Industry season 4 cast: Full list of new and returning characters
The investment banking drama returns for its fourth outing.
It's only a matter of days until Industry returns on our screens for what is set to be another gripping instalment, this time with a step away from the walls of Pierpoint & Co. The stellar main cast is once again headed up by Myha'la, Marisa Abela and Ken Leung, with season 3's Kit Harington returning as Sir Henry Muck who is balancing his own personal problems while trying to get to grips with married life to Yasmin. Their relationship in season 4 is "spinning out of control", according to Abela, who also teased: "She is not only a wife, but essentially a caregiver to someone who resents her for needing her care." Yasmin's somewhat love triangle is no more with the departure of Harry Lawtey, who was previously part of the core cast as Robert Spearing. Lawtey exited the series and previously told The Telegraph: "Ultimately I feel like I’m in a place where I’ve said everything I had to say with a character, and I think both me and the writers felt mutually happy with where we left him." But have no fear as there are plenty of new characters set to fill the void, with the likes of Stranger Things star Charlie Heaton, Claire Forlani (Departure) and Kal Penn (Designated Survivor) joining the cast, as well as The Handmaid's Tale star Max Minghella, The Last Showgirl's Kiernan Shipka, and The Serial Killer's Wife's Jack Farthing. How do they slot into this season's drama? Well, read on for everything you need to know about the returning faces and new additions to Industry season 4 below. If you also need a refresher on the previous season's characters, scroll on for those too. Industry season 4 cast: Full list of new and returning characters The following cast members have been confirmed for Industry season 4. For more information about the characters and where you've seen the actors who play them before, read on. Myha'la as Harper Stern Marisa Abela as Yasmin Kara-Hanani Kit Harington as Sir Henry Muck Charlie Heaton as Jim Dycker Toheeb Jimoh as Kwabena Bannerman Kal Penn as Jay Jonah Atterbury Miriam Petche as Sweetpea Golightly Sagar Radia as Rishi Ramdani Kiernan Shipka as Hayley Clay Ken Leung as Eric Tao Max Minghella as Whitney Halberstram Andrew Havill as Alexander, Viscount Norton Roger Barclay as Otto Mostyn Tom Stourton as James Ashford Jack Farthing as Edward Smith Amy James-Kelly as Jennifer Bevan Claire Forlani as Cordelia Hanani-Spyrka Edward Holcroft as Sebastian Stefanowicz Myha'la Herrold plays Harper Stevens Who is Harper? Originally from New York, Harper started as a graduate trainee at London investment bank Pierpoint & Co but lied about her educational background on her CV. Her career journey has been tumultuous, but now she's working at Otto Mostyn's fund. However, when she starts feeling as though Otto is watching her and trying to control her fund, she's keen to find a way out. Where have I seen Myha'la before? You might know her from the Loch Henry episode of Black Mirror, Netflix thriller Leave the World Behind, comedy-horror Bodies Bodies Bodies or Swiped. Marisa Abela plays Yasmin Kara-Hanani Who is Yasmin? While Yasmin used to be stationed on the Foreign Exchange Sales (FX) desk at Pierpoint and then went on to manage Pierpoint's relationship with Sir Henry, she has now reached the levels of high society she's clearly always been destined for. Married to Henry, things aren't quite as plain-sailing as it seems with Yasmin left weighing up her options. Nevertheless, she's set to forge a new path in Henry's new company, which sees her "looked at as useful by those around her and that's probably the happiest that we ever get to see Yasmin," according to Abela. Where have I seen Marisa Abela before? Abela won a BAFTA for her role as Yasmin in Industry but her CV includes playing singer Amy Winehouse in Back to Black, as well as credits in Netflix's Rogue Agent, Sky thriller COBRA and Black Bag. Ken Leung plays Eric Tao Who is Eric? While Eric was previously made a partner at Pierpoint, he's back in the US trying to get as far away from his past life. However, Eric can't resist the pull of working in that world again and with mentee Harper – even if his personal life is somewhat in ruins. Where have I seen Ken Leung before? He starred in M Night Shyamalan's thriller Old and played Miles in Lost. You might also recognise him from Netflix's live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender series, American medical drama The Night Shift and X-Men: The Last Stand. Kit Harington plays Sir Henry Muck Who is Henry? A British aristocrat who previously ran green tech energy company Lumi, Henry's life has changed quite a bit since we last saw him. Now navigating newlywed life with Yasmin, a failed politics career and new opportunities, Henry initially seems to be on a downward spiral. What else has Kit Harington been in? He's best known for Game of Thrones. Other projects include Netflix's Criminal: UK and the Marvel film Eternals. Sagar Radia plays Rishi Ramdani Who is Rishi? A former trader at Pierpoint who has a sharp tongue and a wicked temper, Rishi's world imploded in season 3 as he tried avoiding paying his six-figure gambling debts. That all caught up with him when bookie Vinay (Asim Chaudhry) came knocking for his six-figure cash loan and shockingly shot his wife dead. Now, Rishi is dealing with the fallout from that and he's "still suffering with a large amount of guilt, deep shock, and potentially denial," according to Radia. Where have I seen Sagar Radia before? He played AJ Nair in ITV's The Good Karma Hospital. Miriam Petche plays Sweetpea Golightly Who is Sweetpea? A former graduate trainee at Pierpoint, Sweetpea has never been afraid to voice her opinion but now she's working with Harper at Mostyn Asset Management. What else has Miriam Petche been in? Her most notable role before Industry was the fantasy children's drama The Worst Witch. Roger Barclay plays Otto Mostyn Who is Otto Mostyn? Henry's powerful and influential godfather who is owed money by Yasmin's missing father, Mostyn is now Harper's new boss after she joins his company. However, he's not as well-meaning as it may seem. What else has Roger Barclay been in? Barclay has also appeared in The Bay and the Johnny English films. New Industry season 4 cast members Charlie Heaton as Jim Dycker Who is Jim Dycker? A financial journalist who is trying to get to the bottom of a major scoop. What else has Charlie Heaton been in? Heaton is best known for his role as Jonathan Byers in Stranger Things, but has also starred in DCI Banks and Casualty. In terms of films, Heaton has appeared in Marrowbone, The New Mutants and No Future. Toheeb Jimoh as Kwabena Bannerman Who is Kwabena Bannerman? Kwabena is a trader working with Harper and Sweetpea who comes from a privately educated background. "He’s got the kind of innate confidence that only lifelong financial stability can give you," Jimoh teases. What else has Toheeb Jimoh been in? Jimoh is best known for his role as Sam Obisanya in Ted Lasso, also having had roles in The Power and Anthony. Kal Penn as Jay Jonah Atterbury Who is Jay Jonah Atterbury? The CEO of payment processing company Tender, Jay works closely with Whitney but seems to have let the power of manning the company go to his head. What else has Kal Penn been in? Penn is known for his roles in Designated Survivor, House and How I Met Your Mother. He has had recent roles in American Horror Story: NYC and The Santa Clauses. Kiernan Shipka as Hayley Clay Who is Hayley Clay? Haley is an employee at Tender who is an intriguing new addition to the cast. "She's tenacious, feisty, mysterious, and down to play ball," according to Shipka. What else has Kiernan Shipka been in? Shipka is known for her roles in Mad Men as Sally Draper, as well as her leading role as Sabrina in Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. In terms of films, she has most recently starred in The Last Showgirl, Sweethearts and Red One. Max Minghella as Whitney Halberstram Who is Whitney Halberstram? Whitney is the CFO at Tender and is keen to take the company from just being a payment processor to a full-blown bank. He's "brimming with ruthless ambition," having a "silver tongue and a mercurial past," according to Minghella. What else has Max Minghella been in? Minghella is best known for his role in The Handmaid's Tale as Nick Blaine, having also starred in The Social Network, The Mindy Project, Babylon and Spiral. Amy James-Kelly as Jennifer Bevan Who is Jennifer Bevan? Jennifer is an MP who went head-to-head with Henry in their local election but becomes close to Yasmin as they become increasingly useful to each other. "Jenni is young, keen and has that naive determination to drive change that we'll see be constantly tested throughout," James-Kelly teases. What else has Amy James-Kelly been in? James-Kelly is best known for her role as Maddie Heath in Coronation Street, but has also had roles in Safe, Gentleman Jack, Three Families, Everyone Else Burns and Military Wives. Industry season 3 cast Harry Lawtey plays Robert Spearing Who is Robert? He works on the CPS desk at Pierpoint. Robert has also been assigned to look after Sir Henry and ensure that the bank's needs are being met. Robert is now dating Venetia but still has a complicated relationship with toxic client Nicole. Where have I seen Harry Lawtey before? The actor starred in BBC romantic comedy-drama You & Me, mystery series Magpie Murders, Netflix's The Letter for the King and the Joker sequel film as Harvey Dent. Conor MacNeill as Kenny Kilbane Who is Kenny? A VP on the FX desk at Pierpoint and Yasmin's line manager. After a stint in rehab, Kenny has continued to work on bettering himself, and is also trying to help Eric work through his own issues. Where have I seen Conor MacNeill before? His CV includes BBC true crime drama The Sixth Commandment and thriller The Tourist, Channel 4 police procedural No Offence and Irish series An Crisis. MacNeill is also set to star in Outlander prequel series, Blood of My Blood. Sarah Parish plays Nicole Craig Who is Nicole? A Pierpoint client who takes no prisoners. She is a sexual predator who has targeted Harry, Harper, Venetia and likely others. Where have I seen Sarah Parish before? Her extensive CV includes Harlan Coben's Stay Close, crime dramas Bancroft and Broadchurch, sitcom Trollied, BBC comedy W1A, Netflix YA drama Geek Girl, and more. Indy Lewis plays Venetia Berens Who is Venetia? She works on the FX Desk at Pierpoint. Venetia is described as "bright-eyed, razor-sharp and not afraid to talk back to those in power". She's dating Harry when season 3 opens. Where have I seen Indy Lewis before? She has also appeared in Spanish-American drama La Fortuna. Adam Levy plays Charles Hanani Who is Charles? Yasmin's "jet-setting playboy" father. Charles has been embezzling money from his publishing company and is now on the run. Where have I seen Adam Levy before? He appeared in Netflix's The Witcher as Mousesack. Elena Saurel plays Anna Gearing Who is Anna? The head of FutureDawn Partners, an ethical investment fund, is Harper's boss after taking a chance on her and making her her assistant. What else has Elena Saurel been in? You might know her from the ITV comedy Buffering with Iain Stirling. Trevor White plays Bill Adler Who is Adler? The global head of FICC at Pierpoint, Adler is a major voice at Pierpoint and is an old colleague of Eric's who he goes way back with. What else has Trevor White been in? A Canadian and British actor, White has had numerous film and television credits, with recurring roles in the series The Durrells, Millennium, Episodes, Hunted, and X Company. Sarah Goldberg plays Petra Koenig Who is Petra? A FutureDawn portfolio manager. She joins forces with Harper, much to the ire of her colleague and so-called friend Anna. What else has Sarah Goldberg been in? Goldberg is best known for Bill Hader's comedy-drama Barry. Fiona Button plays Denise Oldroyd Who is Denise? A lawyer and friend to Yasmin, Denise is the older sister of Yasmin's ex-beau Seb. Denise also strikes up a spark with Eric. What else has Fiona Button been in? Button is best known for her role as Rose Defoe in The Split but has also starred in Grantchester, Death in Paradise and Truelove. Industry seasons 1-3 are available to stream on BBC iPlayer in the UK, and season 4 premieres on Monday 12th January 2026 on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. The drama airs on HBO in the US. Add Industry to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Industry season 4: Release date, confirmed cast, trailer and latest news
"We can't wait to dive deeper and deliver the best season yet in season 4."
