A schedule shake-up is in store for EastEnders tonight.

The BBC One soap is airing its dramatic Christmas Eve episode – which is currently available on BBC iPlayer – ahead of its usual 7.30pm time.

With the channel airing both the Paddington movie this evening and a festive special of The Great British Sewing Bee, followed by Gavin & Stacey’s finale from last year, EastEnders has shifted to an earlier time of 6.55pm on Wednesday 24th December 2025.

However, due to the streaming age, you can still watch the soap at your leisure ahead of the dramatic Christmas Day instalments – both of which will not be released early on BBC iPlayer.

Today’s festive instalment of EastEnders features a major cliffhanger leading into the double bill tomorrow, as the storyline surrounding Zoe Slater’s (Michelle Ryan) stalker torment and journey to be reunited with her long-lost son takes a turn.

 

If that wasn’t enough, Zoe is still unaware that her daughter, who she believed died as an infant, is alive and on the Square in the form of newcomer Jasmine Fisher (Indeyarna Donaldson-Holness).

In case that wasn’t enough to deal with today, Walford favourite Yolande Trueman (Angela Wynter), is running a Christmas carol service, but her stepson, Dr Anthony Trueman (Nicholas Bailey), is too busy fuming over Zoe and his belief that she has hidden the fact that they have twin children.

Elsewhere, Max Branning (Jake Wood) deals with the fallout of revealing his identity to his daughter, Annie Carter (Lois Hawkins), to the fury of her mother, Linda (Kellie Bright). But will his son Oscar Branning (Pierre Counihan-Moullier) throw another spanner in the works?

 

Finally, the Mitchells are keen to give Nigel Bates (Paul Bradley) a Christmas to remember as they look at alternative care options following the excellent and moving special episode yesterday.

Rest assured, it won’t be a quiet Christmas in Walford…