EastEnders schedule shake-up confirmed amid World Athletics Championship
The soap is facing a schedule change ahead of Cindy Beale’s return.
EastEnders will only be airing on two nights this week in a huge schedule shake-up on BBC One.
The long-running soap usually airs four times a week from Monday to Thursday, but will only air on Tuesday (22nd August) and Thursday (24th August) this week to make way for the World Athletics Championships, with BBC One’s evening schedule airing live coverage from Budapest.
Instead, the BBC will air a double bill of EastEnders from 7pm on Tuesday (22nd August) before returning with another two episodes from 7pm on Thursday (24th August).
However, fans who prefer their daily fix of new drama needn’t worry: episodes will be released on iPlayer as usual on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 6am.
Next week on the BBC soap, Cindy Beale (Michelle Collins) makes a dramatic return to the square after 25 years away.
EastEnders fans will recall that Walford residents believe Cindy is dead after she was supposedly killed off on the soap off-screen back in 1998.
However, the character actually went into witness protection and spent 15 years living as 'Rose Knight' - the partner of George Knight (Colin Salmon) and mother of his daughters Gina (Francesca Henry) and Anna (Molly Rainford) - before walking away from her new family.
Viewers saw Cindy return in a huge twist back in June, with the character living in France with her ex-husband Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt), who she had reunited with off-screen, as well as their son Peter (Thomas Law).
And now fans have been treated to the first glimpse at how things could unfold following Cindy’s return to the square - and it certainly looks like she’s set for some awkward encounters.
In the first of two new trailers, we hear Cindy’s former mother-in-law and nemesis Kathy (Gillian Taylforth) telling her: "You've got no idea of the grief you've caused, have you?"
In the second trailer, we see Cindy giving Kathy the fright of her life as she walks into Ian's kitchen.
When Kathy spots her she shakes her head, before managing to protest: "You're dead."
Read more:
- EastEnders star Lorraine Stanley to be written out of Karen Taylor role
- EastEnders' Gillian Taylforth teases Kathy and Rocky future after Jo's threats
- EastEnders is nowhere near the axe – it's having a renaissance
- EastEnders' Gillian Taylforth supports comeback for Kathy’s Hills family
- The WAGs of EastEnders' legend Ian Beale, from Cindy to Jane
- EastEnders boss Chris Clenshaw promises “big” Christmas for the Beales
- EastEnders' Michelle Collins teases Cindy’s scenes with love rival Elaine
- Will Jacqueline Jossa return full-time to EastEnders as Lauren Branning?
- EastEnders' Michelle Collins confirms flashbacks and Cindy Beale breakdown
- EastEnders must give tragic heroine Whitney the happy ever after she deserves
- EastEnders legend Angela Wynter explains Yolande Trueman return
EastEnders airs Mondays to Thursdays at 7:30pm on BBC One and from 6am on BBC iPlayer. Visit our dedicated EastEnders page for all the latest news, interviews and spoilers. If you’re looking for more to watch, check out our TV Guide and Streaming Guide.
Try Radio Times magazine today and get 10 issues for only £10, PLUS a £10 John Lewis and Partners voucher delivered to your home – subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Authors
Molly Moss is a Trends Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest trends across TV, film and more. She has an MA in Newspaper Journalism and has previously written for publications including The Guardian, The Times and The Sun Online.