It's been a long time coming, but Industry season 4 is here in a matter of days - with a cast of both returning and new cast members. New cast members include Stranger Things star Charlie Heaton, Claire Forlani (Departure) and Kal Penn (Designated Survivor), as well as The Handmaid's Tale star Max Minghella, The Last Showgirl's Kiernan Shipka, and The Serial Killer's Wife's Jack Farthing, Toheeb Jimoh (Ted Lasso) and Amy James-Kelly (Coronation Street). As for returning faces, some fans may be surprised by the fact that Sagar Radia is back as Rishi after the dramatic cliffhanger of season 3. Well, Rishi is set to face a new rock bottom in season 4, with the actor teasing that this season is "emotionally demanding", saying: "It was great for me as an actor; I was playing someone seen as the comic relief initially, which then evolved to explore a more painful and human side to the character." He added: "We got to shift the tone of what Rishi’s previous rhythm was into something more real rather than sensational and that was gratifying for me.” Elsewhere on the returning front are the only Pierpoint graduates left – Harper (Myha'la) and Yasmin (Marisa Abela), with things on the marriage front seeming to be in a precarious predicament for Yasmin and Henry (Kit Harington). Abela teased: “Yasmin is married to Henry Muck and their relationship is spinning out of control. She is not only a wife, but essentially a caregiver to someone who resents her for needing her care." At the time of its renewal back in September 2024, executive vice president of HBO Programming and head of HBO drama series and films, Francesca Orsi, said: "For three seasons, Industry has been unflinching in its examination of ambition and class, solidifying itself as a marquee HBO drama. "Under [co-creators] Mickey [Down] and Konrad [Kay's] singular vision, this twisted, thrilling look at London finance has redefined the contemporary workplace show." "We have no doubt that Mickey and Konrad, alongside the amazing team under executive producer Jane Tranter at Bad Wolf and executive producer Kathleen McCaffrey, will take season 4 to even greater heights," added Orsi. The new fourth season has already spawned plenty of glowing reviews, bagging a 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes ahead of its official release in the UK and US later this week. But when exactly will the new season air, who will star and what will it be about? For more information about Industry season 4, read on. **Spoiler warning for Industry season 3** Industry season 4 release date Industry season 4 will premiere in the UK on Monday 12th January 2026 on BBC One and BBC iPlayer, with new episodes being released weekly rather than as a boxset. The UK release is in line with the US, where episodes will be available to watch on HBO and HBO Max. The series will consist of eight episodes as with previous seasons so mark your calendars, people! Who stars in Industry season 4? The confirmed cast of Industry for season 4 is as follows. Myha'la as Harper Stern Marisa Abela as Yasmin Kara-Hanani Kit Harington as Sir Henry Muck Charlie Heaton as Jim Dycker Toheeb Jimoh as Kwabena Bannerman Kal Penn as Jay Jonah Atterbury Miriam Petche as Sweetpea Golightly Sagar Radia as Rishi Ramdani Kiernan Shipka as Hayley Clay Ken Leung as Eric Tao Max Minghella as Whitney Halberstram Andrew Havill as Alexander, Viscount Norton Roger Barclay as Otto Mostyn Tom Stourton as James Ashford Jack Farthing as Edward Smith Amy James-Kelly as Jennifer Bevan Claire Forlani as Cordelia Hanani-Spyrka Edward Holcroft as Sebastian Stefanowicz We're set to see plenty more of Kit Harington's Sir Henry Muck as he and Yasmin are married, with their wedding being the talk of the town in the season 3 finale. We will also see the return of Henry's uncle, Alexander, Viscount Norto, and Henry's godfather and Harper's new business partner, Otto Mostyn. Tom Stourton is also back as James Ashford, CEO of Ashford Asset Management, whose business Harper was keen to get involved in. Max Minghella will be starring as the company founder of Tender, a payment processing company that we're sure will be integral to the season 4 plot line. Kiernan Shipka, who is known for her roles in Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Mad Men, and Twisters, will be starring as Hayley Clay, an executive assistant at Tender. Henry is set to bring another friend into the main cast fold as Jack Farthing will play Edward Smith, Henry's longtime friend and "troublemaker", according to the official character description. Other cast members include Toheeb Jimoh as Kwabena Bannerman, a trader at Mostyn Asset Management with Harper, while Amy James-Kelly will be starring as Jennifer Bevan, a newly promoted minister in the new Labour government. It's now also been announced that Kal Penn will be joining the cast as Jay Jonah Atterbury, the CEO and co-founder of payment processor Tender, so we can expect plenty of scenes alongside Minghella. Elsewhere, Stranger Things star Charlie Heaton is confirmed to star as Jim Dycker, who is a finance journalist, but no other details have been given about his role yet. Will he be pursuing a big story or just caught in the crossfire? As for Claire Forlani, it's been revealed that she will be starring as Cordelia Hanani-Spyrka, "a corporate PR heavy-hitter" who also happens to share one of the same surnames as Abela's Yasmin and likely is part of her complicated extended family. Finally, London Spy star Edward Holcroft has joined the cast as Sebastian Stefanowicz. One person who is not returning is Harry Lawtey as Robert Spearing, who ended the last season in the US after Yasmin chose Henry over him. Lawtey reflected on his decision to leave the hit series, telling The Telegraph: "Ultimately I feel like I’m in a place where I’ve said everything I had to say with a character, and I think both me and the writers felt mutually happy with where we left him." What is the plot for Industry season 4? The new season picks up after Harper has gone into business with Otto Mostyn for an ethically questionable business involving betting shorts based on insider information, while Yasmin is now with Sir Henry Muck - but what next for the couple? Well, it seems Harper, Yasmin and Henry are all to be drawn into the orbit of payment processing company Tender. The official description for the season reads: "At the top of their game and living the lives they set out to have as Pierpoint grads, Harper and Yasmin are drawn into a high-stakes, globetrotting cat-and-mouse game when a splashy fintech darling bursts onto the London scene. "As Yasmin navigates her relationship with tech founder Sir Henry Muck and Harper is pulled into the orbit of enigmatic executive Whitney Halberstram, their twisted friendship begins to warp and ignite under the pressure of money, power, and the desire to be on top." Read More: Industry season 4 teased by Marisa Abela as she promises a very different Yasmin Abela has teased that season 4 will be "the hardest version of [Yasmin]", with her character set to take us on quite the roller oaster journey once again. She told Deadline: "I think that the only people that know Yasmin … the real Yasmin, are the audience now, and that’s just a really exciting place to be." The biggest question mark remains over the stressful life of Rishi Ramdani after the violent events of the season 3 finale, which saw his wife murdered in front of him by the criminal he owed money to. With Sagar Radia set to return for season 4, we know we'll be picking back up with Rishi, but as to how his life has panned out, we'll just have to wait and see... Is there an Industry season 4 trailer? Yes, there are multiple after that electric first teaser. This includes the most recent and most revealing trailer, viewable below. View oEmbed on the source website Industry seasons 1-3 are available to stream on BBC iPlayer in the UK, and season 4 premieres on Monday 12th January 2026 on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. The drama airs on HBO in the US. Add Industry to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
10 EastEnders characters who need to have a huge 2026 – from Chelsea Fox to Oscar Branning
Some beloved Walford faces need their time to shine.
Well, we have certainly started 2026 in earnest on EastEnders – including with a look at 2027. The BBC One soap promises to be a huge year for the Branning clan, especially, but particularly for Max Branning (Jake Wood), after a flash-forward episode on New Year's Day revealed a lot of change would take place for the roguish Walford legend. However, Max isn't the only character we'll be needing to see more of in 2026, whether it's those who are underseen on the show or people we just straight up need to see more of or solidify their place in the show. So, here are a selection of characters who should have a huge 2026 in EastEnders... 10 EastEnders characters who need to have a huge 2026 1. Chelsea Fox (Zaraah Abrahams) Thankfully, it seems like Chelsea Fox (Zaraah Abrahams) is in for a big year as one of the potential brides for Max Branning, but it's been a long time coming. Denise's eldest daughter has had a quieter time in Walford in the last couple of years – aside from last year's all too brief club crush storyline – with Chelsea mostly just relegated to serving drinks in Harry's Barn. Abrahams has already proven herself a worthy leading heroine for the soap, having fronted strong scenes in the divisive Gray Atkins (Toby-Alexander Smith) storyline, and showing Chelsea's strength and emotion during the breakdown of her romance with Ravi Gulati (Aaron Thiara), along with her feuding with step-sister Penny Branning (Kitty Castledine). Chelsea has a long history in Walford and is an ideal figure to bridge older and newer characters, so we hope the show makes good on the promise of more Chelsea in 2026. 2. Penny Branning (Kitty Castledine) Speaking of Chelsea's former step-sister, despite her previous vendetta against dad Jack Branning (Scott Maslen) and a short-lived romance with Harry Mitchell (Elijah Holloway), it has been very quiet for Penny Branning in recent months. The wily, confident, and sharp-tongued Branning is the closest thing that her cousin Lauren Beale (Jacqueline Jossa) has to a best friend and age-matched sister these days and also deserves to get her time in the spotlight along with the other Brannings. In fact, we know Penny has a whole chequered history with crime that remains untapped, along with her relationship with her absent mother, Selina Branning (Daisy Beaumont). Thankfully, it's looking up for Penny's screen time now that she has been paired in a friendship with Gina Knight (Francesca Henry) and also in a potential romance with Vinny Panesar (Shiv Jalota) following their unexpected kiss on New Year's Eve. Is 2026 the year for a love story with Ms Branning? 3. Denise Fox (Diane Parish) Denise Fox (Diane Parish) is an EastEnders legend and rightfully was one of the leading ladies of the Chris Clenshaw era. However, since the 40th anniversary vote, where viewers chose for Denise to reconcile with ex-husband Jack Branning, she has been rather absent from episodes, instead only playing a small and supporting role in proceedings. Again, Denise looks set to have a big year if the flash-forward episode is anything to go by, including some marital drama with Jack – but would (and should) the show really undo the audience's decision so quickly? Either way, we will be glad when we see Parish getting the material she can shine with when the drama starts up again for her. She's also getting back her younger daughter, Libby Fox (Belinda Owusu), at some point, so it'll be good to see the Fox family all back together again. 4. Oscar Branning (Pierre Counihan-Moullier) Yes, we're aware we are seeing a lot of Oscar Branning (Pierre Counihan-Moullier) already, and 2026 promises to be big for him, but given the strength of Oscar's time in Walford so far, too much can't be enough! Oscar has been a real breath of fresh air, with Counihan-Moullier adept at pathos and comedy, particularly in being so physically expressive. performer. The flash-forward teased further romance for Max Branning's son and also the continued friendship with Patrick Trueman (Rudolph Walker) – which can only be a good thing. The dynamic between Counihan-Moullier and Jake Wood also works so naturally already, so we anticipate great material for Max and Oscar. Basically, get Oscar in a community hub and interact with as many people as possible! 5. Priya Nandra-Hart (Sophie Khan Levy) We included Priya Nandra-Hart (Sophie Khan Levy) in our round-up of characters we were keen to have a big 2025 – and while Priya finally got together with Ravi, with Khan Levy particularly shining in the scenes after Ravi's recent criminality was exposed to her, we still think there's much more to do with Priya. Priya and Ravi remain an electric pairing, with Aaron Thiara and Khan Levy having fantastic chemistry, but we hope for more for Priya than just being Ravi's long-suffering spouse. So far, Priya has primarily served as a supporting character in the orbit of her family members' stories, never the true protagonist of them. Khan Levy has proven her mettle, and Priya needs to be a series focal point with the talent at her fingertips – either in her own powerful story or in a strong community hub as we need for Oscar. The next Queen Vic barmaid, anyone? 6. Linda Carter (Kellie Bright) After being arguably the leading lady of The Six storyline and featuring so heavily in 2024, former Queen Vic landlady Linda Carter (Kellie Bright) featured much less in 2025, with Linda even being on a lengthy world cruise for six months of it! Now back in Walford, Linda has already become tied up in the dramas of Max Branning (Jake Wood) and is now running 'boutique hotel' Peacock Palace with her mum, Elaine Peacock (Harriet Thorpe – going from strength to strength despite Elaine leaving the Queen Vic), and is soon to be reunited with an old school peer Bea Pollard (Ronni Anconna). However, despite this new start for the character, one can't help but be concerned that Linda will either be overshadowed by the larger-than-life Elaine in Peacock Palace or be forced to be the straight-edge to the likes of Elaine or the new addition of Bea. Linda, especially post-rehab, needs to remain a guiding light on the Square but also to show off the bubbly and tenacious personality she always had since arriving in the soap back in 2013, and that's despite the tragedies and traumas of recent years. Kellie Bright deserves to be at the heart of the show and remains one of its leading lights, regardless of whether Linda is the landlady or not. 7. Vinny Panesar (Shiv Jalota) The last one standing of the original Panesar siblings, Vinny Panesar, has never quite had his time in the spotlight, often a supporting player in the machinations of his parents or siblings. Vinny's biggest stories have included being manipulated by evil dad Nish Panesar (Navin Chowdhry), almost killing his mother's then-lover, Eve Unwin (Heather Peace), and his on-off romance with Dotty Cotton (Milly Zero). Following Nish's death, Vinny has felt especially low on screen time, but given the tease of a romance with Penny Branning, could this finally be Vinny's time to shine? Actor Shiv Jalota previously teased Digital Spy that he would be getting a "beautiful" storyline soon, so perhaps this could be it... 8. Vicki Fowler (Alice Haig) One of the best soap recasts in recent years has to be Alice Haig as Vicki Fowler. A true legacy character who hadn't been used in 20 years, and something of an accent-shifting mischief maker in her last stint as a young woman, how would the daughter of Den Watts (Leslie Grantham) and Michelle Fowler (Susan Tully, Jenna Russell) turn out as an adult? Well, drafting in Haig and channelling the brittle and resilient spirit of Tully's Michelle was a fantastic start, and Haig's performance has only gone from strength to strength – being one of the high points of the misogyny storyline surrounding her partner's son, Joel Marshall (Max Murray). Vicki is fitted in so well with the community of Walford and the soap has made the most of the character's history with other residents, which has been vital in the absence of Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean). With Joel's trial and a love triangle with Ross Marshall (Alex Walkinshaw) and Sharon's half-brother Zack Hudson (James Farrar), it seems there's a well of drama for Vicki to front and we hope the soap makes the most of it. 9. Kojo Asare (Dayo Koleosho) Aside from the vital representation of neurodivergence that he brings to the soap, Kojo Asare is also a warm, amusing, and loyal character in his own right, with a touching performance from Dayo Koleosho. Since he arrived in 2024, we have also borne witness to Kojo's attempts to gain agency, independence and strong friendships outside of the Knight/Asare clan. One of the brightest lights of the Ben Wadey era has to be the friendship between Kojo and his best friend, Harry Mitchell (the rather brilliant Elijah Holloway), making the most of a real-life friendship and chemistry and delivering a strong foundation to an otherwise repetitive drug plot. Now that the story surrounding Kojo's exploitation by a drug dealer is over, he is back living under the watchful eye of brother George Knight (Colin Salmon), but we hope we continue to see how Kojo navigates the community of Walford with stories in his own right in 2026. 10. Sam Mitchell (Kim Medcalf) Yes, we know that Sam Mitchell (Kim Medcalf) is only back for a short stint amid her current breast cancer storyline and reunion with Zoe Slater (Michelle Ryan) and Chrissie Watts (Tracy-Ann Oberman), but we need her for longer! To risk sounding like a broken record, but Sam is such a strong character and Medcalf such a natural and moving performer who works well with so many co-stars, that every scene we get with her at present just demonstrates what an asset to the show they both are. Whether it's navigating grief, health fears, motherhood, grandmotherhood or friendship, Medcalf delivers the material wonderfully, and Sam feels primed to take a leading role in the Mitchell clan alongside brother Phil. Whatever happens, when Sam goes again, we need her back ASAP and, ideally, for good! Read More: EastEnders cast: Who is joining, leaving and returning to the soap? 21 EastEnders questions we have following that epic Max Branning flashforward episode EastEnders fans spot major clue to 'reveal' mysterious man from flashforward episode EastEnders star hints at villain's return with social media post alongside new cast member EastEnders boss teases "tragedy comedy" 2026 story with newcomer Bea – and it involves a beloved Walford couple EastEnders confirms Ravi Gulati will face a revenge plot - along with a mental health story for Walford villain EastEnders boss teases love triangle scenes for Vicki Fowler as disturbed Joel Marshall finally goes to trial in 2026 Visit our dedicated EastEnders page for all the latest news, interviews and spoilers. Add EastEnders to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Soaps coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Emmerdale airs disastrous cliffhanger for blackmailed Robert Sugden in early ITVX release
Spoiler warning for Thursday 8th January 202
**Warning: Contains major spoilers for the Thursday 8th January 2026 episode of Emmerdale, available now on ITVX and YouTube.** Emmerdale has left Robert Sugden (Ryan Hawley) in a very tricky spot in Thursday's episode after he was blackmailed by Joe Tate (Ned Porteous). The ITV soap ended Wednesday's episode with Joe not only blackmailing Robert to hand over Butler's Farm for free to him, but also to plant evidence of Celia Daniels' modern slavery operation in the home of her innocent business partner, Moira Dingle (Natalie J Robb). Joe has managed to manipulate Robert because he secretly filmed footage of his sister Victoria Sugden (Isabel Hodgins) killing her murderous half-brother John Sugden (Oliver Farnworth) in self-defence, but then staged his death as a suicide. Robert agreed already to comply with handing the farm over, despite soulmate Aaron Dingle's (Danny Miller) anger, but was left horrified at Joe's request to try and frame Moira for Celia's crimes. View oEmbed on the source website In Thursday's episode, Robert was adamant that he would not frame Moira, but Joe's attempt to force Moira to sell her shares of the farm to the Tates led him to consider this option. Joe also dangled a sweetener of a six-figure sum for Robert's share. Robert proceeded to leave with the envelope of passports of Celia's trafficked slave workers and struggled with the weight of his dilemma, and did not come clean to Aaron either about what was troubling him. Later in the episode, Robert decided to comply with Joe's commands and was at the farmhouse ready to plant the passports. However, Moria returned home and caught a very suspicious-looking Robert, wondering why he was in her home. Has Robert been rumbled? Producer Laura Shaw said of the story: "The truth about John's death will be revealed, as Victoria's clever deception, making John's death look like suicide, will unravel. "Evil Joe Tate knows the truth and has damning video evidence which he plans to use to get what he wants from the Sugdens, potentially taking control of Butler's Farm." She confirmed: "Robert is also in the thick of it, trying to save Victoria by planting evidence." Sadly, we know that whatever happens next, as Moira is set to be arrested for human trafficking next week. When will the truth come out? Read more: Emmerdale boss teases answers for Graham Foster’s full-time return - and who may never forgive him Emmerdale schedules special flashback week to reveal Ray Walters murderer – as Paddy struggles with Bear's fate Emmerdale confirms prostate cancer story for Cain Dingle – months after wife Moira survives brain tumour Emmerdale cast: who is leaving, returning to and joining the cast? Emmerdale airs weeknights at 8pm on ITV1. Stream on ITVX and YouTube from 7am. Add Emmerdale to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Soaps coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guideto find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
EastEnders airs haunting return before incident leaves character fighting for life in early BBC iPlayer release
Spoiler warning for Thursday 8th January 2026.
