EastEnders will premiere in a primetime slot for Christmas Day, the BBC has confirmed.
The BBC tweeted that the Christmas Day special – which will run for an hour-long – will premiere at 9:25pm on BBC One, meaning it will air on BBC iPlayer via the live TV function at the same time.
RadioTimes.com understands that the episode will not be released early on BBC iPlayer despite recent weeks seeing episodes uploaded first at 6am to the streaming service.
The early releases occurred throughout weeks of schedules shifting with the FIFA World Cup 2022 and the run-up to Christmas seeing further changes.
However, new episodes were also not released early on BBC iPlayer surrounding the much-anticipated episodes paying tribute to Dot Branning and her late actress June Brown, which also saw the surprise returns of Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt) and Keanu Taylor (Danny Walters).
The Christmas storyline for EastEnders promises to be epic this year as Danny Dyer will bow out from the soap after nine years in the role of the Queen Vic pub landlord Mick Carter.
The character has been at the centre of major storylines over the years but his time on Albert Square will end when his love triangle with ex-wife Linda Carter (Kellie Bright) and pregnant partner Janine Butcher (Charlie Brooks) reaches a dramatic climax.
Dyer is set to bow out from the soap on Christmas Day, while Brooks will exit her role as Janine on Boxing Day.
Meanwhile, the Christmas Day episode will also see Alfie Moon (Shane Richie) continue to vie for the heart of his ex-wife Kat Slater (Jessie Wallace), but will she choose him over her new partner Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden)?
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The Mitchell patriarch has enough drama of his own to contend with, thanks to the vendetta led by DCI Samantha Keeble (Alison Newman) and the return of his former love rival Keanu.
Elsewhere, Jay Brown (Jamie Borthwick) is set to pop the question to his dying true love Lola Pearce (Danielle Harold), but how will she take his big proposal?
Finally, the Mitchell-Slaters look set to have an unorthodox Christmas when they are joined by the Fox-Brannings for the big festive meal.
Read More:
- EastEnders cast: Who is joining, leaving and returning to the soap?
- 11 EastEnders Christmas 2022 spoilers: Exits, lies and manipulations as Jada returns
- EastEnders’ Janine is ‘fearful’ of Jada’s surprise return
- EastEnders’ Kellie Bright: ‘Linda’s let Mick go’
- EastEnders teases clifftop drama ahead of Mick Carter exit
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