EastEnders’ live episode was undoubtedly brutal, heart-wrenching and a complete emotional sucker punch… but it was also kind of hilarious?
And that is very much thanks to some of the one-liners packed into Bianca Jackson’s (Patsy Palmer) dialogue during Thursday’s instalment, which ended the BBC soap’s week of 40th anniversary celebrations.
While actors James Bye and Lacey Turner were busy delivering the most emotional of performances as Martin Fowler slipped away in the arms of his one true love Stacey Slater, elsewhere in the ruins of the Queen Vic, there were some very different scenes unfolding.
Sonia Fowler (Natalie Cassidy) had gone into labour following the explosion that ripped through the pub earlier in the week.
Supported by her sister Bianca and cousin Lauren Branning (Jacquline Jossa), Sonia gave birth to a little girl she named Julia on the floor of the Vic kitchen.
After seeing her k.i.l.l.e.r fiancé Reiss Colwell (Jonny Freeman) meet a comical end thanks to a falling bathtub earlier in the week, Bianca kept the hilarity coming as Thursday’s live unfolded.
‘Right get down there and have a look,’ she told Lauren. ‘Get down there and tell me what you see!’
As Lauren asked why Bianca couldn’t, she replied: ‘Well she’s my sister!’
‘Yeah, she’s my cousin!’ Lauren then said. ‘What’s the family tree got to do with it?’
As Bianca then took a big glug of brandy, she then had the nation in stitches as she observed: ‘It’s only a noony Lauren!’
Plucking up the courage to look down there, Bianca then gave herself a pep talk that referenced Mo Harris (Laila Morse) helping Sonia to give birth to daughter Bex back in 2000.
‘If Mo can do this, so can I,’ she muttered.
Sonia then started to panic, and said she no longer wanted to bring a baby into the world following the revelations about Reiss’ actions.
Referencing her own kidnap ordeal at Reiss’ hands, Bianca spat back: ‘Sonia, if anyone should be moaning about Reiss ruining their lives, it should be me.
‘Now, back up and open your legs!’ she screamed, casually throwing Sonia’s knickers over her shoulder.
But perhaps the pièce de résistance came as Sonia was in the full throws of her labour.
‘Just one more push. Come on blow, blow like you’ve blown that trumpet!’ Bicana screamed.
Iconic. 10/10. No notes.
On social media, fans could not get over some of Bianca’s one-liners.
‘“It’s just a noony, Lauren” and then throwing Sonia’s knickers at her had me rolling up,’ Metro reader Kelly posted on X.
Another fan wrote: ‘@patsypalmerx carried off the Bianca-isms perfectly tonight, from swigging the Brandy to flinging Sonias knickers.’
A third said: ‘Bianca Jackson’s script and delivery tonight was just brilliant, added humour to what turned out to be a heartbreaking episode. I hope she stays around for a while. Iconic.’
We could not agree more.
EastEnders airs Monday to Thursday at 7.30pm on BBC One, or stream first from 6am on iPlayer.