**Warning: Contains major spoilers for the Thursday 8th January 2026 episode of EastEnders, available now on BBC iPlayer.** EastEnders has aired more disturbing scenes for Ravi Gulati (Aaron Thiara) in Thursday's episode. The BBC One soap aired return scenes of actor Navin Chowdhry as Nish Panesar's presence haunted Ravi's mind, when he experienced nightmarish hallucinations after having been spiked by a vengeful Nicola Mitchell (Laura Doddington) for her son Harry Mitchell (Elijah Holloway), whom Ravi had exploited to sell drugs and was complicit in the illegal imprisonment of. At the conclusion of Wednesday's episode, Harry left a spiked Ravi in the pit of The Arches as he experienced auditory hallucinations, including hearing his father, Nish. As Thursday's episode began, a tormented Ravi managed to climb his way out of the pit before he began to see Nish, who continued to taunt him, including about the fact that Ravi was the one to murder him on New Year's Day 2025. Ravi eventually managed to get away through a fire exit and staggered through the streets as he broke down to his hallucination of Nish (Chowdhry wonderfully chewing the scenery), asking why he had abandoned him as a child, all while revellers mocked Ravi's behaviour. Meanwhile, Ravi's concerned partner Priya Nandra-Hart (Sophie Khan Levy), half-brother Vinny Panesar (Shiv Jalota) and son Davinder "Nugget" Gulati (Juhaim Rasul Choudhury) all searched for a missing Ravi when he didn't return home and was unreachable. Eventually, Nugget found his father on the street, but a hallucinating Ravi believed his son to be a violent Nish and proceeded to slam Nugget against a wall and punch him on the floor before fleeing - not realising what he had done. Vinny then came across a beaten Nugget, and he was rushed to the hospital, where a distraught Priya rushed to him, with Vinny revealing that doctors had to put Nugget in a coma. As Priya broke down in Vinny's arms as Nugget was rushed off for emergency surgery, we cut away to see a still drugged Ravi collapsing outside onto rubbish bags. How can Ravi ever live with himself now? Spoilers for next week have shown that Ravi will come to on Monday and eventually have the dark truth of what happened dawn on him and quickly come clean to Priya. Can Ravi ever be forgiven? The scenes are set to kick off a mental health crisis for Ravi, along with the struggles caused by his turning into an informant. Speaking to RadioTimes.com and other media at a recent press screening, Ben Wadey revealed that the consequences of Ravi's actions will weigh heavily on his mental health. "We've got a big story for Ravi going forward as he faces the consequences of his actions and all the awful things that he did in the previous few months, and what that starts to do to his psyche and his family," he explained. Well, if Thiara's performance to come is like today's, then viewers are in for some strong scenes ahead. Read more: EastEnders cast: Who is joining, leaving and returning to the soap? 21 EastEnders questions we have following that epic Max Branning flashforward episode EastEnders fans spot major clue to 'reveal' mysterious man from flashforward episode EastEnders star hints at villain's return with social media post alongside new cast member EastEnders boss teases "tragedy comedy" 2026 story with newcomer Bea – and it involves a beloved Walford couple EastEnders boss teases love triangle scenes for Vicki Fowler as disturbed Joel Marshall finally goes to trial in 2026 Visit our dedicated EastEnders page for all the latest news, interviews and spoilers. Add EastEnders to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Soaps coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Emmerdale boss teases answers for Graham Foster’s full-time return - and who may never forgive him
The shady character made a stunning return during Corriedale.
Producer Laura Shaw has confirmed we will get answers on how Graham Foster (Andrew Scarborough) has returned to Emmerdale. The ITV soap aired a shocking return from the dead for the complicated character, who was first introduced in 2017 as the enforcer and father figure of businessman Tom Waterhouse, later revealed to be a scheming Joe Tate (Ned Porteous). In Monday’s Corriedale episode, we saw a hooded figure observe a disastrous car pile-up while keeping a mysterious woman named Jodie bound and gagged in the back of his van. The same figure was later seen standing over an unconscious Joe before returning to the van and finding Jodie had escaped. Later, the figure was shown to be Graham, and he was watching over Joe receiving treatment at Hotten General Hospital. Graham then placed a call to back out of a job for someone. Naturally, we are full of questions, but importantly, is Graham back for good? Series producer Laura Shaw confirmed: “A familiar face is returning to the village full-time! None other than Graham Foster will make a sensational comeback.” Of course, some people will be impacted more than others by Graham’s return from the dead after being apparently murdered in a high-profile whodunnit storyline in January 2020 by his girlfriend Rhona Goskirk’s (Zoe Henry) evil ex-husband Pierce Harris (Jonathan Wrather). Shaw teased: “His return will have massive repercussions for both Kim, with whom he shares a complex love and hate relationship, and Rhona, who was about to run away with him.” Of course, fans as well as the characters who Graham was close to will have a lot of questions about how he is alive, considering how violent his end seemed - and how we saw his corpse. “Graham will explain exactly what happened six years ago when he was ‘killed’,” revealed Shaw, “but the question will be whether Joe can ever forgive his father-figure for allowing him to believe he was dead.” There certainly will be no end of drama when Graham returns, but we’ll have to wait and see what he’s been up to… Read more: 5 Emmerdale spoilers next week: Moira Dingle arrested for human trafficking in Celia Daniels death twist 13 Corriedale questions we have following the explosive Coronation Street and Emmerdale crossover episode Corriedale airs two shocking deaths for Emmerdale villain and Coronation Street favourite Emmerdale legend makes shocking return from the dead in explosive Corriedale twist Emmerdale fan-favourite confirms exit from soap after three months as co-stars urge him to return Emmerdale cast: who is leaving, returning to and joining the cast? Emmerdale airs weeknights at 8pm on ITV1. Stream on ITVX from 7am. Add Emmerdale to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Soaps coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guideto find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
EastEnders airs horrific return for killer villain in nightmarish early BBC iPlayer release
Spoiler warning for Wednesday 7th January 2026.
**Warning: Contains major spoilers for the Wednesday 7th January 2026 episode of EastEnders, available now on BBC iPlayer.** EastEnders has aired an ominous return for the late Nish Panesar (Navin Chowdhry) after his death on New Year's Day 2025 last year. The BBC One soap has tackled a dark revenge plot from a traumatised Harry Mitchell (Elijah Holloway) and his mother Nicola (Laura Doddington) following Ravi Gulati's exploitation of Harry and his best friend Kojo Asare (Dayo Koleosho) last year, which ended with Harry being held prisoner, relapsing and then killing Tobias "Okie" Okyere (Aayan Ibikunle Shoderu) in self-defence and his dad Teddy (Roland Manookian) taking the fall for Okie's murder. To stop Harry from delivering a violent reprisal on Ravi (Aaron Thiara) – who escaped justice following his arrest for human trafficking by becoming an informant for the police on his criminal paymasters – Nicola plotted another revenge: spiking Ravi with hallucinogenic drugs and then being led into the Arches to be tormented by Harry. In Wednesday's episode, Ravi felt left out when partner Priya Nandra-Hart (Sophie Khan Levy) and their children headed over to Ravi's stepmother Suki Panesar-Unwin's (Balvinder Sopal) house for an adoption agency assessment alongside her wife Eve Panesar-Unwin (Heather Peace). Ravi headed to Nicola's nightclub, Harry's Barn, and drank with a grieving Patrick Trueman (Rudolph Walker) before Nicola offered a free drink each for the pair, but Ravi's was spiked. As Ravi staggered out of the club, Harry led him away and steered him to the pit of the Arches and began taunting him until Harry's uncle Billy Mitchell (Perry Fenwick) forced Harry to leave – unbeknownst to him that he had Ravi a prisoner in the pit. However, down in the dark shadows of the pit, Ravi began to experience hallucinations. As he stared into the darkness after screaming for help, Ravi heard the voice of his father, Nish, telling him that there would be no help for his son. Ravi then began cowering and screaming as the episode ended, in a chillingly panicked turn from actor Aaron Thiara. The scenes are set to kick off a mental health crisis for Ravi, along with the struggles caused by his turning into an informant. Last year, Nish was pushed to his death by his son Ravi after having goaded him following years of abuse, neglect and Nish's plot to kill Suki and Eve, as actor Navin Chowdhry exited the soap. Chowdhry was credited for Wednesday's episode for his voice work, but we'll have to wait and see what Ravi experiences in tomorrow's episode. Read more: 5 EastEnders spoilers next week: Ravi Gulati causes a serious incident after being spiked EastEnders cast: Who is joining, leaving and returning to the soap? 21 EastEnders questions we have following that epic Max Branning flashforward episode EastEnders fans spot major clue to 'reveal' mysterious man from flashforward episode EastEnders star hints at villain's return with social media post alongside new cast member EastEnders boss teases "tragedy comedy" 2026 story with newcomer Bea – and it involves a beloved Walford couple EastEnders boss teases love triangle scenes for Vicki Fowler as disturbed Joel Marshall finally goes to trial in 2026 Visit our dedicated EastEnders page for all the latest news, interviews and spoilers. Add EastEnders to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Soaps coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Emmerdale schedules special flashback week to reveal Ray Walters murderer – as Paddy struggles with Bear's fate
We will find out exactly what happened to the conflicted villain Ray Walters.
The killer of villainous Ray Walters (Joe Absolom) will be revealed on Emmerdale later this month. The ITV soap aired a dramatic first few episodes for 2026 as Ray murdered his crime boss mother Celia Daniels (Jaye Griffiths) before going on to turn up as a corpse himself in the episode preceding the big Corriedale crossover event. What exactly happened to Ray before this is a mystery, and the soap has presented several suspects as to who could have killed him – from the loved ones of exploited teens April Windsor (Amelia Flanagan) and Dylan Penders (Fred Kettle), to Ray's love interest Laurel Thomas (Charlotte Bellamy), and many more. Now, series producer Laura Shaw has confirmed that answers will be on the way regarding Ray's exit. "Following the discovery of Ray’s body, villagers' secrets will come out as the mystery surrounding Ray’s death is finally solved," revealed Shaw. "Before the end of January, a special week will flashback to the night of the murder, revealing which of the multiple suspects is responsible for Ray's demise." The promotional image released by the soap also confirms five key suspects: Paddy Kirk (Dominic Brent), Dylan's guardian and the son of Bear Wolf (Joshua Richards), who Ray had kept in modern slavery; Rhona Goskirk (Zoe Henry), April's stepmother; Marlon Dingle (Mark Charnock), April's father; Laurel Thomas, Ray's girlfriend who discovered his true nature; and Ross Barton (Mike Parr), the lover of April's late mother, Donna Windsor (Verity Rushworth). Is one of these five villagers the person who killed criminal Ray? Of course, if that wasn't enough, Paddy will have to face a dark truth as he searches for answers about his missing dad, Bear. Celia previously gloated to Ray that she had killed Bear, and Ray was seen observing a lifeless Bear in a follow-up scene. Shaw notes: "While Paddy is still out searching for his missing father, the bleak truth is that Bear has been killed by the villainous Celia. "This emotional search and tragic discovery will bring Paddy's mental health problems back to the forefront." Fans know that Paddy has struggled with his mental health in recent years and was close to suicide at one stage. Will any of those hurt by Celia and Ray ever recover? Read more: 5 Emmerdale spoilers next week: Moira Dingle arrested for human trafficking in Celia Daniels death twist 13 Corriedale questions we have following the explosive Coronation Street and Emmerdale crossover episode Corriedale airs two shocking deaths for Emmerdale villain and Coronation Street favourite Emmerdale legend makes shocking return from the dead in explosive Corriedale twist Emmerdale fan-favourite confirms exit from soap after three months as co-stars urge him to return Emmerdale cast: who is leaving, returning to and joining the cast? Emmerdale airs weeknights at 8pm on ITV1. Stream on ITVX from 7am. Add Emmerdale to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Soaps coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guideto find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Emmerdale cast: who is leaving, returning to and joining the cast?
All the comings and goings in the lively village in 2026.
