren is also due to return this year, I think, so this could also aid her return.

Another way last night's episode made me think differently was Bobby. The real killer.
Jane has always protested that she covered up for Bobby as she didn't want him to know that he killed his sister, or wanted him to be punished for a crime that was an accident.
But it wasn't... Bobby said it himself. 'She made people unhappy...'
When Bobs whacked Lucy with her jewelry box, he wanted to hurt her and wanted her to stop making people he loved sad. A jury would argue that, even though he was a child, he calculated it, even if it was in a split second. Since the reveal, we've seen Bobby give longing glances and listen in on his favourite hideaway - the stairs - to all and sundry that's happening in the Beale living room.
Last night, he also overheard Jane and Cindy in the kitchen, he clocked Lucy's purse and phone that Jane had kept hidden (and wanted to plant to frame Ben, until she back-tracked on herself), he keeps asking questions...
Bobby seems to be a bright kid. He's already asked whether he killed Lucy, so it's still in his mind.

Tonight, Bobby turns on Phil, in a nasty rage. When Phil realises that Jane has been hiding the purse and phone, instead of ridding it, he wonders why and confronts her. That's when Bobby overhears and goes to defend Jane, warning Phil to leave his mum alone.

Bobby has a fit of rage... again!

What will Phil make of Bobby's behaviour? And if Jane manages to control her son, before it's too late, what will she and Ian make of it, too?

They know that he's already killed Lucy, and must have been angry with her to hit her, without provoking...

If you ask me, little Bobster knows more about what he's doing than he lets on. Remember the moment Jane turned round and Bobby said 'Whatever she says, it was her fault...'? 

He did NOT sound remorseful, or frightened, as you  would imagine an innocent child, who had simply lashed out, would feel. This give EastEnders a mountain of storylines to go down, if not now, then definitely in the future... 

Will Bobby kill again, when he's older - will he reveal that he knew he had killed his sister all along - and allowed his parents to cover for him, will he one day admit all, and take Jane (and the rest of the Beale's) down with him?

As I said in the title... What would Lucy do?

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EASTENDERS: Bye Bye Max!

I almost wanted to cry when I saw the headline that Jake Wood was leaving EastEnders and Max Branning behind... But before I could, I realised it was only for a year long break. Phew!

I love the character of Max. And I love the way EastEnders keep him fresh. For a lothario, who's had more than a fair share of drama over the last nine years, it's almost impossible to get fed up of Max.

Even when his character's done some unforgivable things, just like with Ian Beale, as a viewer, you find yourself forgiving him, accepting what he's done and soon forgetting all about it too!

Jake Wood is looking forward to some time off to pursue other projects while he's away from Walford, saying:

"I've been at EastEnders for nine years and I feel the time is right to give Max a break. But it won't be for too long as I shall be back to see Max face another chapter of drama."

When the big boss, Dominic Treadwell-Collins came back to the Walford helm, he also made a deal with Jake to give Max a break:

"When I returned to EastEnders, both Jake and I agreed that Max has been through so much over the past 9 years that we would give both him and Jake a break when the opportunity arose. That opportunity has come and it is the perfect time to send Max Branning out with a bang that will send ripples through the Square for the rest of the year until Jake returns."

Ripples? No one does ripples like EastEnders do, especially since Dom's return as boss, so I'm really looking forward to what's in store for Max, but it's been rumoured to be due to an 'untenable situation over the summer that he can't escape.' Ooh! 

Max's departure will surely have an effect on his youngest daughter, Abi, who's living with the Mitchell's currently, to be with Ben. But with Ben's head soon to be turned by the Coker's grandson, Paul, how will she feel if (and when) she finds out about her boyfriend's disloyalty and her dad's departure? 

Just a thought, but Max's departure and/or return could also see Lauren welcomed home to Walford, too? 

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EASTENDERS - Luckiest boobs ever...

An the winners are - Kat and Alfie Moon!

What did you all think when the Moons were the lucky lotto winners at the end of last night's EastEnders?

When the story was announced, I went through a phase of not quite thinking Kat or Alfie would be the millionaire winners, just because of the predictability of it all.

Even as the episode aired last night, I still wondered if it would be too obvious if the winners were to be them.  

But it wasn't, and it was played beautifully.

