It’s shaping up to be another explosive Christmas Day in EastEnders, as the truth about Cindy Beale (Michelle Collins) and Junior Knight’s (Micah Balfour) affair comes spilling out.
But fans might need to pace themselves with the festive food and drink if they want to stay awake for the drama, as the BBC soap is controversially airing much later than usual this year.
It has been confirmed the soap’s festive episode will be split into two parts on Christmas Day, with the second not airing until 10.30pm.
While more recent years have seen EastEnders air one hour-long special on Christmas Day – usually around 9pm – the BBC is reverting to the two-episode format of years gone by.
On 25 December, fans will get their first slice of Walford action at 7.25pm on BBC One, as the show clashes with Coronation Street on ITV1, which is airing from 7pm for an hour.
The second instalment will then air after a 65-minute Call the Midwife special and the highly-anticipated final episode of Gavin & Stacey, which airs for 90 minutes from 9pm.
It has also been confirmed that there will be an extended episode of EastEnders on Christmas Eve, airing for 45 minutes from 7.30pm on BBC One.
Christmas Day 2024 TV schedules
BBC One
06:00 BBC Breakfast
09:00 Trolls: Holiday In Harmony (Film)
09:20 Superworm
10:15 Christmas Morning Service
11:20 Toy Story 3 (Film)
12:55 Minions: The Rise Of Gru (Film)
14:30 Tiddler
15:00 The King
15:10 The Weakest Link
15:55 Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special
17:10 Doctor Who Christmas Special
18:10 Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl (Film)
19:25 EastEnders (Part 1)
19:55 Call The Midwife Christmas Special
21:00 Gavin & Stacey: The Finale
22:30 EastEnders (Part 2)
23:00 Mrs Brown’s Boys Christmas Special
ITV1
07:00 Good Morning Britain
09:00 Lorraine
10:00 This Morning
12:00 James Martin’s Christmas Day
14:00 Ainsley’s Festive Flavours
15:00 The King
15:10 Home Alone 2 (Film)
17:25 Bullseye (Repeat)
18:25 ITV News
18:30 Emmerdale
19:00 Coronation Street
20:00 The Chase Christmas Special (Repeat)
21:00 Downton Abbey: A New Era (Film)
Boxing Day’s episode will also air in a later 10pm slot for 30 minutes.
An official synopsis for the events of Christmas previously confirmed: ‘Secrets and lies are set to throw a wrecking ball into the Beale family festivities this year as the shocking truth about Cindy is revealed in spectacular fashion on Christmas Day.
‘The incriminating evidence captured on tape will expose Cindy’s true love for ex-husband George and her scandalous affair with his son, Junior.
‘Cindy has nowhere to hide as all hell breaks loose in the Beale and Knight families, with fury and accusations flying on all sides.’
It has also been revealed that Denise Fox (Diane Parish) will be getting an unexpected Christmas present courtesy of an unlikely gift-bearer, while ghosts of Christmas past also return to haunt Albert Square.
Meanwhile, the BBC has uploaded all previous EastEnders Christmas Day specials onto iPlayer for fans to binge in the lead-up to this year’s festivities.