We've finally arrived at 2026 in Emmerdale - and there have been some big changes. The year has started with a bang with the departure of Kev Townsend (Chris Coghill), while Ray Walters (Joe Absolom) stabbed his evil adopted mother Celia Daniels (Jaye Griffiths) to death to end her cycle of abuse, before being murdered himself. However, there will be more changes in the village in 2026.. Read on for your essential guide from RadioTimes.com to the latest Emmerdale cast news that you absolutely need to know. Emmerdale cast: Who is leaving, returning to and joining the cast? Emmerdale cast 2026 The full present regular cast for Emmerdale can be found below. Ryan Hawley as Robert Sugden Chris Chittell as Eric Pollard Claire King as Kim Tate Isabel Hodgins as Victoria Sugden James Hooton as Sam Dingle Ned Porteous as Joe Tate Lisa Riley as Mandy Dingle Mark Charnock as Marlon Dingle Dominic Brunt as Paddy Kirk Eden Taylor-Draper as Belle Dingle Emma Atkins as Charity Dingle Jeff Hordley as Cain Dingle Tony Audenshaw as Bob Hope Patrick Mower as Rodney Blackstock Nicola Wheeler as Nicola King Zoe Henry as Rhona Goskirk Rosie Bentham as Gabby Thomas Charlotte Bellamy as Laurel Thomas Lucy Pargeter as Chastity "Chas" Dingle Danny Miller as Aaron Dingle Nick Miles as Jimmy King Jack Downham as Noah Dingle Katie Hill as Sarah Sugden Gabrielle Dowling as Cathy Hope Alfie Clarke as Arthur Thomas Natalie J. Robb as Moira Dingle Ash Palmisciano as Matty Barton Rebecca Bakes as Angelica King Chris Bisson as Jai Sharma Joe-Warren Plant as Jacob Gallagher Luca Hoyle as Elliot Windsor Harvey Rogerson as Leo Goskirk Huey Quinn as Kyle Winchester Kai Assi as Archie Breckle Laura Norton as Kerry Wyatt Michelle Hardwick as Vanessa Woodfield Mike Parr as Ross Barton Jonny McPherson as Dr Liam Cavanagh Amelia Flanagan as April Windsor Amy Walsh as Tracy Robinson Charlie Munro Joyce as Carl Holliday Arthur Cockroft as Moses Dingle Jack Jennings as Johnny Woodfield Tilly-Rue Foster as Dotty Thomas Karen Blick as Lydia Dingle Bobby Dunsmoir as Isaac Dingle Olivia Bromley as Dawn Fletcher James Moore as Ryan Stocks Rebecca Sarker as Dr Manpreet Sharma Jay Kontzle as Billy Fletcher Bradley Johnson as Vinnie Dingle Joshua Richards as Bear Wolf Noah Ryan Aspinall as Lucas Taylor Bella James as Eve Dingle Lawrence Robb as Mackenzie Boyd Kevin Mathurin as Charles Anderson Louise Jameson as Mary Goskirk William Ash as Caleb Miligan Flo Wilson as Claudette Anderson Beth Cordingly as Ruby Miligan Oliver Farnworth as John Sugden Georgia Jay as Steph Miligan Fred Kettle as Dylan Penders Shebz Miah as Kammy Hadiq Bradley Riches as Lewis Barton Joe Absolom as Ray Walters Here are the following changes ahead of the regular cast. LEAVING Victoria Sugden (Isabel Hodgins) When is Victoria Sugden leaving? TBC. Actress Isabel Hodgins will soon be taking maternity leave from Emmerdale following the wonderful news that she is expecting a baby. Isabel revealed to The Mirror: “I will miss it. I love the people there, but I’ve worked there for 19 years, so I feel like I’ve done what I’ve wanted to do and been selfish with my career. “Now, it’s time to devote my life to being a mum, that feels right to me. But there’s still FaceTime, so they won’t forget me!” So, how will Victoria leave the village? Well, given that Victoria is responsible for killing villainous half-brother John, we're worried! Add Radio Times as a Preferred Source on Google RETURNING Steph Miligan (Georgia Jay) When is Steph Miligan returning? TBC. Ruby and Caleb's daughter, Steph Miligan, recently fled Emmerdale to start afresh and get away from her trauma and heartache. However, actress Georgia Jay is off on her maternity leave, which means that Steph won't be away from the village permanently. Will Steph be in a better place when she returns? Who has left Emmerdale in 2026? The following characters departed in 2026. Kev Townsend Celia Daniels Ray Walters John Sugden Who has left Emmerdale in 2025? The following characters departed in 2025. Wendy Posner Anthony Fox Tom King (Guest) Suzy Merton Amy Wyatt Leyla Harding Dylan (Guest) Ella Forster Brenda Walker Cathy Hope Nate Robinson (Guest) Gail Loman Cara Robinson (Guest) Bernice Blackstock (Guest) Faith Dingle (Guest) Who has left Emmerdale in 2024? The following characters departed in 2024. Heath Hope Lisa Dingle (Guest, voice) Damon "Harry" Harris (Guest) Amit Sharma Gus Malcolms Ethan Anderson Nicky Miligan Suni Sharma Josh Cope (guest) Samson Dingle Emma Barton (Guest) Nate Robinson Helen Fox (Guest) Tom King Amelia Spencer Esther Spencer Daz Spencer (Guest) Will Taylor Jade Garrick (Guest) Who has left Emmerdale in 2023? The following characters departed Emmerdale in 2023. Priya Sharma Amba Metcalfe Marcus Dean Ally Naomi Walters Marshall Hamston Rishi Sharma Georgia Sharma Colin Hamston Dan Spencer Victor Anderson Craig Reed Bernice Blackstock David Metcalfe Theo Metcalfe Damon "Harry" Harris Chloe Harris Reuben Harris Zak Dingle Who left Emmerdale in 2022? The following characters have departed Emmerdale in 2022. Gavin Ellis Chapman DS Rogers Carol Butler Meena Jutla Jason Denshaw Alex Moore Kit Sandra Flaherty Faith Dingle PC Harriet Finch Liv Dingle Diane Sugden Al Chapman Who else will be in the village by the end of the year? View Riddle on the source website Visit our dedicated Emmerdale page for all the latest news, interviews and spoilers. If you’re looking for more to watch check out our TV Guide. Try Radio Times magazine today and get 12 issues for only £1 with delivery to your home – subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Coronation Street cast: who is leaving, returning to and joining the soap?
Your essential guide to the comings and goings on the cobbles in 2026.
With twists and turns galore in soapland it can be hard to keep track of all the comings and goings in the cast of Coronation Street. We have now started 2026 in earnest, following the shocking death of Billy Mayhew (Daniel Brocklebank) during the crossover event with Emmerdale, Corriedale. RadioTimes.com is here with a handy update on which characters are leaving, joining and returning to the cobbles of Coronation Street in the coming months. So who's in? Who's out? And which rumours are true? Read on for all the latest details on cast changes. Coronation Street cast 2026 The full present regular cast for Coronation Street can be found below. William Roache as Ken Barlow Barbara Knox as Rita Sullivan Kate Ford as Tracy McDonald Sue Nicholls as Audrey Roberts Ben Price as Nick Tilsley Michael La Vell as Kevin Webster Sue Devaney as Debbie Webster Sally Dynevor as Sally Metcalfe Tina O'Brien as Sarah Barlow Simon Gregson as Steve McDonald Jack P. Shepherd as David Platt Rob Mallard as Daniel Osbourne David Neilson as Roy Cropper Jane Danson as Leanne Battersby Georgia Taylor as Toyah Habeeb Alan Halsall as Tyrone Dobbs Jimmi Harkishin as Dev Alahan Samia Longchambon as Maria Windass Andy Whyment as Kirk Sutherland Gareth Pierce as Todd Grimshaw Sam Robertson as Adam Barlow Jennie McAlpine as Fiz Dobbs Antony Cotton as Sean Tully Sam Aston as Chesney Brown Elle Mulvaney as Amy Barlow Tanisha Gorey as Asha Alahan Ryan Prescott as Ryan Connor Alison King as Carla Connor Liam McCheyne as Dylan Wilson Mikey North as Gary Windass Patti Clare as Mary Taylor Charlie Wrenshall as Liam Connor Jr. Peter Gunn as Brian Packham Cherylee Houston as Izzy Armstrong Kyran Bowes as Jack Webster Isabella Flanagan as Hope Stape Catherine Tyldesley as Eva Price William Flanagan as Joseph Brown Macy Alabi as Ruby Dobbs Joe Duttine as Tim Metcalfe Bobby Bradshaw as Jake Windass Brooke Malonie as Lily Platt Sair Khan as Alya Nazir Dolly-Rose Campbell as Gemma Winter Liam Bairstow as Alex Warner Joshua Leavy as Harry Platt Aurora Bradshaw as Susie Price Julie Goulding as Shona Platt Harriet Bibby as Summer Spellman Sally Carman as Abi Webster Maureen Lipman as Evelyn Plummer Jason Callender as James Bailey Trevor Michael Georges as Ed Bailey Ryan Russell as Michael Bailey Jane Hazlegrove as Bernie Winter Mollie Gallagher as Nina Lucas Tony Maudsley as George Shuttleworth Jude Riordan as Sam Blakeman Vinta Morgan as Ronnie Bailey Vicky Myers as DS Lisa Swain Jodie Prenger as Glenda Shuttleworth Cait Fitton as Lauren Bolton Claire Sweeney as Cassie Plummer Jacob Roberts as DC Kit Green Sydney Martin as Betsy Swain Ryan Mulvey as Brody Michaelis James Cartwright as Theo Silverton Jonathan Howard as Carl Webster Raphael Akuwudike as Ollie Driscoll Amy Cudden as Becky Swain Aaron McCusker as Ben Driscoll Pauline McGlynn as Maggie Driscoll Lucas Hodgson-Wale as Will Driscoll Beth Nixon as Megan Walsh Olivia Frances-Brown as Jodie Below are the upcoming changes to the regular cast. LEAVING Debbie Webster (Sue Devaney) When is Debbie Webster leaving? 2027. Actress Sue Devaney is being written out of the show as her fan-favourite character Debbie Webster is due to be killed off in a long-running dementia storyline. Devaney first appeared as 15-year-old Debbie Webster and starred in the role for one year before returning to the soap in 2019, and has been a main cast member since 2020. A source told Metro: "It’s one of the show’s biggest storylines of the year, and a real chance for Sue to finally get her time in the spotlight – it will just be devastating for fans that it will effectively be her final storyline." They added: "It’s one of many major storylines new boss Kate Brooks has in the bag, and there will not be a dry eye in the house. "There is no doubt in the Corrie family that she will give the performance of a lifetime and make Debbie’s exit one to remember for years." The report also revealed that the character of Debbie was expected to stay in the show beyond 2025 to complete the long-running storyline, so there is plenty of Debbie still to come on-screen. The storyline has since been confirmed by ITV and actress Sue Devaney, who revealed in June 2025 that she would still be on the soap until at least 2027. Add Radio Times as a Preferred Source on Google Who has left Coronation Street in 2026? The following characters have left Coronation Street in 2026. Billy Mayhew Who has left Coronation Street in 2025? The following characters departed Coronation Street in 2025. Mason Radcliffe Matty Radcliffe (Guest) Brie Benson (Guest) Gus Deering (Guest) Anthea Deering (Guest) Eric Sandford (Guest) Yasmeen Nazir Tommy Orpington (Guest) Max Turner Rob Donovan Daisy Midgeley Julie Carp Bobby Crawford PC Craig Tinker Eileen Grimshaw Jason Grimshaw (Guest) Mick Michaelis Lou Michaelis Logan Radcliffe (Guest) Aadi Alahan Noah Hedley (Guest) Jenny Bradley Pete Lang (Guest) Dee Dee Bailey Gail Chadwick (Guest) Who has left Coronation Street in 2024? The following regular characters have departed Coronation Street in 2024. Sarge Bailey (Guest) Moses Ekundayo Harvey Gaskell Violet Wilson (Guest) Eliza Woodrow Simon Barlow Nathan Curtis Tommy Orpington Beth Tinker Rowan Cunliffe Nicky Wheatley Dorian Pop Alina Pop Stu Carpenter Damon Hay Paul Foreman Sabrina Adetiba Joel Deering Rowan Cunliffe Richard Hillman (Guest, dream sequence) Jesse Chadwick Gail Chadwick Who has left Coronation Street in 2023? The following regular characters have departed Coronation Street in 2023. Griff Reynolds Jacob Hay Mike Hargrave Esther Hargrave Teddy Thompkins Cilla the Cincilla Daryan Zahawi Rufus Donahue Faye Windass Jackson Hodge Miley Hodge Justin Rutherford Karen Rutherford Aggie Bailey Aaron Sandford Geoffrey "Spider" Nugent Isabella Benvenuti Henry Newton Shelly Rossington Stephen Reid Darren Vance Courtney Vance Crystal Hyde Peter Barlow Who left Coronation Street in 2022? The following regular characters have departed Coronation Street in 2022. Ted Spear Marrium Nazier Clint Stubbins Linda Hancock Grace Vickers Lydia Chambers Jon Spear Emma Brooker Laura Neelan Elsie Ben Chancellor Imran Habeeb Cathy Matthews Nicky Wheatley Camilla Perrin Mimi Halliday Frank Bardsley Phill Whittaker Geoff Metcalfe (Guest, hallucination) Saira Habeeb Rick Neelan (Guest, hallucination) Kelly Neelan Leo Thompkins James Bailey Martha Fraser Wendy Crozier Harvey Gaskell Who else will remain in Weatherfield by the end of the year? Visit our dedicated Coronation Street page for all the latest news, interviews and spoilers. If you’re looking for more to watch check out our TV Guide. Take part in the Screen Test, a project from Radio Times and the Universities of Sussex and Brighton, to explore the role of television and audio in our lives. Try Radio Times magazine today and get 12 issues for only £1 with delivery to your home – subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Emmerdale legend makes shocking return from the dead in explosive Corriedale twist
The Tate family is set to get a blast from the past in upcoming episodes.
Spoiler warning for Corriedale, which aired on Monday 5th January 2025. Emmerdale has aired an unexpected return from the dead for Graham Foster (Andrew Scarborough) during its crossover event with Coronation Street, titled Corriedale. The two ITV soaps crossed over in a dramatic special episode to kick off the newly scheduled soap power-hour on ITV1 every weekday from 8pm to 9pm. During the episode, which mostly concerned the aftermath of a huge crash that ultimately resulted in two character deaths, we were treated to some ominous glances from an unknown individual in a van. Eventually, we saw that Graham was the driver of a van containing an unknown woman who was bound as a prisoner. We also saw Graham loom over an injured Joe Tate (Ned Porteous) at both the crash site and then at Hotten General Hospital, but it's unclear if Joe will believe he really saw his former guardian, Graham. The shock return comes after Graham was seemingly killed off in 2020 in a whodunnit storyline, so how he's returned is just one of many questions we have after Corriedale. Who is Graham Foster in Emmerdale? Graham Foster is the former legal guardian of Joe Tate, the third husband of Kim Tate (Claire King), and the former boyfriend of Rhona Goskirk (Zoe Henry). Introduced to the soap in 2017, Graham was shown to be the employee and enforcer of Joe Tate before their backstory was slowly revealed further, showing him to be like a father figure to Joe, having been appointed his legal guardian by his aunt Zoe Tate during Joe's troubled years at a boarding school where Graham served as a groundsman. Joe even saved Graham from a house fire that the latter had started in his grief. We also learned that before he worked at the school, Graham had served in the military and had married a woman named Cheryl, who was pregnant with his child. However, Graham drove them in a car while drunk, and it crashed - killing Cheryl and their unborn child. After this, Graham was cared for by a former flame - Kim Tate - who got him the school job and later asked him to look after her son Jamie Tate (Alexander Lincoln) when she went to prison. However, as Graham struggled with addiction, he instead enlisted barmaid Andrea (Anna Nightingale) to watch over Jamie. Andrea later began an affair with Graham but later fell in love with Jamie, becoming his wife and having his daughter, Millie. When Kim was released from prison in 2018, she ordered Graham to get rid of Joe, and he tried to pay him to leave the village. However, Cain Dingle (Jeff Hordley), furious that Joe had jilted his daughter Debbie Dingle (Charley Webb), punched Joe and seemingly killed him. Graham later 'disposed' of Joe. However, it was later revealed that Joe survived and had been draining Tate funds in Monte Carlo before later disappearing altogether. After this, amid a feud between Kim and Jamie, Graham struck up a romance with Rhona and sought to free himself from Kim's control. There also began to be speculation that Graham was Millie's biological father, but DNA tests revealed this to be untrue. Despite this, Graham exposed his past with Andrea to a shocked Jamie, along with Kim being aware of this and the potential of him being Millie's dad. In his final months on the soap, Graham had a number of enemies - from all of the Tates, to Charity Dingle (Emma Atkins) as he didn't warn her about her son - and Joe's half-brother - Noah Dingle's (Jack Downham) drug habit before he overdosed, Charity's other son Ryan Stocks (James Moore), and Rhona's ex Marlon Dingle (Mark Charnock), as Graham and Rhona made plans to leave and take Marlon and Rhona's son Leo Goskirk (Harvey Rogerson) with them to France. All were seen swearing revenge against Graham or threatening him. On his final day, however, Graham had an encounter with Rhona's former husband and rapist, Pierce Harris, played by Jonathan Wrather. Flashbacks revealed that Graham had threatened Pierce to stay away following his release from prison. In the present, Pierce struck Graham on the head with a log before dragging his body through the woodland. Graham regained consciousness and spoke with Pierce before fighting him and contemplating killing Pierce. However, Graham decided to show Pierce mercy and left him alive. Who is Emmerdale’s Pierce Harris? All you need to know about Graham Foster’s killer Despite this, Pierce pursued Graham and ran him down with his car, causing Graham to fall off of a cliff. Graham survived the fall (somehow), and Pierce ended up fighting with him again at the cliff base. In the end, Pierce delivered an apparently fatal blow to Graham's head with a torch. Graham's body was later discovered, and despite weeks of other suspects being considered and with Marlon facing conviction, Rhona ended up in a confrontation with Pierce and recorded his confession over a livestream. Pierce would later die in prison after being convicted of Graham's murder. Following justice being served, Graham's remains were cremated by his wife, Kim, in a funeral that only she attended - to Rhona's fury. So, Graham is somehow alive after receiving a treatment akin to the murder of Grigori Rasputin. Well, hats off to him! Read more: Emmerdale reveals 5 key suspects following grisly death of major character in ITVX release Emmerdale fan-favourite confirms exit from soap after three months as co-stars urge him to return Emmerdale cast: who is leaving, returning to and joining the cast? Corriedale airs on ITV1 and ITVX at 8pm on Monday, 5th January. Add Coronation Street and Emmerdale to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Soaps coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guideto find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
EastEnders fans strongly predict Max Branning's flash-forward bride after voting in thousands
Viewers have been left to theorise who will be Max Branning's bride in 2027.