The whole episode was full of quirks, laughs and 'old Walford', if you ask me. 

Not just focusing on the Moons, but the scene where the Beale's social worker sat on Martin's condom wrapper (yep, he and ex-wife Sonia had a one night stand), and Ian swiping it away from her behind was a great sense of slapstick comedy. Then the drama followed, as Cindy, upset that the social worker wasn't pleased, possibly ruining Ian and Jane's chances of taking on her baby, Beth, let it all out at Sonia, who was gutted to be outed in front of her new girlfriend, Tina. Will their already troubled relationship last? Probably not, just because of Sonia conflicting feelings about what she actually wants... 

Back to the Moons, and their trip into London. 

I've seen on social media, that some viewers cringed at Kat and Alfie in the posh restaurant, but I thought it was a lovely build up to their win. 

Kat felt she didn't fit in, and that the 'classier' diners were above her. Really she's above them. She's real, Alfie's real and they have real love. 

Thy got back together (forever, I hope, this time!) and the two of them found themselves once again. They had each other, a bag of chips, the risk of a splinter to their bums and a scratch card that was bought so blase. 

Just as we all have done before... 

Kat and Alfie were home and in the midst of their getting back together passion, when they remembered the card. 

Alfie rubbed it onto Kat's boobs, for luck, and we heard their shrieks through Stacey, who was on her laptop, in bed. 

Alfie had scratched the card, to find their fortune. Just as any one of us would do. So who's to say it's predictable, when any one of us could actually win the lotto. Be it tonight, tomorrow or next month. Even next year.

I might buy a scratch card this weekend in homage to Kat and Alfie. I don't expect to win, just as they didn't. Just as real life lotto winners didn't expect to.

If I get the same luck as the Moons did, I'll let you know! 

EASTENDERS: Who is Kat's secret son?

Friday's EastEnders was a bit different to the usual Walford visit.

I always enjoy being taken away from the Square, and as we followed Kat to the place she gave birth to Zoe, which she was shocked to find is and always was a Convent.
June Whitfield played Sister Ruth, who delivered Zoe, and we learnt quite a lot about why Kat is the way she is.

Kat's been mentally damaged by the abuse she suffered at the hands of her uncle, Harry, but this made much more sense when she emotionally told Sister Ruth that she thought her mum, Viv, didn't believe that she had been raped. 'You know what Kat's like...' was the staple line in the family home.

Some people I've spoken to didn't like the heaviness of the episode. but I enjoyed the answers it gave to the questions about Kat that we thought we already knew. Even her shock previous affair with Derek was bought up. He reminded Kat of Harry, He was disgusting and it was like she wanted it to happen again, she told Sister Ruth. It makes sense. Kat's mum ddn't believe her, so Kat's always thought it was all her fault, so she wants to relive it to prove something to herself, maybe? To punish herself or convince herself that it isn't and wasn't her fault.
I especially liked when Kat said that she was really 'Kathleen', she was a sweet and innocent girl back then, and deep down, is still sweet, soft and in a way, innocent, now.

'Kat's been looking after Kathleen all these years. Maybe it's now time for Kathleen to look after Kat...' 

We weren't away from the Square all episode, however, and we also paid Stacey, Whitney and Lily a visit, too.
Stacey was feeling lonely, and so logged online to speak to a mystery man, who we were lead to believe was Lily's dad and Whitney's brother, Ryan.
But it was instead Stacey's brother, Sean. Who gave Stacey the mystery key, making her promise to look after it. It's important. It belongs to their dad... I wish I knew what was hiding behind the key, but I don't have a clue. Whatever it is must be big...

The back and forth between the two scenes soon came to make sense to some viewers, as when Kat returned to the Square, having told Stacey and Alfie that she  had reported what Harry did to her to the police to help with their investigations.
I'm pleased for the character. Kat, I feel, has been going round in big circles of late. She's still struggling with what happened to her as a child, and punishes herself, by ruining her marriage with affairs. But she soon told Alfie and Stacey that she's changed.
I really hope that Sister Ruth's words rang true, and that we will start to see a lot more of Kathleen now.

The sense really came into play, however, when we returned to the Convent to hear Sister Ruth being read notes from her book, from back in 1984:

Kathleen Slater.

Two children.

