Shock comebacks, murder, feuds and a peak into the near-future made for an eventful festive season in Walford, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg as to EastEnders has in store for 2026!

The flash forward – which saw the storyline skyrocket exactly one year into the future to Max Branning’s (Jake Wood) doomed wedding day – teased us to whet our appetite, but left us with more questions than answers.

 

 

Who is he marrying? Who is the pregnant woman lay beside him in bed? And after we saw them held at gunpoint, will Max choose Lauren (Jacqueline Jossa) or Oscar (Pierre Counihan-Moullier) to save?

The return of Chrissie Watts (Tracy-Ann Oberman) was one of the most surprising soap gifts of Christmas 2025.

After revealing herself as the puppet mistress behind Zoe Slater’s (Michelle Ryan) stalking and the manipulation of Jasmine Fisher (Indeyarna Donaldson-Holness), Dirty Den’s killer walked free.

Chrissie is the prime suspect for Anthony Trueman’s (Nicholas Bailey) murder, and Kat Moon (Jessie Wallace) is following a lead to Corfu, while Zoe languishes in prison, having been framed for her baby daddy’s mysterious demise.

Did Chrissie really deliver the fatal blow to Dr Trueman? Tracy-Ann Oberman recently hinted at a return to Walford in a cryptic social media post alongside new cast member Ronni Ancona (more of her anon), so it seems Chrissie’s reign of terror is not over yet. So where does that leave Jasmine?

Zoe’s long-lost daughter claims she was brainwashed by Chrissie into carrying out a cruel intimidation campaign, but mercurial Jasmine remains something of an unknown quantity.

Jean Slater (Gillian Wright) doesn’t trust her to the point where the girl’s presence has triggered a bipolar episode, but Jasmine’s behaviour starts to raise suspicions in the coming weeks.

We know from her adoptive mum’s visit last year that the girl has a scary, unstable streak, which we’ll see more of. Lily Slater (Lillia Turner) allows her newly-discovered relative to babysit her daughter, Charli, but a lapse of judgment on Jasmine’s part sets off a worrying chain of events.

Patrick Trueman (Rudolph Walker) clashes with his granddaughter and becomes suspicious of her true nature. Is he right to be concerned?

Exploring the manosphere and the impact of online misogyny on young males was a hot topic in 2025, and as streaming drama Adolescence garnered praise and awards, EastEnders got in on the act with the disturbing tale of toxic teen Joel Marshall (Max Murray).

Vicki Fowler (Alice Haig) was beaten and left for dead by her sick stepson, and when Ross Marshall (Alex Marshall) reported his son’s attack to the police, Joel was put in a remand centre.

EastEnders’ executive producer Ben Wadey has confirmed the character returns in 2026 for the next chapter of the story: “We will see Joel again as we have his trial coming up, where he faces the consequences of his actions.

“He’s pleading not guilty, and I think we’re all struggling with why on earth he’d put everyone through a trial. Vicki is really going through the wringer; she wants to be committed so badly to partner Ross, but now associates him now with what happened with Joel.”

Vicki’s eye has also been wandering slightly towards Zack Hudson (James Farrar), so we’ve got a big soapy love triangle in the mix in the new year.

Will justice catch up with Joel, and can Vicki and Zack resist their attraction?