Is Theo Hawthorne the dead body in EastEnders at Christmas? All the clues and theories

But they were standing over a dead body - an unknown male character whose identity we've spent the last few months trying to guess. And vile Theo Hawthorne (William Ellis) is certainly dispensable enough to be killed off!

Let's dive into all the clues below...

Is Theo Hawthorne the dead body in EastEnders at Christmas?

Blood on Stacey Slater's hands

Yes, the blood on Stacey's hands heavily hints that she could be the killer - although that's pure speculation, and other members of 'The Six' have evidence on them too. But the fact that Stacy's hands are covered does suggest that she may have a very active role in what transpires.

Theo has been making Stacey's life hell for months now; befriending her family and tutoring her teenage daughter Lily (Lillia Turner) while secretly paying for her online videos. He began harassing her, and finally revealed himself as Stace's tormenter in recent scenes.

Theo is a strong contender for victim of the moment, as he's got a shelf-life in EastEnders. The character has since pleaded guilty for his crimes against Stacey after she persuaded him to do so under false pretences. However, having threatened him on the phone while he awaits sentencing, has she secured his eventual release?

We may have already seen the last of Theo, but is this just to hide the fact he could return on Christmas Day?

The Knight

That suit of armour, or 'Knight in shining armour' is stood behind Stace, and you can read our speculation over just who might try to be her saviour.

But this tells us that Stacey could be the central character among The Six, and if so, it's Theo who we should be looking at closely for the fatality.

Stacey Slater's 'The Six' trailer

A trailer dropped recently which put the focus on Stacey in the Christmas special, with the tagline 'In a flash, everything changes'. We see Stace looking scared as a mirror cracks, with those words written across it in her lipstick.

Clearly, the festive season is a terrifying experience for Stacey, so is this all down to Theo? He's moved into the flat next door to the Slaters', so he's refusing to go anywhere. Does he break into Stacey's home again, only this time she's forced into violent action when he follows her to The Vic?

Stacey Slater's past

Star Turner has spoken to RadioTimes.com about her alter ego's past, revealing that she'd rather not have her become a serial killer! And the fact is, Stacey has murdered before - she bludgeoned Archie Mitchell (Larry Lamb), the man who raped her, with The Queen Vic bust.

But does Stacey's history of ending the life of a man who violated her mean she could do so again? If she's going to be the one to do the killing, it's surely going to be someone who is hurting her, rather than someone unconnected. Enter, Theo...

Army of survivors

We've theorised this already, concerning another potential victim, Dean Wicks (Matt Di Angelo). But Stacey, Suki, Linda, Sharon, Denise and Kathy have all experienced forms of abuse from men.

So, The Six have a reason to band together in the face of Theo's evil - might they help Stace to stop his reign of terror?

HOWEVER

Theo Hawthorne has now been found guilty for his actions against Stacey and is awaiting his sentence, with Jack Branning revealing that he is staying with friends in Scotland under the monitoring of the police.

However, Theo is unstable, so could he risk his entire future on revenge against Stacey?

Viewers who identify with Stacey's story can contact the National Stalking Helpline on 08088020300, or visit suzylamplugh.org. You can also visit Safeguarding Hub.

Read more:

• Is Phil Mitchell the dead body in EastEnders at Christmas? All the clues and theories
• Is Dean Wicks the dead body in EastEnders at Christmas? All the clues and theories
• EastEnders casts Ravi Gulati's long lost love - and his secret daughter
• 6 EastEnders spoilers next week: Nugget goes missing
• EastEnders’ Lacey Turner reveals new Christmas murder mystery theory

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.

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