EastEnders Christmas 2016: Full timing schedule, 10 HUGE spoilers and so much more…

WARNING: SPOILERS! LOTS OF SPOILERS!

Christmas eastenders header

by Hannah Mellin |
Published on

Because did you even do Christmas if you and your family didn't snuggle down to watch the EastEnders festive special?

Despite EastEnders keeping their drama low-key in recent months, instead resorting to council bin drama and Kim learning to drive - the Christmas storylines promise loads and loads of festive drama, heartbreak and BIG SHOCKS.

HO HO HO!

**When is EastEnders on this festive season? **

You’re in for a treat, soap fans - you’ll be treated to a LOT of trips to Walford this Christmas.

Here’s the soap’s TV schedule for the Christmas period:

Monday 19th December – 8pm

Tuesday 20th December – 7.30pm

Thursday 22nd December – 7.30pm

Friday 23rd December – 8pm

Christmas Eve – 8.25pm (35 minute episode)

Christmas Day – 9.30pm (Hour long episode)

Boxing Day – 8pm

Tuesday 27th December – 7.30pm

Thursday 29th December – 7.30pm

Friday 30th December – 8pm

It's tradition that there's always a high chance of disaster in Albert Square at Christmas. But what's going to go down? Here's a little taster.

Max Branning is back, back again

EastEnders christmas

Yep, it's officially confirmed!

After being sent down for the murder of Lucy Beale (one crime he definitely didn't commit), Max Branning is coming back to Walford and he's only after one thing: revenge.

We last saw the notorious lothario in a blink-and-you'll-miss-it snippet in a taxi way back in July – after the murder charge against him was dropped.

However, EastEnders have OFFICIALLY confirmed that Max Branning will make his big comeback on Christmas day, with actor Jake Wood, who plays Max, promising a side of Max no one has quite seen before.

Seaking to Radiotimes, he teased: "He's a changed character.

"It was interesting for me to see those changes - he's not the same man as when he left. And I think the viewers will be surprised and excited about that. The reaction he gets will be interesting."

Oh the devilish and naughty Max, how we've missed you so!

But who is his first target? The Beales? Or his own daughters, Lauren and Abi Branning? We'll have to wait and see...

Phil Mitchell to DIE?

Phil's cirrhosis of the liver is worsening by the second and will definitely be the ender him (geddit) if he refuses a much-needed liver transplant.

Could this be Phil's last Christmas on the square? Surely the Mitchells have had too much grief this year...

Lee Carter to hit rock bottom

EastEnders christmas spoilers

Secrets and lies have a habit of coming out in Walford at Christmas and this year is no exception for Lee Carter - who has been struggling to keep things afloat the past few months. From financial problems to spiralling back into a familiar dark place of depression - Lee has been telling his loved ones lie after lie after lie.

And after EastEnders delivered an alimighty twist that saw Lee Carter plan the robbery on the Queen Vic that saw burglers demanding money, attacking Johnny and threatening to kidnap and hurt baby Ollie - will he be able to deal with his guilt much longer?

Will Christmas be too much for Lee? So much so that he ups and leaves? Or will tragedy tear Lee away from his family and his beloved Whitney Carter?

A happy ending for Lee is looking less likely by the day. Viewers already know that Danny-Boy Hatchard will be leaving the soap in the near future - so will we be saying goodbye to him at Christmas? And under what circumstances?

Sob!

Beale revenge?

Despite Bobby Beale safely away from Walford in a secure facility, Max Branning's return will wreak havoc for the Beales - especially after Max left them a threatening note when he briefly returned to the square a few months back.

It read: "I will never forget. Max."

And with Ian and Jane already seeing cracks in their marriage, could this tear them apart once and for all?

Linda Carter’s exit

Our second favourite Queen Vic landlady (after Peggy Mitchell, obviously), will be taking a six-month break from EastEnders to have a baaaaaby in coming months! Kellie Bright has already assured fans that she’ll 10000% be back but has yet to divulge the plot surrounding her exit storyline.

Will Mick and Linda take a break from each other or will they leave together?

Denise to finally tell Phil he's a dad?

Yep, we (Denise included) wish we could forget that this one-night stand ever happened. But it did and Denise could finally face up to Phil and drop the daddy bombshell this Christmas.

Could she give Phil one more reason to live? We really hope so.

The Christmas play!

EastEnders christmas

The key to any Walford Christmas! And with Kathy and Denise re-writing the script that Geraldine Clough (yep, that is Cassandra from Only Fools and Horses) originally wrote - we're expecting some laughs and kick offs!

A happy Christmas (for some?)

Word on the grapevine is that EastEnders will be ramping up for a rather emotional New Years storyline - that will see us bid farewell to Ronnie and Roxy Mitchell - so Christmas will be a little less depressing this year.

Jamie Borthwick (who plays Jay Mitchell) told RadioTimes: "It's not how it usually is this Christmas.

"Expect a bit of a shock. It's a mixture of happy and low key.”

A happy Walford yuletide? SURELY NOT?

Big decisions for Denise Fox

With Denise making the decision to put her child up for adoptiona soon as they are born, will she be able to go through with it?

The 47-year-old, who found out she was pregnant with Phil Mitchell's (the result of a one-night-stand) child earlier this year, made her reasons clear - that she feels unable to bring a child into a loving home and wants to give her child to a family who really wants one instead of trying to steer her life down a path she's unsure of.

Will Phil Mitchell find out he's fathered another child over the festive season and convince Denise to change her mind?

Jack and Ronnie's wedding

After Christmas, the focus will shift to Ronnie and Jack's long-awaited wedding day. And with the couple planning to move, it could be Roxy's last chance to try and get Ronnie to stay around Walford a little longer.

Will Jack and Ronnie get their happy ending? It's not looking likely as we all already know that the Mitchell sisters will depart from our screens over the New Year in horrific scenes that will see the sisters face their bitter end...

Get your tissues ready folks.

**Which storyline are you most excited about? Let us know over on Facebook and Twitter (@CloserOnline). **

You may also like to read:

The 31 most shocking, heart-breaking and dramatic EastEnders deaths of ALL TIME

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