Viewers got the chance to make not one but two important decisions for the future of EastEnders today.

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Ahead of the live show, fans had the chance to pick who Denise Fox (Diane Parish) would end up with, and what Sonia Fowler (Natalie Cassidy) would name her baby.

In a nod to EastEnders' past, viewers were asked to pick if she should call her baby "Julia" or "Toni", after Julia Smith and Tony Holland, the original creators of the BBC soap.

After voting for just under 24 hours, fans have decided that Sonia should name her baby Julia.

Sonia gave birth in the live episode with beloved sister Bianca Jackson (Patsy Palmer) and pregnant cousin Lauren Branning (Jacqueline Jossa) by her side, only steps away from the corpse of the child's father, killer Reiss Colwell (Jonny Freeman).

A fiery promo of Sonia standing in front of the exploding Vic in EastEnders
Sonia gave birth in emotional scenes. BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron

As Bianca delivered the baby, Bianca begged nurse Sonia for medical advice as the baby was blue but as Sonia eventually attended to her, the baby finally began to cry, to the trio's jubilation.

The paramedics soon arrived to attend to them, to a sarcastic response from Bianca.

The trio and the baby soon left the pub to the delight of the whole crowd outside.

In the ambulance, Sonia spoke with love to her baby as a voiceover revealed her name as baby Julia.

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EastEnders airs Monday to Thursday at 7:30pm on BBC One and from 6am on BBC iPlayer.

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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

Helen Daly
Helen DalyAssociate Editor

Helen Daly is the Associate Editor for Radio Times, overseeing new initiatives and commercial projects for the brand. She was previously Deputy TV Editor at a national publication. She has a BA in English Literature and an MA in Media & Journalism from Newcastle University.

Lewis KnightTrends Editor

Lewis Knight is the Trends Editor for Radio Times, covering trending titles from TV, Film and more. He previously worked at The Mirror in TV, Film, and Showbiz coverage alongside work on SEO. Alongside his past work in advertising, he possesses a BSc in Psychology and an MA in Film Studies.

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