One girl - Zoe

One boy - ???

Gasps could be heard round London, I bet..!

The moment Kat's secret son is revealed...

When EastEnders producers said that there would still be a lot to come from Kat (and Alfie's) story, I didn't imagine that it would be this.
It's a brilliant twist, and it's given new life to Kat as a character. She only remembers giving birth to Zoe, of course, so does this mean that June Whitfield will be making a reappearance as Sister Ruth to tell Kat the truth.

There are also, I think, three theories about Kat's secret son...

1. Sean's the boy

This theory went around Friday night straight away, on social media.
Sean was mentioned throughout and in touch with Stacey, he matches the correct age of what Kat's son would be.
But I think this is a red herring from Enders.
Jean and her husband, Brian Slater, surely couldn't have kept such a secret. Especially with Jean being ever so fragile during her early (and some of her later) days on the Square with her Bipolar? I think a secret this big would have been let slip.
There's also the question as to why Charlie and Viv would choose to keep Zoe as their own, but give away her twin brother?
I doubt the baby boy died at birth, as if that was the case, I can't imagine it being such a massive secret.
If, and it's a big IF, Sean is Kat's son, then the only explanation I can see is that Jean and Brian had a boy (called Sean) who died as a baby around the same time Kat gave birth, and Kat's boy was given to the couple. Maybe Jean was in no state to realise the plotting of her husband and family-in-law, so she too, is none the wiser?

2. Kat's son is someone else on the Square

Okay, who? Any 31-year-old male Kat/Zoe/Slater-type lookalikes on Albert Square at the moment? No? Well, that's another theory gone... But wouldn't it be fab to have another 'You ain't my Muvva!' moment!?

3. Irish baby

We know that Kat and Alfie will be leaving the Square for a while at the end of the year for a six-part spin-off, which will follow them to Ireland.
Is this where they will track Kat's son down and bring him home?
As I've said, this story brings a whole new dynamic to Kat - will she find her long-lost offspring, and if so, will he want to know her? Has he got a family he loves already, and doesn't need to be welcomed into the screaming, EastEnd, Slater clan, or will he welcome a new family with open arms?
Having said what I did in the 'Sean' theory about the family keeping Zoe, but not her twin, maybe the rest of the Slater's have no idea about Kat's other child. It was only Viv present at the birth (along with Sister Ruth and Kat, of course) so did Viv make this decision on her own?
Can I also just put in a request... If Kat's son is in Ireland, and turns out to be a gorgeous Irish charmer... Emmett Scanlan, would be perfect, please. (My inner Brendan Brady #Hollyoaks obsessive would be complete!)

Were you shocked by the latest Slater secret?

Who do you think is Kat's son?

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EASTENDERS - First Look at newbie Karin...

When the gorgeous EastEnders people announced that Denise Van Outen would be joining in a guest role, stirring up trouble and strife, particularly for the men of Walford, my initial thought was 'it's gonna be Max!' It had to be, right?

And right I was...

From this little spoiler photo, from tonight's episode, we see Denise's character, Karin Smart, passionately embracing Albert Square's resident Don Lothario himself...

Of course, Karin isn't in Walford to see Max, because, at first she's an 'acquaintance' of Phil Mitchell. The 'K' we've seen calling him since he's return home is Karin and not Kathy - she'll be back later! - but how does Ms Smart know Mr Mitchell?

Well after striking a business deal with Max, Karin soon falls for his charms and they end up in the above situation! But Max should watch out because Karin is not all she seems. 

My instincts say she's been sent by Phil to honey business-trap Max in a ploy to get the beloved Arches back in Mitchell hands. Phil knows Max can't seem to ignore a beautiful woman, so has he fallen into the trap?

Having said that, those EastEnders bosses have been very good at springing surprises on us of late (cough cough Kathy Beale!) so Phil may have more of a motive behind Karin's appearance than meets the eye. 

I also can't see a certain Sharon Mitchell being too happy about this mystery blonde her husband seems to have acquired during his time away from the Square. 

Watch out though Sharon, because whatever happens, I'm sure Karin has nothing on Kathy, when she finally returns home! 

See Karin's arrival tonight at 7.30pm on BBC1. 

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EASTENDERS: Who's the lucky winner?

It was let slip over the weekend that one Walford resident will soon be hitting the jackpot - but who?

