EastEnders announces live episode for 40th anniversary - with interactive twist
Whose love story will we be voting on?
EastEnders is set to go live once more for its 40th anniversary next year, and the BBC soap has also revealed a "first of its kind" twist to coincide with the special episode.
For the first time ever, the audience will have the power to decide what happens next for one particular EastEnders storyline, choosing their desired outcome of a love story.
The characters involved in said plot will be kept under wraps for now, but their fate will remain firmly in the hands in the viewers as the outcome will air during the live instalment.
Cast and crew will be poised to adapt the scene to portray whichever result the public vote for at the time. The episode in question will broadcast live from BBC Elstree Centre in February.
EastEnders' Executive Producer Chris Clenshaw said: “The 40th anniversary is a milestone event for EastEnders, and we have been planning this week for a long time to ensure that it’s a week full of drama and surprises," he promised.
"In fact, as our regular audience will know, we have already seen the return of familiar faces and have many more nods to our history to come which will all build up to our momentous anniversary week."
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Explaining the new twist, Clenshaw added: "This time, as well as going live, we are adding an extra twist and for the very first time in the history of the show and as a gift to the viewers, we are giving the audience the power to have their say in choosing the outcome of one of our storylines.
"Whilst we’re still keeping the finite details of the 40th close to our chest, I can promise that it will be an unmissable week full of shocking twists that will change Albert Square, and the lives of those who live in it, forever.”
This will be the first time EastEnders has filmed a live edition since the show's 30th anniversary in 2015, which saw Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt) discover that young son Bobby (then played by Eliot Carrington) had murdered his own sister Lucy (Hetti Bywater).
During the same week, Ian's mum Kathy (Gillian Taylforth) returned to screens, despite having been declared dead several years earlier.
The soap also aired a live episode in 2010, which saw Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner) confess to killing evil Archie Mitchell (Larry Lamb).
As for EastEnders' 40th year, we'll just have to watch this space, with storyline details sure to be revealed as we get closer to the big event.
Read more:
- EastEnders favourite in danger after Chrissie Watts threat in early iPlayer release
- EastEnders' Tracy-Ann Oberman teases possible death twist for Sharon and Chrissie
- EastEnders confirms final scenes for Dean Wicks as Matt Di Angelo exits
- Has Bernie left EastEnders after Linda's explosive reveal?
- Jamie Borthwick confirms if he'll take break from EastEnders for Strictly 2024
EastEnders airs Monday to Thursday 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.
Authors
Laura Denby is a Freelance Soaps writer covering all the latest news in the Dales, Cobbles and East End for Radio Times. She's a soaps nerd with a love for comedy drama, and has also written for Digital Spy, Metro UK and Yahoo UK.