Fans of EastEnders have voted in their thousands and revealed their top pick to be the future bride of Max Branning. The BBC One soap aired a flash-forward episode which showed resident Lothario Max (Jake Wood) would be marrying a mystery bride on New Year's Day 2027. The episode presented four 'official' candidates to be the bride when Jack Branning (Scott Maslen) placed a call to the bride after police briefly detained Max under suspicion of solicitation to murder. These four candidates were Chelsea Fox (Zaraah Abrahams), Linda Carter (Kellie Bright), Cindy Beale (Michelle Collins), and Denise Fox (Diane Parish, absent in the episode). However, this doesn't rule out a host of other possibilities – including other women already in Walford, such as Priya Nandra-Hart (Sophie Khan Levy) and Zoe Slater (Michelle Ryan), or departed characters like Max's second wife, Tanya Cross (Jo Joyner) or former mistress Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner). Despite all of this, fans voted on RadioTimes.com in their thousands - more than 4,500 times and predicted the bride to be Chelsea Fox. The pair have no romantic history, but Chelsea was shown to be attracted to Max in the episodes running up to New Year's Day, and has previously been involved with his brother and her future step-father, Jack. The episode also showed that Chelsea's sister, Libby Fox (Belinda Owusu), was back in Walford on the same day as the wedding. In second place, however, was Stacey Slater, who is currently living away from Walford in Brazil as actress Lacey Turner takes an indefinite break from the soap. Jake Wood did say Stacey was Max's "true love" after all... In third place was Max's former lover and mother of his daughter, Annie (Lois Hawkins), Linda Carter, followed by the 'Someone else' option, as some viewers don't believe the bride is any of the obvious suspects. In fifth place was Max's most recent lover and fellow toxic parent, Cindy Beale, while Max's former sister-in-law Denise Fox narrowly pipped Tanya to sixth place, with the former Mrs Branning taking seventh place. Finally, Max's former lover Zoe Slater took eighth place, and Priya Nandra-Hart – who Max shared a knowing glance with on New Year's Eve – took the bottom spot. The full results of the poll are below. Chelsea Fox - 27% Stacey Slater - 14% Linda Carter - 13% Someone else - 12% Cindy Beale - 11% Denise Fox - 8% Tanya Cross - 8% Zoe Slater - 5% Priya Nandra-Hart - 3% We'll have to wait and see who Max eventually ends up with – and whether he or the bride can be trusted in this new relationship. "We know what's changing," revealed executive producer Ben Wadey in December. "We know how relationships are going to be slightly upset or upended. So [we've been] keeping an eye on all of that, and making sure that those details, as well as the big tent poles, are properly locked down has been a real challenge. "The other thing I'd say is to take notice of the stuff that's not in that episode and the gaps in between, because there's probably a few clues there." Read More: EastEnders cast: Who is joining, leaving and returning to the soap? 21 EastEnders questions we have following that epic Max Branning flashforward episode EastEnders fans spot major clue to 'reveal' mysterious man from flashforward episode EastEnders star hints at villain's return with social media post alongside new cast member EastEnders boss teases "tragedy comedy" 2026 story with newcomer Bea – and it involves a beloved Walford couple EastEnders confirms Ravi Gulati will face a revenge plot - along with a mental health story for Walford villain EastEnders boss teases love triangle scenes for Vicki Fowler as disturbed Joel Marshall finally goes to trial in 2026 Visit our dedicated EastEnders page for all the latest news, interviews and spoilers. Add EastEnders to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Soaps coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
26 TV dramas you must watch in winter 2026 - from Game of Thrones spin-off to hit US medical drama
We have both new and returning dramas on our watchlist...
It's a new year, and with it, 2026 brings a whole heap of new dramas to enjoy. On top of returning BBC favourites such as Call the Midwife, Death in Paradise, Professor T and Silent Witness, we can also welcome some top-notch HBO dramas in the form of Industry and Game of Thrones spin-off A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. Elsewhere, other new offerings include ITV drama The Lady and Netflix's new mystery series Agatha Christie's Seven Dials. We already know which ones we can't wait to dive into. So, without further ado, here are the 26 TV dramas you need to watch this winter, according to the Radio Times team... 26 TV dramas you must watch in winter 2026 – from Game of Thrones spin-off to hit US medical drama 1. Agatha Christie's Seven Dials - Netflix (15th January 2026) Based on one of Agatha Christie’s lesser-known novels, this Netflix three-parter stars BAFTA winner Mia McKenna-Bruce as amateur sleuth Lady Eileen “Bundle” Brent, who investigates the death of a young man after a prank goes horribly wrong. Helena Bonham Carter and Martin Freeman join her on screen, with a script penned by Broadchurch and Doctor Who writer Chris Chibnall. Abby Robinson 2. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms - Sky Atlantic and NOW (19th January 2026) Game of Thrones goes granular in this smaller-scale spin-off, which follows a lowly knight aiming for gold and glory at a tournament. Familiar faces like Bertie Carvel and Daniel Ings turn up as nobles, but scrappy lead characters Ser Duncan and Squire Egg are played by newcomers Peter Claffey and Dexter Sol Ansell. Huw Fullerton 3. Under Salt Marsh - Sky Atlantic and NOW (29th January 2026) Hot off America’s most popular drama, Yellowstone, Kelly Reilly leads the cast in this high-end whodunnit/police procedural, which, refreshingly, is not based on a novel or podcast. In a Welsh coastal village, the mother-of-all-storms is gathering as the body of a child is discovered, which plunges disgraced former police detective Jackie into a maelstrom of her own. Is this death linked to that of another child three years prior? (Spoiler alert: yes.) Rafe Spall and Jonathan Pryce co-star. Gareth McLean 4. Betrayal - ITV1 and ITVX (early 2026) Shaun Evans endeavours to juggle professional and personal pressures as an MI5 agent who learns of a possible plot on UK soil. But can he avert an attack at the same time as saving his failing marriage? He’s one spy facing two crises with zero margin for error. David Brown 5. The Walsh Sisters - BBC One and BBC iPlayer (early 2026) Five of the Walsh Sisters novels by best-selling Irish author Marian Keyes, who also executive produces the Dublin-set series, are being brought to the screen for the first time. Get ready to meet the dysfunctional yet fun family unit with troubled Anna (Louisa Harland), lovable Rachel (Caroline Menton), “mammy’s favourite” Maggie (Stefanie Preissner, who adapted the show), the eldest Claire (Danielle Galligan), and baby of the family Helen (Máiréad Tyers). Laura Rutkowski 6. Missed Call - 5 (next month) From the makers of The Au Pair starring Sally Bretton, this thriller is a picturesque, middle-class twist on every parent’s worst nightmare. Joanna Scanlan stars as a mother searching for her teenage daughter who goes missing while on a school exchange programme in France. C’est un cauchemar, vraiment. GM 7. How to get to Heaven from Belfast - Netflix (February) “This is the show I’ve always wanted to make,” Derry Girls creator Lisa McGee revealed. “A mash‑up of my two favourite genres, mystery and comedy.” She’s back with this eight-part series about friendship, following three lifelong friends in their late-30s, Saoirse (Roísín Gallagher), Robyn (Sinéad Keenan) and Dara (Caoilfhionn Dunne), who reunite when they discover their estranged childhood friend Greta (Natasha O’Keefe) has died. LR 8. The Lady - ITV1 and ITVX (coming soon) In demand Mia McKenna-Bruce stars as Jane Andrews, once a dresser to the then-Duchess of York, who briefly became more famous than her former employer with her conviction of the murder of boyfriend Thomas Cressman in 2001. Natalie Dormer plays Sarah, with Philip Glenister and Claire Skinner also in the cast. Caroline Frost 9. Lord of the Flies - BBC One and BBC iPlayer (coming soon) Adolescence co-writer Jack Thorne gets stuck into another story of young male rage in this adaptation of William Golding’s seminal castaway story. But don’t expect too many familiar faces – the casting team specifically sought out lads of 6-12 with no previous acting experience to embody Ralph, Piggy, Simon, Jack and the rest. HF 10. Scarpetta - Prime Video (11 March 2026) The Kidman-aissance continues as Nicole Kidman takes on the esteemed role of Kay Scarpetta from Patricia Cornwell’s best-selling crime novels, a pathologist who solves mysteries with sophisticated forensic technology. This glossy new Prime Video series also boasts two more Oscar winners in the form of Jamie Lee Curtis and Ariana DeBose. Lewis Knight 11. A Woman of Substance - Channel 4 (coming soon) Forty years after Barbara Taylor Bradford’s best-selling epic novel was adapted for TV, this remake of the 20th-century-spanning, rags-to-riches journey of a Yorkshire maid has much in its favour - scripts by Katherine Jakeways and Roanne Bardsley, and Brenda Blethyn as the woman at the heart of the drama. But will it resonate as the original did in Thatcher’s aspirational Eighties? The campaign to remake Shirley Conran’s Lace starts here. GM 12. Gone - ITV1 and ITVX (coming soon) Not to be confused with Paramount+’s The Crow Girl, in which Eve Myles plays a Bristol cop engaged in a high-stakes game of cat-and-mouse, Gone sees Eve Myles play a Bristol cop engaged in a high-stakes game of cat-and-mouse. Here, David Morrissey is her adversary, the teacher whose wife has vanished. From writer George Kay (The Long Shadow, Lupin), who may well be the new Williams brothers. GM 13. The Other Bennett Sister - BBC One and BBC iPlayer (coming soon) <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2025/12/Other-Bennet-Sister-cast-d967f31.jpg" width="5120" height="3414" alt="Maddie Close as Jane Bennet, Poppy Gilbert as Lizzie Bennet, Ella Bruccoleri as Mary Bennet, Molly Wright as Kitty Bennet and Grace Hogg-Robinson as Lydia Bennet in The Other Bennet Sister all walking down a country path, wearing pastel coloured outfits and smiling." title="547457,TITLE:The Other Bennet Sister" /> For those pondering the fate of bookish Mary, this jolly romp based on Janice Hadlow’s novel promises to fill in some of the gaps left by Jane Austen. Richard E Grant and Ruth Jones star as the beleaguered Bennet parents, with Call the Midwife’s Ella Bruccoleri stepping into the title role. CM 14. The Miniature Wife - Sky and NOW (coming soon) Starring acting royalty Matthew Macfadyen and Elizabeth Banks, this marital drama follows a couple who face a pint-sized problem with big consequences after a disastrous technological accident changes everything for them. A power struggle ensues in the surreal comedy-drama based on the short story by Manuel Gonzalez. Louise Griffin 15. Falling - Channel 4 (coming soon) Writer Jack Thorne said he never thought he’d write a love story, but his first one is slightly unconventional. When nun Anna (Keeley Hawes) and Catholic priest David (Paapa Essiedu) unexpectedly fall in love, despite being dedicated to their work in the church, what does it mean for their relationship with God, and with each other? Jason Watkins, Niamh Cusack and Adrian Scarborough also star. LR 16. The Pitt - HBO MAX (coming soon) View Green Video on the source website This tense, real-time medical drama was a smash hit in America last year, but British viewers only now get to catch up thanks to the UK roll-out of streaming service HBO Max. In the lead role, ER’s Noah Wyle plays doctor once again, though the tortured Dr Robby is a rather different beast from his former, fresh-faced Dr Carter. HF Returning dramas: 17. Industry - BBC One and BBC iPlayer (12th January 2026) Amidst a raft of new faces, including The Handmaid’s Tale star Max Minghella, this season of Industry is set to be as high-stakes as ever as the focus remains firmly on Harper and Yasmin. While Yasmin is navigating her new relationship with Kit Harington’s Sir Henry Muck, Harper is forever dedicated to fintech, but what will this spell for their friendship? Morgan Cormack 18. Call the Midwife - BBC One and BBC iPlayer (11 January 2026) <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2025/12/call-the-midwife-season-15-episode-1-11ce778.jpg" width="4284" height="2856" alt="Helen George as Trixie Franklin, Natalie Quarry as Rosalind Clifford and Renee Bailey as Joyce Highland in Call the Midwife, holding placards reading 'BURN YOUR BRAS' and 'EQUAL PAY NOW' and marching down the street with lots of women behind them." title="Helen George as Trixie Franklin, Natalie Quarry as Rosalind Clifford and Renee Bailey as Joyce Highland in Call the Midwife" /> Season 15 sees Sister Julienne, Dr Turner, and the Nonnatus House team navigating a rapidly changing 1971, from rising hospital births to a sweeping NHS reorganisation. Against the backdrop of the women’s liberation movement and accelerating social and medical progress, the team face challenges that test their resilience. AR 19. Hijack - Apple TV+ (14th January 2026) While season 1 took place in the confined realms of an aeroplane, this instalment unfolds within the Berlin underground system. Idris Elba returns as quick-thinking lead Sam Nelson, who finds himself in another tricky hostage situation where a clever plot twist will undoubtedly leave viewers guessing throughout the series. MC 10. Bridgerton - Netflix (29th January 2026) The focus this time round is on the less serious second-oldest sibling of the Bridgerton clan, Benedict, whose course to true love really doesn’t run smoothly at all. Not only does he fall in love with a mysterious Lady in Silver, but the woman in question - Sophie - is a resourceful maid, making for an intriguing upstairs-downstairs dynamic that the series hasn’t delved into before. MC 21. Outlander - MGM+ (7 March 2026) The steamy time-travel romance comes to an end after 101 episodes and nearly 12 years onscreen. Over that time, in 18th-century Scotland and America, Claire and Jamie (Caitriona Balfe and Sam Heughan) have crossed centuries and continents to be together – but that won’t make their final challenges any easier. HF 22. The Capture - BBC One and BBC iPlayer (coming soon) <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2025/11/Holliday-Grainger-as-Rachel-Carey-in-The-Capture-S3-coming-to-BBC-iPlayer-and-BBC-One-in-Spring-2026-291b2ba.jpg" width="7203" height="4802" alt="Holliday Grainger as Rachel Carey in The Capture season 3, stood in an interview room with her back to a mirror, which reflects her multiple times." title="Holliday Grainger as Rachel Carey in The Capture S3 coming to BBC iPlayer and BBC One in Spring 2026" /> Two previous outings of this disturbingly zeitgeisty drama saw public figures caught in the crosshairs of the deepfake footage “Correction” programme, now exposed. Series 3 sees Holliday Grainger’s detective Rachel Carey promoted to lead the fight against more falsehoods AND possibly the tougher challenge of restoring public trust in tech. CM 23. Death in Paradise - BBC One and BBC iPlayer (early 2026) After initial uncertainty over Don Warrington’s return as the commissioner, fans can breathe easy after Selwyn decided to take his job back in the Christmas special. Elsewhere, Mervin finally connects with the brother he didn’t know existed until recently, and there were hints last season that romance could be on the cards for Catherine. AR 24. Silent Witness - BBC One and BBC iPlayer (coming soon) Season 29 of the BBC crime drama finds Nikki and Jack adjusting to married life after an understated ceremony in the last instalment. But while their future is secure, the Lyell Centre faces uncertainty: the Home Office wants Nikki to head a new forensic centre in Birmingham, but she insists Harriet leads it, leaving the team’s next move unclear. AR 25. Professor T - ITV1 and ITVX (coming soon) Ben Miller dons his white latex gloves once more as Professor Jasper Tempest in the fourth season of this ITV crime drama, adapted from the Belgian series. Picking up six months after the death of their colleague Donckets, Tempest and his team must navigate their grief while racing to tackle a dangerous new wave of crime. AR 26. The Marlow Murder Club - U&Drama (coming soon) It may be picture perfect, but the body count is continuing to rise in the Buckinghamshire market town. Among the guest stars joining the unlikely sleuths in series 3 of the cosy whodunnit are Peter Davison, Nigel Harman and Harry Enfield. DB Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
EastEnders cast: Who is joining, leaving and returning to the soap?
