For the first time in the show’s history, EastEnders has aired a special flashforward scene offering viewers a glimpse into Christmas 2023.
Executive Producer, Chris Clenshaw:
“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, largely due to the spectacularly brilliant ‘Who Killed Lucy’ storyline, that was not just hugely successful but also incredibly gripping throughout. I therefore tasked the writing and story team that if we were to do another ‘whodunnit’ it would have to be different, have to feel different, and have to have a very different mechanic at its core.
“A couple of our writers and story team took that brief on board and came back with the idea of flashing forward and, in doing so, we’re promising a ‘whodunnit’ is coming in the future. 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.”
At the end of tonight’s episode, which marks ‘Enders 38th anniversary, viewers saw 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) as they were faced with a dead body but who is it and what has happened?
Executive Producer, Chris Clenshaw:
“Over the next ten months, expect to see each of these women have huge stories, involving potential victims, which will all collide at Christmas.”
“I’m not going to give anything away that the episode hasn’t already given, but what I will say is there were clues in there. Did you look closely? I urge everyone to re-watch the scene and look at every detail. There’s also a few treats in the scene if you look hard enough. What I’d also say is that a lot can happen in Walford between February and December – circumstances can change, relationships can change, loyalties can change – so what you may suspect now could be somewhat different as we make our way through 2023 and head towards Christmas.”
The episode will act as a catalyst for major storylines involving each of the characters that will play out over the year.