The lucky winner will come into a fortune after winning on a scratchcard, and apparently will be seen offering to buy Mick and the Carter family out of The Queen Vic. 

The names linked to the big win are Ian Beale, Phil Mitchell, Kat and Alfie Moon and Dot Cotton, who's currently behind bars after telling police that she killed her son, Nick, after buying him the drugs which killed him and then failing to get help as he died. 

But who do I think will get the win, and who do I think deserves it?

Well, I think the obvious option is Kat or Alfie, because of the hard times they had hit them lately. Kat is also set to take centre stage in a dramatic storyline, which sees her try to take her own life. Part of me hopes it will be one of the pair to win big, just because I don't think I can stand much more of their plight into needing help! I miss the cheeky Alfie Moon and the loved up happy go lucky couple they once were. Even if they don't get back together, I miss the friendship they had in their marriage...

But are Kat and Alfie too obvious?

Of course, it might not be any of the named few, and I highly doubt the Enders team allowing the Carters to sell The Vic - bar Peggy Mitchell, Mick and Linda ARE The Vic, now.
It'll be interesting if Ian's the winner, and I can seem him trying to buy every single business he can in Walford, expanding his empire, before cashing the cheque!
Ian and money never did go too well together and it'll be refreshing after his tragic year to see selfish, money mad Ian back. Just in time for his Muv, Kathy Beale, to make her shock shock return to his life... (*Bit off topic, but Jane and Kathy is a friendship NOT waiting to happen... I reckon she'll hate her daughter-in-law, and that's fireworks waiting to happen, right there!)

So, I guess we'll have to wait and see who wins big.

Exciting times ahead in Albert Square!

Who do you want the lucky resident to be?

EASTENDERS - The Week After The Week Before...

That's it... 

We know that Bobby Beale killed his sister, Lucy. 

I haven't blogged since Wednesday, when I was sticking to my theory about Peter having caused Lucy to die, without realising it, and Jane covering for her step-son. 

I still think my theory would've been heart-wrenching and true - and when Bobby was revealed, I felt a little heart-sunk at first, if I'm honest. 

That changed after Friday's episode. The fully live one. 

The performances by Laurie Brett and Adam Woodyatt were stunning and you would have been forgiven to have forgotten that it was live. 

As the episode unravelled, it became clear why Jane had gone to such lengths and left Lucy on Walford Common. She knew, from what Bobby had told her, that he attacked Lucy without being provoked - hence Emma's 'it's still murder' line. 

Yes he's a child, but he wanted to cause his sister harm. He wanted to stop her from upsetting people and he would have been punished, imprisoned, if Jane had called the police. 

The way that the EE story team have decided that Bobby is unaware he killed his sister has given light to a new storyline for way in the future, Way, way in the future... EastEnders 40th, anyone?! 

People have questioned about whether Bobby would buy Jane's story that Lucy went out and was killed by someone else. Of course he would, children believe their parents every word. And Jane took him away very soon after, shielding  and protecting him. Maybe even telling him to never mention the fact that he hit his sister?

It's also a nice touch how Peter will leave the Square now, after promising to never forgive his family. Peter said himself that he will 'kill him' [Bobby, that is] so he definitely couldn't ever reunite with his younger sibling.
But will he be able to stay quiet? Surely Lauren will want to know what he discovered? And Mick Carter... Ian told him that he knew who had killed Lucy, before finding out the real truth. 

It's also been revealed that an innocent party will be arrested for Lucy's murder in the not too distant future, so this story is far from over. 

Will Jane and Ian really be able to keep quiet for their son? 

Jane, yes. 

Ian - I'm not so sure... 

In other news... 

She's alive! ALIVE!

She's baaaaccckkkk! 

I can't tell you the squealing that came from my sofa as Kathy Beale stepped out of that cab to meet Phil. 

'It's Grant, he's back...' I laughed just moments before. Talk about a jaw-dropper. 

So many questions - where's she been? Did Phil find out about this during his time in prison? Was it Witness Protection? Or did Phil know all along? 

More importantly, where does this leave the Roscoe boys, in Hollyoaks?! 

Dominic Treadwell-Collins has sad that Kathy's coming home, for good, so these questions will surely all be answered (well apart from the Roscoe/Hollyoaks one - unless it WAS witness protection and Sandy was Kathy's cover!!) 