All the changes to life in Albert Square you need to keep up with.
We're finally in 2026 in EastEnders. 2025 saw some major exits, including the deaths of Nish Panesar and Martin Fowler, along with the departure of Stacey Slater. Elsewhere, we experienced some major comebacks with the returns of Zoe Slater, Anthony Trueman (RIP), and Max Branning. RadioTimes.com is here with a handy update on which characters are leaving, joining and returning to EastEnders in the coming months. So who's in? Who's out? And which rumours are true? Read on for all the latest details on cast changes for EastEnders. EastEnders cast 2026 The full present regular cast for EastEnders can be found below in order of the character's first appearance. Gillian Taylforth as Kathy Beale Letitia Dean as Sharon Watts Adam Woodyatt as Ian Beale Alice Haig as Vicki Fowler Michelle Collins as Cindy Beale Steve McFadden as Phil Mitchell Kim Medcalf as Sam Mitchell Paul Bradley as Nigel Bates Thomas Law as Peter Beale Karen Henthorn as Julie Bates Perry Fenwick as Billy Mitchell Laila Morse as Mo Harris Jessie Wallace as Kat Moon Michelle Ryan as Zoe Slater Rudolph Walker as Patrick Trueman Shane Ritchie as Alfie Moon Angela Wynter as Yolande Trueman Tracy-Ann Oberman as Chrissie Watts Gillian Wright as Jean Slater Emma Barton as Honey Mitchell Zaraah Abrahams as Chelsea Fox Diane Parish as Denise Fox Grace as Janet Mitchell Jake Wood as Max Branning Jacqueline Jossa as Lauren Beale Scott Maslen as Jack Branning Freddie Phillips as Will Mitchell Pierre Counihan-Moullier as Oscar Branning Kitty Castledine as Penny Branning Ellie Dadd as Amy Mitchell Tameka Empson as Kim Fox Lillia Turner as Lily Slater Frankie Day as Ricky Branning Sonny Kendall as Tommy Moon Isabella Brown as Lexi Pearce Kellie Bright as Linda Carter Charlie Suff as Johnny Carter Harriet Thorpe as Elaine Peacock Elliot Briffett as Bert Moon Cody Briffett as Ernie Moon Arayah Harris-Buckles as Pearl Fox Harry Farr as Ollie Carter Jake McNally as Louie Beale Michael Jose Pomares Calixte as Raymond Fox Tony Clay as Callum Highway Shiv Jalota as Vinny Panesar Balvinder Sopal as Suki Panesar-Unwin James Farrar as Zack Hudson Ross Boatman as Harvey Monroe Delroy Atkinson as Howie Danes Heather Peace as Eve Panesar-Unwin Aaron Thiara as Ravi Gulati Jaden Ladega as Denzel Danes Juhaim Rasul Choudhury as Davinder "Nugget" Gulati Colin Salmon as George Knight Francesca Henry as Gina Knight Sophie Khan Levy as Priya Nandra-Hart Aaliyah James as Avani Nandra-Hart Elijah Holloway as Harry Mitchell Lewis Bridgeman as Barney Mitchell Dayo Koleosho as Kojo Asare Laura Doddington as Nicola Mitchell Alex Walkinshaw as Ross Marshall Max Murray as Joel Marshall Indeyarna Donaldson-Holness as Jasmine Fisher Ronni Ancona as Bea Pollard And here are the changes to the cast coming soon... JOINING 'Man' (Stephen Aaron-Sipple) When is 'Man' arriving? 2026. A mysterious figure appeared in EastEnders' New Year's Day flash-forward episode, sharing a nod with Max and later joining the Beale-Branning clan after Max is arrested. The 'Man' is credited as being played by actor Stephen Aaron-Sipple, an East-End London actor who stars in small roles in The Witcher season 4 and Silo. He previously played a delivery guy in EastEnders in 2020, but somehow we doubt he's the same guy...Is this a future regular character on the show? Could he be an existing character recast? We may have had a clue as BBC iPlayer's audio description referred to the man as 'Mark' - here's the latest theory. Add Radio Times as a Preferred Source on Google DEPARTING Sam Mitchell (Kim Medcalf) When might Sam Mitchell be returning? Early 2026. Kim Medcalf has reprised the role of Sam Mitchell for a short stint this festive season. The character has returned following the discovery of a lump in her breast, which will turn out to be breast cancer and require a lumpectomy. However, does Sam also have a motive for revenge against her old accomplice, Zoe Slater? Either way, Sam looks set to survive her cancer battle, but will she leave Walford on good terms with son Ricky Branning and brother Phil Mitchell? Joel Marshall (Max Murray) When is Joel Marshall leaving? Early 2026. It has been reported that the misogyny storyline has reached its climax concerning troubled teen Joel Marshall (Max Murray). The character is currently in police custody following his attack on Vicki Fowler and furiously rejecting his father, Ross. It would seem punishment awaits Joel, and his time on the show will apparently come to a close. According to Metro, Max Murray will leave the Square as his character Joel's misogyny storyline reaches a head. A spokesperson for EastEnders declined to comment when approached by RadioTimes.com. RETURNING Libby Fox (Belinda Owusu) When is Libby Fox returning? 2026. Yes! Denise Fox's younger daughter, Libby Fox, will be back on Albert Square at some point in 2026, as she appeared in the 2027 flash-forward episode, once again played by Belinda Owusu. The episode presents some potential brides for Max, which include Libby's older sister, Chelsea Fox (Zaraah Abrahams), and even Denise herself, given that Jack was calling the bride and Denise's phone is one of the ones to ring - despite Denise being absent from the episode, having apparently walked out on Jack the night before. Is the reason for Libby's reappearance that her sister or mother is getting married? We'll have to wait and see. Read More: 21 EastEnders questions we have following that epic Max Branning flashforward episode WHO MAY BE RETURNING? Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner) When is Stacey Slater returning? TBC. Lacey Turner took an extended break from the show recently, with Stacey departing for a new life in Brazil alongside her brother, Sean Slater, with her two youngest children, Arthur and Hope. However, Turner has affirmed that she will return to the soap in the future, but no firm return date has been set. So, expect to be without Stacey for a while yet! Which characters departed EastEnders in 2026? The following characters departed EastEnders in 2026. Nish Panesar (Guest) Which characters departed EastEnders in 2025? The following character departed EastEnders in 2025. Nish Panesar Mr Lister (guest) Councillor Donald Barker (guest) Garry Hobbs (guest) Minty Peterson (guest) Peggy Mitchell (guest) Eric Mitchell (guest) Angie Watts (guest) Reiss Colwell Martin Fowler Grant Mitchell (guest) Brenda Collins (guest) Gaz (guest) Andy (guest) Ruby Allen Roman Allen Tom "Rocky" Cotton (guest) Terry Cant (guest) Bex Fowler (guest) Julia Fowler Bianca Jackson Sonia Fowler Felix Baker Bernadette Taylor Jay Brown Jonno Highway (Guest) Hope Fowler Arthur Fowler, Jr. Stacey Slater Stuart Highway (Guest) Ben Mitchell (Guest) Norma Unwin (Guest) Tobias "Okie" Okyere Junior Knight Anna Knight Freddie Slater Teddy Mitchell Barry Evans (Guest) Debbie Bates (Guest) Pat Evans (Guest) Dr Anthony Trueman Which characters departed EastEnders in 2024? The following characters have departed EastEnders in 2024. Ashton (Guest) Harold Martin (Guest) Sam Mitchell Keanu Taylor (Guest, hallucination) Lucas Johnson (Guest) Ben Mitchell Gloria Knight (Guest) Eddie Knight (Guest) Keeley Wainwright (Guest) Britney Wainwright Dolly Dean-Hudson Whitney Dean Monique Knight (Guest) Xavier Knight (Guest) Karen Taylor (Guest) Stevie Mitchell Debbie Colwell (Guest) Ayesha Siddhu (Guest) Dean Wicks Chrissie Watts (Guest) Jake Moon (Guest) Jane Beale (Guest) Bobby Beale Pastor Gideon Clayton Lola Pearce-Brown (Guest) Joe Wicks (Guest) Holly (Guest) David Wicks (Guest) Micky Miller (Guest) Nancy Carter (Guest, fantasy) Lee Carter (Guest, fantasy) Which characters departed EastEnders in 2023? The following characters have departed EastEnders in 2023. DCI Samantha Keeble (Guest) Ricky Butcher (Guest) Scarlett Butcher Edward "Jed" Chadwick (Guest) Ryan Malloy (Guest) Dr Ash Kaur Vi Highway Shifty Shiv (Guest) Roxy Mitchell (Guest) Duncan Boyd (Guest) Lola Pearce-Brown Lauren Branning (Guest) Louie Beale (Guest) Finlay Baker Jo Cotton (Guest) Peggy Taylor (Guest) Lisa Fowler (Guest) Arthur "Fatboy" Chubb (Guest) Graham Foster (Guest) Dorian Gates (Guest) Nadine Keller (Guest) Theo Hawthorne Karen Taylor Mitch Baker Bailey Baker Mia Atkins Mackenzie Atkins Keanu Taylor Tom "Rocky" Cotton Which characters departed EastEnders in 2022? The following characters departed EastEnders in 2022. Iqra Ahmed Mila Marwa Kioni Marwa Gray Atkins Keegan Baker Tiffany Butcher Isaac Baptiste Aaron Monroe Nancy Carter Avery Baker Rainie Highway Roland Highway Stuart Highway Dana Monroe Frankie Lewis Dr Nina Gupta Kheerat Panesar Lofty Holloway (Guest) Mary Smith (Guest) Disa O'Brien (Guest) Ian Beale (Guest) Colin Russell (Guest) Barry Clark (Guest) Kirsty "Dotty" Cotton Jada Lennox Alyssa Lennox Mick Carter Janine Carter Shirley Carter 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. Try Radio Times magazine today and get 12 issues for only £1 with delivery to your home – subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
EastEnders airs surprise unannounced return in New Year's Day flashforward special
It seems Max Branning's wedding has brought back a popular character.
Denise Fox (Diane Parish) looks set to be reunited with a key family member in 2026 on EastEnders. The BBC One soap aired its flashforward episode on New Year's Day 2026, which showed events on New Year's Day 2027 on Albert Square, and Walford is seen readying itself for the latest wedding of Max Branning (Jake Wood). However, one person who is towards the end of the episode, looking for Denis,e is her younger daughter, Libby Fox (Belinda Owusu). Entering the home of her mother and step-father, Jack Branning (Scott Maslen), with surrogate grandfather Patrick Trueman (Rudolph Walker), Libby finds the place empty with no sign of her mother, but does find Denise's mobile phone ringing on a messy table. Libby and Patrick are ready to go to the wedding - but is Libby back for good, or is she only a guest at Max's wedding? The episode presents some potential brides for Max, which include Libby's older sister, Chelsea Fox (Zaraah Abrahams), and even Denise herself, given that Jack was calling the bride and Denise's phone is one of the ones to ring - despite Denise being absent from the episode, having apparently walked out on Jack the night before. Is the reason for Libby's reappearance that her sister or mother is getting married? We'll have to wait and see. Read More: 21 EastEnders questions we have following that epic Max Branning flashforward episode Introduced with the nickname "Squiggle" in 2006, Libby is the daughter of Denise and her abusive first husband, Owen Turner (played by Lee Ross), the latter of whom once tried to kill her and take his own life before being sent to prison. View Riddle on the source website Much of Libby's time in Walford was spent on her studies and her romance with Darren Miller (Charlie G Hawkins), which was complicated by numerous obstacles, including his fathering a child with Heather Trott (Cheryl Fergison), her absences as she attended Oxford University, and a love rival for Darren in the form of Adam Best (David Proud). Libby's father, Owen, also returned to Walford in 2009 and was later murdered by Denise's third husband - and Chelsea's father - Lucas Johnson (Don Gilet). Libby also later believed that Denise had been killed, but it was later revealed that she was being held captive by Lucas. View oEmbed on the source website Following this trauma, Libby went on an extended trip to Spain to stay with her sister and paternal grandmother, Liz Turner (Kate Williams) in 2010 as the character was written out of the soap. A single Libby made peace with Darren before she left Walford, but was later revealed to have returned to Oxford. From 2014 to 2017, Libby continued to make recurring guest appearances to visit or be visited by her mum, Denise, including supporting her mum during her pregnancy with son Raymond and also going through her own termination in 2016. Add Radio Times as a Preferred Source on Google In 2023, Libby was revealed by Chelsea to have reunited with Darren, and the pair were holidaying together in the Cotswolds. Will Libby be in a relationship with Darren when she returns to Walford? Visit our dedicated EastEnders page for all the latest news, interviews and spoilers. Add EastEnders to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Soaps coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guideto find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
21 EastEnders questions we have following that epic Max Branning flashforward episode
Max Branning is even more trouble - and he faces losing even more children in 2027...
