It has to be said, nobody does Christmas quite like EastEnders.

From all the way back in 1986, when a record 30.15 million people tuned in to see Den Watts (Leslie Grantham) serve wife Angie (Anita Dobson), to Tiffany Mitchell’s (Martine McCutcheon) tragic death in 1997, the 2007 reveal of Max Branning (Jake Wood) and Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner) to the 2023 ‘six’ storyline that saw the demise of Keanu Taylor (Danny Walters), Albert Square has always been a hotbed of festive drama.

The powers that be behind EastEnders are finally starting to tease what’s to come for the residents of Albert Square this years, chillingly warning that they’ll ‘learn the consequences of their actions as they are visited by ghosts of their past, villains of the present, and visions of the future.’

With promises of further Slater-flavoured drama, a focus on Nigel Bates’ (Paul Bradley) battle with dementia and the re-emergence of Max, consider our taste buds tantalised…

Zoe Slater’s (Michelle Ryan) return to the Square lacks an adjective strong enough to describe it. Tumultuous? Chaotic? An absolute nightmare for everyone and everything in her vicinity? Nope, not even close.

It’s been one bombshell after another for poor Kat Moon (Jessie Wallace). Upon being reunited with her troubled daughter, she watched her get shot almost immediately. While fans, via a flashback, became aware of Zoe’s tragic time away from Walford, having given birth to one sadly stillborn baby girl and boy who she gave up for adoption, Kat and the rest of the Slater clan later discovered the truth in the midst of a violent showdown with a P.I she’d hired to help find her missing son. Next came the revelation of her connection to cousin Stacey Slater’s (Lacey Turner) ex-lover and love rat, Max Branning.

Zoe later falsely claimed that Dennis Rickman (Nigel Harmon) was the dad of her children in a scheme to use Sharon Watts’ (Letitia Dean) money to fund the search. When Kat discovered the lie, she didn’t hesitate to reveal the truth and from there, a frightening stalking ordeal began to unfold.

From defaced photographs, feline-kidnap and threatening messages, somebody truly has it out for Zoe and is doing their utmost to drive her away from the Square once and for all.

With Alfie Moon (Shane Richie), who was previously convinced that Zoe has been staging all of the attacks, now on-side, the Moons are determined to keep Zoe safe from the mystery threat.

‘Though Kat remains fiercely protective of Zoe, who is determined to reunite with her long-lost son, but with a mystery tormentor hellbent on driving Zoe out of the Square, the search for answers unlocks shocking secrets that puts Kat’s motherly love to the test,’ says our ‘Enders source.

More secrets?! Oh, Zoe…

So many questions? Who is Zoe’s baby daddy? Where is her son? Who’s stalking her?

Actually…on the topic of that last point…

Sam’s back

Somebody who would certainly revel in torturing Zoe is her old murder conspirator/frenemy/actual enemy Sam Mitchell (Kim Medcalf), who’s due to make a brief return to Walford this month.

‘It’s such a joy to be asked to come back to EastEnders, especially as it’s the festive period and you know there will always be plenty of fireworks. I love the character of Sam, she always causes drama wherever she goes, but she also has that vulnerable side too, which is great to play. It’s also lovely being back on set with the fantastic cast and to see old friends and new faces,’ Kim said.

Fireworks indeed, but is Sam behind Zoe’s torment? Some fans certainly think so!

On social media platform X (Twitter), this fan wondered: Theory.,, what if Zoe’s stalker is Sam Mitchell? #EastEnders’. Owen Lawrence pondered: ‘Is Sam Mitchell, Zoe’s stalker? We’ve heard rumours she’s back and this could be a great way to do it.’ Rishi said: ‘I just know she is Zoe’s stalker!’.

Two huge returns in special Nigel episode

Nigel’s return to Walford last year has begun a heart breaking story as he faces a reality with rapidly worsening young-onset dementia.

Reuniting with old friend Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden), the two bonded as they each faced their own mental health struggles. When a period of ill-mental health and strong suicide ideation led Phil to seek help in a psychiatric facility, he became Nigel’s full-time carer when he returned home.

Julie (Karen Henthorn), Nigel’s wife later joined him in Walford and after a difficult period of clashing with Phil over Nigel’s care, they eventually settled into a rhythm. When Phil went away, though, tragedy struck.

Nigel got confused while taking his beloved car for a final ride, colliding with Jasmine Fisher (Indeyarna Donaldson-Holness) and injuring Gina Knight (Francesca Henry). Though Julie tried to take the blame, Nigel took full responsibility, though Phil’s trusty (and dodgy) lawyer, Ritchie Scott (Sian Webber) helped the case collapse.

Nigel, however, was wounded when the CPS described him as ‘mentally incompetent’, but with Lexi Pearce (Isabella Brown) and Kojo Asare (Dayo Koleosho) showing interest in his recently-rediscovered film script, he has a new focus.

The same ‘Enders source told us: ‘during a special episode looking at Nigel’s dementia, Nigel seeks advice from faces of the past in the form of Pat Evans and Barry Evans.’

Fans exploded with excitement over the return (of sorts) of one of EastEnders most legendary characters, Pat Evans (Pam St Clement).

Discussing her return to EastEnders, Pam St Clement enthused: ‘I was both surprised and excited to be asked back to tread the streets of Walford once again and to be involved in Nigel’s touching dementia storyline.

‘It was lovely to be welcomed back by those with whom I had worked for so long. It was just like coming home.’

Shaun Williamson said: ‘It was a complete shock getting the call to go back to Albert Square, but so exciting! I have to admit to a few nerves – loads! – when I walked back onto the set of The Queen Victoria, but it was so great to work with old friends and colleagues on such a brilliant episode. Just goes to show, you never know what’s around the corner!’ on the news of his return.

Obviously, with both characters being deceased, they’ll form a symptom of Nigel’s dementia, but what will he learn from his old friends?

Max’s return

Last up, is the return of Walford’s pre-eminent love rat, the irresistible Mr. Branning.

‘Enders bosses have already confirmed that Max will be the focus of a ‘flash-forward’ episode on New Years Day, in which he’ll find himself in a (completely in-character) mess on the first day of 2027, one that will have fans glued to their screens for the rest of 2026 to figure out how things came to be.

Show boss Ben Wadey said: ‘For the first time in the show’s history, we’re going to be offering our viewers an entire flashforward episode set on New Year’s Day 2027.

‘2026 is going to be full of drama in Walford, especially for the Brannings, and the episode is sure to raise plenty of questions on how Max has got himself, and his family, into such predicaments, but all is not what it seems, so stay tuned for 2026 to find out how and why…’

Max last resurfaced for daughter Lauren’s (Jacqueline Jossa) wedding to Peter Beale (Thomas Law). Causing a riot among the Slaters, hunted down by a vengeful Cindy Beale (Michelle Collins), disowned by Lauren and delivering a further wound to eager son Oscar (Pierre Counihan-Moullier), Max slithered away from Walford almost as quickly as he arrived.

As for his upcoming Christmas return? Our source said: ‘Max arrives hoping for a family truce, only to be hit by a series of bombshells that leave him full of rage and regret, and face-to-face with Cindy Beale. However, as 2026 dawns, everything changes in Max’s world as a shocking flashforward episode provides tantalising clues about what the future holds for Max…’

Snaps of the EastEnders cast filming Lauren and Peter’s son, Jimmy, have already surfaced, showing Max with a split lip. With a litany of people prepared to provide said split-lip, who got there first?