I can't wait to see how her return affects Ben, Ian and Phil and Sharon's marriage. 

Peggy's line about 'how this will affect Sharon', makes complete sense, now. 

Elsewhere, poor Dot's had herself locked up for killing Nick, as we knew would happen. Poor Kush didn't know what to do, and I loved the sense of protection and community as everyone involved in finding Nick's body (apart from Martin and Kush!) agreed to keep quiet, and dispose of Nick, for Dot's sake. 

I also loved the connection between Stacey and Martin. New couple alert! 

And with Kim having given birth to baby Pearl (nice touch, Enders... Pearl - 30 years) and newcomer Vincent looking on, is he the dad? And just where does he know Ronnie from? There must be a romantic link following their kiss in the flashback ep, which would have put him in the right place to meet Kim before they scurried off on their cruise ship... 

Then there's Dean Wicks. 

Mick ain't killed him, even if a body does show up in a burnt out car. And if it is Dean's body, my bet is someone else done it... 

Would there really be another murder, so soon?

Hmm, well... It is Walford! 

What did you think of last week's special episodes?

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EASTENDERS - The panic before the storm...

Live night two was just a brilliant as night one.

There were more live scenes, and not to ficus on it, but when poor Jo Joyner called 'Ian' by his real name 'Adam' - her little face was a picture!
It made it all the more real and all the more fun...

This morning, however, I'm 99.9% confused about who killed Lucy.

All week I've stuck by my theory, and I still am, in a sense, because that's all I can do! So many people are throwing different names into the frame now, and each one I hear makes me wonder more...

The latest one is what Phil had wanted to tell Ian, before Ben came in. Did Phil hear something in prison about Lucy - and Jake is involved.
It's plausible, as Jamie Lomas is making a return for tonight's flashback epsode...

Another is Bobby, even though he's not on the suspect list. Jane covered for him. Hence her guilt.
I still think Jane would cover for Peter, though, too.

Does Ian look guilty? 

As the *duff duff* ended on Ian's face, as Peter announced that Lauren had told him Lucy was killed at home - and it must of been 'one of you' to Jane and Ian - that settles me into thinking it's definitely NOT Ian. Not that I ever thought it would be anyway... It would take too much away from the emotion of the scenes after Lucy was discovered dead.

Cindy is another name in the frame - but she was heavily pregnant at the time of Lucy's death, and I think she's a little red herring.

The producers had this storyline in preparation for well over a year before it even aired, and Cindy was a minute character then. Whoever killed her was a big character then... in their thoughts and changed only once in the very, very early days of planning this story. Since those early days, the murderer was locked in and not changed.

By this time tomorrow, we will know - and there will be a hurrah of people saying they 'knew it'! As much as I hope my theory totally matches that of the EastEnders team - I also  hope it's wrong - as I was the shock.

If it IS right, and matches the story - I'll be banging on the Elstree doors for a full-time job on their team, that's for sure!!

...Also, other big things to look out for on tonight's anniversary spectacular are the opening of tonight's 7.30pm ep. The sounds will be those exactly of the very first episode from exactly 30-years ago, as Nick Cotton's body is discovered in the same place as Reg Cox's was. Homage at its best!

Will Dean really do it ? And how far will Mick go to protect his family?

Dean is also about to return and holds poor Nancy hostage in The Vic cellar, threatening to set the pub alight, in revenge for Linda, rightly, reporting him for raping her. Mick soon discovers his daughter at the hands of his half-brother. How far will Mick go to protect his family?

Then - at 9.25pm there's the special flashback episode, where we will follow Lucy's final moments. It's said to be 'different' and have a film-type look.

There will also apparently be live elements in this flashback ep, so maybe Lucy's killer won't be revealed until the very final moment tonight - and the hour-special will be focusing more on paying respect to EastEnders' 30-years and whittling down suspects?

That means there's only 12-hours til we'll definitely know.

On that note - Happy Birthday EastEnders!

Looking forward to the next 30!

MY WHO KILLED LUCY THEORY...

ALL ABOUT THE LUCY STORY

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EASTENDERS: So it wasn't Abi...

Last night's live cliffhanger revealed two things.