Wow, have you caught your breath again yet, EastEnders fans? The BBC One soap certainly pulled out all the stops in the much-anticipated flashforward episode on New Year's Day 2026, which jumped to events on the same day in 2027. The instalment centred on Max Branning (Jake Wood) as he prepared for his latest wedding, but many components were a mystery, even before he found himself under arrest and then discovered his children in peril. With hints and ambiguities in almost every scene and line of dialogue penned by legendary EastEnders writer Simon Ashdown, there is so much to unpack for EastEnders fans – and probably more than one would notice on a first watch! So, here are all the major questions we have from the EastEnders flashforward episode... **Full spoilers for EastEnders' New Year's Day episode** 21 EastEnders questions we have following that epic Max Branning flashforward episode 1. Who is Max Branning’s bride? Of course, the big event of the episode was that Max Branning is set to marry his fifth wife. However, throughout the episode, the bride remained a mystery. We were presented with a series of potential brides as Jack Branning placed a call to the ‘lucky’ lady: Chelsea Fox (Zaraah Abrahams) Linda Carter (Kellie Bright) Cindy Beale (Michelle Collins) Denise Fox (Diane Parish, absent from the episode) Or is the bride none of these potential ladies? Could his 'true' loves, Tanya Cross (Jo Joyner) or Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner), return? Or is the bride a character we’ve never met? View Riddle on the source website 2. Who is the pregnant woman in Max Branning’s bed - and what's their connection? Of course, the other mystery lady in the episode is the pregnant woman who sleeps in and showers in Max's flat with her ultrasound scan on the bedside table. The episode makes clear that this woman is not the bride, as Max goes on to have a phone call with the bride from the apartment. So, just who is this woman? Once again, could Tanya or Stacey return as this mysterious person? Naturally, we would assume that Max has a romantic connection to the woman in his bed or is even the father of her unborn child. However, Max does wake up fully clothed and not hungover, so perhaps this was a totally platonic situation? Is Max actually redeemed? We'll have to wait and see, but we could be adding another addition to the Branning fold. Add Radio Times as a Preferred Source on Google 3. Who is Max Branning accused of soliciting the murder of? The episode saw police swarm Albert Square – armed to the nines – and break into Max's flat to arrest him for solicitation of murder. Max tries to get away but is turned over by his daughter, Lauren Beale (Jacqueline Jossa) We never find out who Max stands accused of plotting to murder – and neither does Max in the episode (bizarrely), as he maintains his innocence and DI Wren (Bob Cryer) remains unprofessionally ambiguous. Max is subsequently released, but it's clear he's not out of the legal woods yet... 4. Who is 'Man'? During the episode, Max nods from his window to a man on the street in a look of apparent recognition. Later in the episode, this same man is seen in the background of a group discussion between the Beale-Brannings following Max's arrest. So, just who is he? The Beale-Brannings certainly seem fine with him around. The 'Man' is credited as being played by actor Stephen Aaron-Sipple, an East-End London actor who stars in small roles in The Witcher season 4 and Silo. He previously played a delivery guy in EastEnders in 2020, but somehow we doubt he's the same guy... Is this a future regular character on the show? Could he be an existing character recast? We'll have to wait and see... 5. If Max Branning is being set up as he claims, then who has framed him? Of course, if Max really is innocent as he claims, then who is it that is harbouring a grudge against the roguish Walford resident and would want to send him to prison? There's certainly a long list of enemies. It's not the first time that Max stands accused of a crime he didn't commit, as he was wrongfully imprisoned for months for the murder of Lucy Beale (Hetti Bywater), and later sought revenge on many for this throughout 2017. If Max is being framed, his enemy will likely face some comeback of their own... 6. What secrets are being hidden by Lauren Beale? Max isn't the only Branning with something to hide in the episode, as it appears that his oldest living child, Lauren Beale, is exchanging messages with someone who wants her to slip away from the wedding planning. Our first thought, naturally, is that Lauren is having an affair, but could it be something more than that? Is Lauren betraying Peter as her father did to her mum, Tanya? Or is something even more insidious in store? Lauren also gives up her father, Max, to the police - even after he namechecks her late sister Abi Branning (Lorna Fitzgerald) and notes Abi would have helped him in her place - no lie detected though! Either way, this 2027 version of Lauren is certainly feeling very confident in herself and seemed shocked at the charge against her father. 7. Why is Peter Beale so estranged from Max Branning? Despite the rest of the Beales heading to Max's wedding, Peter Beale (Thomas Law) is absent from the preparations as it seems he has yet to get over something that his father-in-law did. Later in the episode, Peter returns to Walford just after Lauren has handed her father over to the police, and the couple share a moment of support and a knowing look. Why does Peter hate Max so much (this time, anyway), and could he be involved in setting him up? 8. Which "Trueman" is Oscar Branning involved with? A sweet scene in the flashforward episode showed Oscar Branning (Pierre Counihan-Moullier) being helped with his tie and gifted a tie pin by Walford legend Patrick Trueman (Rudolph Walker), showing that their friendship is going from strength to strength. However, Patrick now refers to Oscar as a "Trueman", suggesting Oscar is romantically involved with a Trueman. So, just which member of the family is Oscar involved with? Is Oscar now in a full-time relationship with Patrick's granddaughter, Jasmine Fisher (Indeyarna Donaldson-Holness)? Or could Oscar even be involved with Jasmine's twin brother? Now that would be a love triangle! Either way, given all that Patrick has been through recently with losing his son, Anthony (Nicholas Bailey), we're glad to see him looking so happy again. He mournfully comments on not teaching his sons, Anthony and Paul Trueman (Gary Beadle,) how to do their ties when growing up. 9. What is the identity of baby Ethan? One curious aspect of the flashforward episode was the addition of a baby named Ethan, who is staying at Jack's house, and Jack Branning (Scott Maslen) appears to be struggling to care for the baby. The natural assumption would be that Ethan is Jack's son, but could he be related to Jack in another way, perhaps as his grandson? Or could Jack just be caring for the child for someone else? Notably, Jack's children, Penny Branning (Kitty Castledine), Amy Mitchell (Ellie Dadd), and Ricky Branning (Frankie Day), are all absent from the episode. 10. How did Max Branning save the life of Jimmy Beale and baby Ethan? Oscar revealed that Max, at some point, saved the lives of his grandson Jimmy Beale and also baby Ethan, but there is no detail given as to how he did this or how the two infants' lives were threatened. The reminder was enough to move Jack to help his older brother, though. It seems danger awaits the babies of Walford in 2026. 11. What did Max Branning do to upset Jack Branning (again)? Despite Jack coming to his older brother's aid in the episode, it seems that Jack is somewhat estranged from Max due to something the older Branning apparently did in 2026. The pair have a long and difficult history, but it seems whatever it is wasn't enough to break the pair just yet, with Jack stepping up for his brother regardless. It seems it remains swings and roundabouts for the surviving Branning brothers. 12. Why did Denise Fox walk out on Jack Branning? Curiously absent from the episode was Denise Fox (Diane Parish), Jack's partner. When Lauren visits Jack's house, the front door is open, and Jack reveals that Denise walked out the night before. Have the pair split once again? Is it connected to baby Ethan? Or could this all be related to whatever Max has done? Denise's phone rings towards the end of the episode, too, so it seems we can't rule her out as a potential bride for Max either, despite being Jack's ex-wife and present-day partner in 2026. Given we only voted for them to get back together this year, it would be a shame for them to split so quickly... 13. Why is Libby Fox back in Walford? A gasp-worthy surprise return also occurred near the end of the episode as Denise's younger daughter, Libby Fox (Belinda Owusu), was seen at Jack's house looking for her mother and picking up Denise's ringing phone. As a reminder, Libby was last mentioned in 2023 as having reunited with ex-boyfriend Darren Miller and holidaying in the Cotswolds. Is Libby back for good or on a flying visit? Could she be visiting as Max is marrying her sister, Chelsea, or even her mother, Denise? Whatever happens, it seems 2026 will be a big year for the Fox-Trueman clan, too. Read More: EastEnders airs surprise unannounced return in New Year's Day flashforward special 14. Are George Knight and Nicola Mitchell now a true couple? A scene in the Queen Vic in the episode sees Nicola Mitchell (Laura Doddington) and George Knight (Colin Salmon) sitting and drinking in a booth together. In the present day, the pair are expecting a baby together, so have they really managed to make a go of things? It certainly looks that way. And what has happened with Nicola and George's present-day pregnancy? The episode also ruled out Nicola as a potential bride for Max, as some may have theorised. 15. Why has Nicola Mitchell fallen out with Chelsea Fox? One key exchange of dialogue sees George ask Nicola if she is going to speak to Chelsea, and Nicola responds: "I'd rather eat glass." Considering Chelsea currently manages the bar at Harry's Barn, and the pair seem cordial currently, what could have caused such strong feelings from Nicola towards Chelsea? Also, why is Chelsea being brought up here by George? Is Chelsea the bride? 16. Why is Nicola Mitchell’s foot in a cast? Another interesting detail is that Nicola's ankle is in a cast, and she's resting it in the Queen Vic, with Patrick even asking how it is. How did Nicola get this injury? Could Chelsea be to blame? 17. Who is running the Queen Victoria pub? In the episode, we see the iconic barmaid Tracey (Jane Slaughter) tidying and preparing the pub for the festivities of Max's wedding reception, but there remains no sign of any other members of staff, nor do we know who is running the Queen Vic. The sign above the door is also obscured. Ian bemoans the absence of the landlords amid the event at the Queen Vic, and Tracey explains that "they" left her in charge. In the present, the Slater-Moons run the public house, but will this still be the case by the time we get into 2027? 18. Why is there a smashed Queen Vic pub window? Eagle-eyed fans will have spotted that there is a broken window in the Queen Victoria pub that is boarded up during the New Year's Day episode. It looks recent, so did it occur the night before in some kind of brawl? Time will tell. 19. Why is Ian Beale acting as Max’s best man? There is certainly a messy history between Walford stalwart Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt) and Max Branning, which makes Ian being his best man seem very strange. Chief among their past issues was Max's affair with Ian's daughter, Lucy Beale. Then Ian let Max get sent down for her murder to protect Ian's youngest son, Bobby Beale (Eliot Carrington, Clay Milner Russell). Max later sought vengeance and was responsible for the death of Ian's adopted son, Steven Beale (Aaron Sidwell), in 2017. As if that wasn't enough, Max engineered the end of Ian's marriage to fourth wife, Jane Beale (Laurie Brett), and has since become passionate with Ian's first wife, Cindy Beale. The pair now share three grandchildren, however, in the form of Lauren and Peter's sons, Louis (Jake McNally) and Jimmy Beale, along with Abi "AJ" Branning Jr, the orphaned daughter of Abi Branning and Steven Beale. Louis and Jimmy live in Walford with their parents, while AJ is currently living with her maternal grandmother, Tanya. The episode alludes to their history and also hints at further discord in 2026, leaving Ian's mother, Kathy Beale (Gillian Taylforth), baffled that Ian is stepping up as Max's best man. Could there be even more to Kathy's confusion? Either way, we're as perplexed as she is. 20. Who is the leather-gloved gunman stalking Max’s family? The fifth of the mysterious figures in the episode, outside of the bride, the pregnant woman, the mystery man, and whoever Max is accused of conspiring to kill, is the leather-gloved gunman, who arrives in Walford in a white van at the start of the episode and texts Max throughout. We later see them break into Lauren's home while she and Oscar are inside, and later point their gun at Lauren's head and hold both her and Oscar hostage. Who on earth is seeking to punish Max so gravely? The episode hints that he is involved with some dodgy people – are they seeking reprisals? 21. Who will Max Branning choose to save: Lauren or Oscar? Of course, this is one mystery that definitely won't be solved until 2027 – who will Max choose to save: Lauren or Oscar? It may be that both Branning scions survive the dark ultimatum, but what if one does indeed die and Max seals their fate either directly or indirectly? Max has already lost his eldest son, Bradley Branning (Charlie Clements), in 201,0 and his second eldest daughter, Abi, in 2018, both in gruesome circumstances. Could he handle the loss of another child? It would certainly be a crying shame to lose one of the best family dynamics in the show at the moment. We have a long wait to discover the fate of the Brannings... Visit our dedicated EastEnders page for all the latest news, interviews and spoilers. Add EastEnders to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Soaps coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guideto find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
EastEnders icon Jake Wood reveals who he really thinks Max Branning’s true love is
Jake Wood has his say on who he thinks Max Branning's true love is.
Actor Jake Wood has revealed who he thinks Walford ladies' man Max Branning's true love is in EastEnders. The BBC One soap finally saw the iconic character this year after his exit in 2021, and soon he finds himself drawn into intense drama once more. Max is known for his numerous affairs and dalliances, along with his four marriages (to Rachel Branning, Tanya Cross, Kirsty Branning, and Rainie Cross), before the upcoming flashforward episode sees him set to tie the knot once more in 2027 – and also wake up in bed beside a mystery pregnant woman! Of course, Max has other former flames currently in Albert Square in the form of Linda Carter (Kellie Bright), Zoe Slater (Michelle Ryan), and now Cindy Beale (Michelle Collins), so there is no shortage of potential liaisons for Mr Branning... Now, speaking at an event for the festive episodes of EastEnders this year, Wood answered a big question posed by RadioTimes.com in front of other press, given the amount of professions of love his character hands out: who is actually Max Branning's true love? Jake Wood answered with his own thoughts, and also who he thought Max might actually say when asked properly – and it comes down to Max's second wife and mother of three of his children, Tanya Cross (Jo Joyner), and his former lover and daughter-in-law, Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner). The actor said: "Obviously, Tanya is very high, but I think probably Stacey as well. I think we saw that when Max came back a couple of months ago. The connection is still really strong between the pair of them; they really understand each other. I think wherever they are in different parts or wherever they are in their lives, they'd always have that connection. So, if you asked Max, he would probably say Stacey." So, it seems Stacey may be the one with the real key to Max's heart, but actress Lacey Turner is currently on an indefinite break from Walford, and Stacey is now based in Brazil with brother Sean Slater (Rob Kazinsky). Could we see Stacey in the flashforward to 2027, 20 years after their first affair occurred? You'll have to wait and see... However, speaking on Max's recent affair with Zoe when asked at the same press event, Wood said: "I love that idea because Zoe is such an iconic character as well, isn't she? So the idea that these characters had a history away from the Square was, to me, really exciting. "And again, it just gives them more possibilities with Max coming back and I thought they worked really well together as characters and was really believable, the reasons that they came together, that they'd met randomly, that they knew people in common, and that she was looking for her daughter and that would obviously resonate with Max in terms of, his own history of troubled history with his relationships with these kids." Whether Max and Zoe stay connected also remains to be seen. Read More: EastEnders wins Christmas Day soaps battle as ratings confirmed – but bad news for BBC overall EastEnders boss teases "tragedy comedy" 2026 story with newcomer Bea – and it involves a beloved Walford couple EastEnders confirms Ravi Gulati will face a revenge plot - along with a mental health story for Walford villain EastEnders boss teases love triangle scenes for Vicki Fowler as disturbed Joel Marshall finally goes to trial in 2026 Visit our dedicated EastEnders page for all the latest news, interviews and spoilers. Add EastEnders to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Soaps coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guideto find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
EastEnders boss teases "tragedy comedy" 2026 story with newcomer Bea – and it involves a beloved Walford couple
Comedy legend Ronni Ancona joins the soap as Bea in the New Year.
