EastEnders' explosive Christmas Day episode viewing figures revealed
The overnight viewing figures have been confirmed. **WARNING: Spoilers for the Christmas episode follow.**
The big reveal of the identity of the body on the floor of The Vic and which of The Six was responsible was always set to draw big numbers when it came to the Christmas Day ratings.
The bumper-length instalment of the BBC's long-running soap EastEnders promised twists, turns and reveals – and certainly didn't disappoint.
With the truth about Albie's real father coming out, Sharon and Keanu's wedding called off in dramatic fashion, Suki fleeing Nish's clutches and more, there was plenty to get our teeth stuck into after Christmas dinner.
As the episode reached its climax, The Six came together at the Queen Vic with Suki at the centre.
After she revealed all about her relationship with Eve and confided in the others about Nish, it wasn't long before the group persuaded her to call her husband there to tell him she was leaving him.
The explosive confrontation wound up with Denise smashing a bottle over Nish's head, seemingly killing him – but in a twist, it was Keanu's arrival and subsequent face-off with Sharon which led to the actual death.
Linda saved Sharon from being strangled by a furious Keanu by stabbing him in the back, making him the actual Christmas Day death, while Nish was saved by Suki giving him CPR.
All this action drew a respectable audience of 3.6 million, the overnight ratings have confirmed.
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This leaves EastEnders seventh on the list of the top 10 most-watched programmes on Christmas Day 2023.
It was beaten by the likes of Michael McIntyre's Christmas Wheel (4.2 million), the Call the Midwife and Ghosts Christmas specials (each 4.4 million) and the Doctor Who Christmas special (4.7 million).
The top two programmes of the day were the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas special, which was won by EastEnders' own Jamie Borthwick, which got 5.3 million, and The King's Christmas Broadcast, which topped the list with 5.9 million.
EastEnders airs Monday to Friday on BBC One and BBC iPlayer this week.
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.
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Minnie Wright is the News Editor of Radio Times, covering TV, Film and Entertainment from the latest dramas and thrillers to sci-fi, fantasy and reality TV – from BBC to Netflix. She has a background in TV, Film, Showbiz and Music at a major national publication and a degree in Popular Music Journalism.