Max thinks that he knows that his daughter, Abi, killed Lucy. Which means that we now know that Abi didn't. 

Tonight's episode, I imagine, will begin with [#EELive] Abi saying something along the lines of 'I didn't kill her. You did...' And so the reveal that a Branning ain't a murderer will unravel. 

Lee, Whitney and Pam Coker are still in the background. Les, too, is suspiciously(?) nowhere to be seen. But my money's still on a Beale. And after last night's ep, my theory, which you can read here, is still strong in my mind. I mean, Lauren's card to Jane: 'I know what happened to Lucy. She was killed at home.' 

Why would she leave the card to Jane? She thinks Jane killed her? I think Peter did. He doesn't know and Jane covered it up. 

Tonight, Peter will catch up with Lauren and she will tell him that she knows how Lucy died. But what *duff duff* will we end on?

I hope that the lovely EE producers will leave us with just a couple of suspects in the frame tonight. And I hope those three will be Peter, Jane and...hmm, I'm inclined to say Ian, but to be honest IF he turned out to have caused Lucy's death, it will take something away from the heartbreaking scenes Adam Woodyatt performed after Lucy's murder was revealed.
It'll be heartbreaking enough should her twin, Peter, be the one who killed her, which is why I'm imagining that he didn't realise that his actions caused her death.

I also saw a clip from Thursday ep, where Jane runs out of the Wedding party, in The Vic, looking over to the Beale house. She's visibly upset and possibly frightened. Could this have been where she witnessed what happened to Lucy, before choosing to cover it up?

I'm also suspicious of a few other things, but not sure why as yet:

• The Pearls around Queen Victoria's bust in The Vic are being put in shot quite a lot...
• The squashed banana and tomato as Ian was ridden to the wedding ceremony on the fruit and veg stall...
• Cindy carrying the music box around... 

Of course, these may be nothing, but worth a mention for eagle-eyed watchers!

How does villain Vincent know Ronnie?

In other #EELive news, Ronnie breathed without support! I knew she would, but it was still a relief! Ronnie, as I've said before, is one of my favourite characters. I was surprised that she awoke just in time to hear Roxy and Charlie's dirty secret. 

On one hand, I'm sad, as I thought Charlie and Ronnie were a good match, and I enjoyed the friendship Roxy had built with her brother-in-law. On the other hand, it's going to bring lots of drama, as Ronnie clearly won't forget what she heard. Even if she had only woken from weeks in a coma! 

Shout out, too, to Richard Blackwood, who fitted onto the Square like a glove in his role as new villain, Vincent. 

Rumours online suggested that Richard's characterwould be Kim's husband and the father to her baby... but no. He knows Ronnie, and Phil knows him. He's 'TROUBLE.' 

Trouble from where, though? He cared enough to not only bring Ronnie flowers, but then leave one said flower secretly at her hospital bedside after Billy and Phil told him that's where she was. He also didn't stick around long enough to be seen... A long-lost boyfriend, maybe? I can't wait to see how this pans out.

Talking of Mitchell's - another big shocker is sure to be why the hell Phil so desperately wants to speak to Ian. He's got something to reveal and I have no idea what... 

Also, who's passport did Phil take? Surely not his own, and Billy was searching Jay and Ben's room. But it was enough for Peggy to remind Phil about the affect 'this' could have on Sharon. Hmm, this is gonna be a biggie - I can tell! 

There's so much I feel could be said about last night's ep, but the focus is of course on Who Killed Lucy, at the moment. Later this week, we'll also have Nick's body being discovered, in a scene reminiscent of the very first EastEnders ep, where Reg Cox was found, having been killed by Nick himself.

Dean Wicks is also going to return, and cause a new nightmare for the Carter's, while secrets and lies for each Walford family will come tumbling out. 

Line of the ep last night goes to Mick Carter. 

"Get outta my Pub..." he said to Peggy, who threw him a knowing smile. 

I also loved Dot and Peggy's scene together... It's always a good'un when Ma Mitchell returns, albeit short-lived! 

Here's looking forward to tonight. 

8pm, BBC1. With #EELive in the corner to indicate live scenes, remember!! 

Let me know your thoughts and thoeries, so far...

MY NEAR-FINAL WHO KILLED LUCY THEORY...

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