Fans of BBC soap EastEnders have been full of praise for the show's recent storylines - and it seems that its stars are in agreement, with Martin Fowler star James Bye saying the soap is "on fire".

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Bye spoke exclusively with RadioTimes.com at this year's Radio Times Covers Party and heaped praise on current showrunner Chris Clenshaw, who took over in 2022.

He said: "Chris is a magician when it comes to soap. He gets the essence of EastEnders, the man's from the East End so he gets it, but for TV he gets what it needs, what the show needed, and I'm super proud to be a part of it. To be honest, I did Strictly, kind of dipped in and out, and then came back and the show's on fire. It was really nice and exciting."

Martin Fowler (James Bye) and Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner) in EastEnders
James Bye as Martin Fowler and Lacey Turner as Stacey Slater in EastEnders. BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron

Bye continued: "Honestly this year, without giving away too much, there's some incredible stuff happening... It's gonna be a really exciting year, I think for soap but especially for EastEnders."

And this wasn't the only tease Bye gave RadioTimes.com while speaking at this year's Covers Party. He also spoke about a potential reunion for Martin and Stacey as the pair get "quite close" in the coming weeks, while also explaining how Martin will support his stepdaughter Lily through her pregnancy at the age of just 12.

He also called for an answer to the ongoing mystery surrounding Ruby's pregnancy, after she was last seen on the show in 2021 being arrested having been framed by Jean.

Additional reporting by Helen Daly.

Look out for exclusive photos and chats from the Radio Times Covers Party in next week's issue of Radio Times magazine, on sale Tuesday 7th February.

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 or visit our Soaps hub.

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