Executive producer Ben Wadey has teased the impact of Ronni Ancona's arrival in EastEnders. The comedy star is joining the BBC One soap in the New Year for a storyline that concerns long-running show favourite Linda Carter (Kellie Bright). Speaking at a press event for the soap's festive episodes, Wadey also teased storylines for 2026, including the arrival of Ancona as newcomer Bea. Wadey commented: "You may have seen we've just announced Ronni Ancona joining the show, which I am very, very excited about. I'm a huge fan of her work, and she brings such a unique tone to it." He continued: "I was really interested in this having a story that has a bit more of tragedy comedy coming through it. It's a story in which she's an old school friend of Linda's, and she's called Bea. "The character, Bea, arrives, and her memory of Linda is very different to Linda's memory of Linda." However, it's not just Linda for whom Bea is set to create stories, as she drags Billy (Perry Fenwick) and Honey Mitchell (Emma Barton) into her chaos. Wadey added: "And Bea is the sort of character who might attach herself to people. So she kind of comes in and gets to reacquaint herself with Linda, but it's also going to be a big story for some other characters. Billy and Honey are going to be big in the new year and will be involved in that story as well. "So it's a story which, as a team, every time we watch it and read it, we love it, we laugh, and we cry, and it's really, really fun." Will there be trouble in the only stable Mitchell marriage in Walford? Visit our dedicated EastEnders page for all the latest news, interviews and spoilers. Add EastEnders to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Soaps coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guideto find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
EastEnders star Nicholas Bailey breaks silence after Anthony Trueman killed off in grisly murder
A festive fatality occurred for Dr Anthony Trueman...
Actor Nicholas Bailey has spoken about his explosive exit from EastEnders. The BBC One soap aired dramatic scenes on Christmas Day as he was killed following a confrontation with former lover Zoe Slater (Michelle Ryan) over their missing twin children, whose existence she had kept from Anthony. Following this, Zoe was reunited with their presumed dead daughter - revealed to be Jasmine Fisher (Indeyarna Donaldson-Holness) - who had been tormenting Zoe with encouragement from her returned old enemy Chrissie Watts (Tracy-Ann Oberman). Zoe later handed herself in to the police over Anthony's death, but it seems clear that she didn't actually kill Anthony. Boxing Day's episode ended with Jasmine's words convincing grandmother Kat Moon (Jessiw Wallace) that the killer was likely Chrissie herself. Regardless of who did the deed, one thing is for sure: a heartbroken Patrick Trueman (Rudolph Walker) has lost another son. In an interview shared with RadioTimes.com and other press outlets below, actor Nicholas Bailey - who also appeared on Strictly Come Dancing on Christmas Day - has spoken about his big Christmas exit from EastEnders. What was it like to film a massive Christmas exit and have so much drama for Anthony in his final days? "A Christmas storyline is a huge moment in soap, so to get that and a big Christmas Day exit was a real honour! Obviously, it was bittersweet because it meant I was leaving, and I’ve felt really at home since I came back to EastEnders. But the storyline itself is tremendous, and it gave me much more to do than I expected. It’s been great to come out of my comfort zone and play some spectacular scenes full of spectacular lines." Did you expect Anthony to go down such a dark path? "My jaw hit the floor when our producer Ben Wadey told me where this was going and what was going to happen. But I think it was a masterstroke because when I look back, Anthony was always a bit like a pressure cooker, and he let things build and build before the steam escapes. This time he couldn’t keep the lid on it!" How did you feel to say goodbye to Anthony after so many years? "I was sad things were coming to an end, but I wanted to lean into the excitement of this story being a launch pad for some incredible stuff heading into 2026. I love EastEnders and I love seeing the show thrive. So, while I’m sad to be saying goodbye to Anthony, I’m happy it means my friends are going to have some incredible stuff to play following his death." Above all else, Bailey shared his "gratitude" for being asked to return and for working with Rudolph Walker, Jessie Wallace, and Michelle Ryan once again - the last of whom he was unaware he would be working with when he initially signed up to return. Read more: EastEnders cast: Who is joining, leaving and returning to the soap? EastEnders Christmas and New Year spoilers: Your day-by-day guide as Slater and Branning secrets implode Visit our dedicated EastEnders page for all the latest news, interviews and spoilers. Add EastEnders to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Soaps coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
EastEnders recap before Christmas Day 2025: Zoe Slater and Chrissie Watts to Max Branning drama
There's a whole heap of drama to occur in the Queen Vic and beyond.
So, another year done, another dark Christmas season approaches in EastEnders. The BBC One soap is nearing the end of its 40th year on television, and it has been a huge year of drama for our favourites in Walford. Now, as Christmas approaches, we thought we would catch you up on the action that lies ahead in Walford. Much of the main Christmas Day action will take place in - you guessed it - the Queen Vic pub as a long-running storyline with the Slaters looks set to explode. At the same time, it seems an awkward Christmas dinner with the Beales-Brannings lies ahead. Here's everything you need to know... EastEnders recap before Christmas Day 2025 The Zoe Slater saga In case you somehow missed the news, Zoe Slater (Michelle Ryan) made a surprise return to Walford after 20 years away and having grown estranged from mother, Kat Moon (Jessie Wallace). It was clear that Zoe was hiding a dark secret, and we soon discovered that in 2006, Zoe gave birth to twins, and while she believed that her daughter had died, she abandoned her son in her grief. In recent months, Zoe has been trying to raise funds to help track down her long-lost son and along the way, she met Max Branning and entered into a romantic relationship with him until they split after she almost killed a man who attacked her after she sought information from him on her son. Zoe later came back to Walford after being tracked down by younger brother Tommy Moon (Sonny Kendall) and was reunited with Kat after a long period of arguing, and was also shot by accident - don't worry about that bit. After coming clean to Kat, her mum vowed to Zoe that they would find her son. Zoe also briefly pretended that her ex-boyfriend, Dennis Rickman (Nigel Harman), was the father of her twins, but this turned out to be a lie to con Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean) into paying to track down the twins. Meanwhile, Zoe was also reunited with her ex-boyfriend - and Kat's ex-boyfriend - Dr Anthony Truemam (Nicholas Bailey). Anthony has split from his wife, Sophie, and was later revealed to have had a restraining order brought against him. It also became clear that Anthony was fixated on being with Zoe again. During this time, Zoe began to receive threatening messages and was attacked and stalked by a mysterious tormentor - and she accused everyone and sundry of being responsible, particularly Jean Slater (Gillian Wright). After briefly reigniting his romance with the vulnerable Zoe, Anthony recently did some digging for Kat on Zoe's children and discovered that both twins were alive, and the dates meant that he was likely the father. Furious that Zoe had hidden the twins' existence from him, Anthony lied to Kat that both twins had died. Zoe also survived an arson attack on the former home of Dot Branning (June Brown), where she had been staying, but she was saved. Moving back to the Vic for Christmas, Kat kept the false news of Zoe's dead children from her before Zoe received a card, apparently from her son, telling her he would visit her on Christmas Day. However, viewers are aware of further twists... Jasmine Fisher's true identity Arriving in Walford in the Autumn was confident newcomer Jasmine Fisher (Indeyarna Donaldson-Holness), who swiftly got a job at The Albert and began a romance with Oscar Branning (Pierre Counihan-Moullier). However, fans were suspicious of Jasmine due to her cageyness about sharing identity papers at work and her apparent fixation on her new boss, Cindy Beale (Michelle Collins). The focus on Cindy, along with Jasmine's focus on revenge and even breaking into GP records, led the Beales-Brannings to fear she was connected to the Ford crime family, who had forced Cindy to previously fake her death and go into witness protection. This resulted in Cindy fleeing Walford and Jasmine being arrested. Then, in the police interview, the truth was revealed: Jasmine was Zoe Slater's daughter, alive and well. Despite some interactions with her mother, Jasmine remained focused on revenge against her birth mother, revealed in flashbacks as Zoe's tormentor. Sadly, Jasmine had some doubts, but these were discouraged by her accomplice... Chrissie Watts returns In a shock twist on Christmas Eve, it was finally revealed that while Jasmine (unsurprisingly) was the person who had been tormenting Zoe, her contact and surely the true architect of Zoe's misery was revealed to be Chrissie Watts (Tracy-Ann Oberman). Chrissie was last seen riding off into the sunset with old love Jake Moon (Joel Beckett) after being released from prison last year after serving two decades for the murder of her husband 'Dirty' Den Watts (Leslie Grantham) in 2005. Chrissie briefly crossed paths in prison with Den's adopted daughter and 'princess' Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean), and they made peace. However, it seems that Chrissie has not made peace with her bitter history with Zoe... For the full history lesson, read below. Read More: What happened to Chrissie Watts in EastEnders? Sam Mitchell has breast cancer The third of the "Witches of Walford" and the sister of Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden), Sam Mitchell, also returned ahead of Christmas and initially tried to steal money from Phil (again) to give to her son Ricky Branning (Frankie Day). However, viewers and Phil soon discovered that Sam had found a lump in her breast and feared she now had breast cancer like her late mother, Peggy Mitchell (Barbara Windsor), following a previous scare over two decades prior. Sam and Phil reconciled, and he vowed to stand by her during this health journey. Meanwhile, Zoe feared that Sam was her stalker, with Kat even accusing Sam on Christmas Eve, before Sam revealed her diagnosis and shared a nice moment with Kat. Sam is due to have a lumpectomy, followed by radiotherapy and medication and is likely to make a full recovery considering how early it is being treated. So, while good news awaits, what will Sam say when she runs into Chrissie? Vicki Fowler's love triangle Speaking of Dirty Den Watts, his younger daughter Vicki Fowler (now played by Alice Haig) is also back in Walford and has reconciled with her boyfriend, Ross Marshall (Alex Walkinshaw). The pair have been in a long-term relationship since Vicki cheated on and left her partner, Spencer Moon (Christopher Parker), in Australia; Spencer having also been Ross's best pal. However, Ross also came accompanied by his troubled teenage son, Joel Marshall (Max Murray). Joel has been radicalised by an exposure to extreme misogyny online and has committed multiple sex crimes - one of which Ross previously paid to cover up in Australia. Joel's bad behaviour picked up again once in Walford - including sexual assault, harassment, and indecent imagery - with Vicki herself even paying off one of Joel's victims. Yet, there was no end to his bad behaviour, with Joel ultimately grievously assaulting Vicki and leaving her for dead. Vicki survived, and Joel was arrested after being turned in by both Ross and his own friend Tommy Moon. Joel is currently on remand ahead of his trial - and he won't be pleading guilty. In the aftermath, Vicki struggled and pushed Ross away, instead growing closer to her adopted sister Sharon Watts's (Letitia Dean) half-brother, Zack Hudson (James Farrar). Knowing the potential fallout from such a connection with Sharon, who is currently away from Walford and staying with Vicki's mother, Michelle (Sue Tully, Jenna Russell), and having been discouraged by her great-aunt Kathy Beale (Gillian Taylforth), Vicki told Zack they had to leave it there. Vicki and Ross have since reconciled, and he has moved back into Sharon's place with her, but the spark with Zack remains. On Christmas Eve, Zack's biological son Barney Mitchell (Lewis Bridgeman) noticed that a romantic connection existed there... Max Branning discovers family betrayal Of course, the other big comeback in recent weeks was legendary Walford lothario Max Branning (Jake Wood), who arrived back following a fire that almost claimed the life of his son Oscar Branning and former lover Zoe. Aside from trying to reconnect with Oscar and his eldest child, Lauren Beale (Jacqueline Jossa), Max also ran into former lover Linda Carter (Kellie Bright). After accidentally outing Lauren's secret of stealing charity money after she was scammed into playing for a medical treatment for her severely sight-impaired son, Jimmy, Max defended Lauren to the locals. In the aftermath, Lauren encouraged Linda to come clean about the fact that her four-year-old daughter Annie Carter (Lois Hawkins) was actually Max's daughter - a secret that Lauren, Oscar and Max's younger brother Jack Branning (Scott Maslen) were also aware of. Ultimately, last week, Linda came clean and told Max that he had a third surviving child in Annie. Max was then eager to build a relationship with his daughter, but Linda wanted to take this very slowly. Undeterred, Max took Annie to Santa's Grotto under false pretences and later told her that he was her father. Linda was furious when she discovered this and was willing to take him to court. However, Jack managed to persuade Linda to go easier on Max and to come together for Annie. Linda ultimately did and allowed Max to spend time with his daughter on Christmas Eve. Then, feeling neglected by his father and drunk from multiple tipples at The Vic, Oscar told his dad the brutal truth that his family were aware of Annie's paternity long before he was. The stage is set for an explosive confrontation on Christmas Day. Nigel Bates's "last Christmas" Returning to Walford on Christmas Eve 2024, EastEnders 90s icon Nigel Bates (Paul Bradley) later revealed that he had been diagnosed with young-onset dementia and had abandoned his wife Julie (Karen Henthorn) to avoid being a burden to her. Taken in by his old friend Phil, Nigel took a job in the cafe with his old friend Kathy, and as his condition worsened, Phil promised to be there for Nigel until the end. Eventually, Julie made her way to Walford and was reunited with Nigel, and despite attempting to return home to Scotland with him, ultimately came to live with him and Phil in Albert Square, also taking a job at Walford High. However, in recent weeks, Nigel's condition worsened to the point of hallucinations, confusion, and having conversations with people who aren't there. He also accidentally injured Julie. Earlier this week, the Square had a screening of a film they made of an old script, but Nigel grew distressed at Julie's injury and fled, before overhearing a disagreement between Phil and Julie about whether he may need to go into care. Nigel fled to the Queen Vic and experienced visions of old Square icons Pat Evans (Pam St. Clement), Barry Evans (Shaun Williamson), and his late first wife, Debbie Bates (Nicola Duffett). Ultimately, Nigel realised that he would need to go into care, as did a heartbroken Phil and Julie. So, they are all determined to give him one 'last' amazing Christmas at home. Read more: EastEnders cast: Who is joining, leaving and returning to the soap? EastEnders confirms no early BBC iPlayer release for key Christmas episodes EastEnders Christmas and New Year spoilers: Your day-by-day guide as Slater and Branning secrets implode EastEnders 2025 Christmas schedule confirmed by BBC - including festive episode timings Visit our dedicated EastEnders page for all the latest news, interviews and spoilers. Add EastEnders to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Soaps coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
EastEnders to air at different time tonight in schedule shake-up - with shocking Christmas Eve surprises in store
The eventful Christmas Eve episode will air slightly earlier.
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... Read more: EastEnders cast: Who is joining, leaving and returning to the soap? EastEnders Christmas and New Year spoilers: Your day-by-day guide as Slater and Branning secrets implode Former EastEnders boss reveals a very different disaster was considered for 40th anniversary episodes EastEnders 2025 Christmas schedule confirmed by BBC - including festive episode timings Visit our dedicated EastEnders page for all the latest news, interviews and spoilers. Add EastEnders to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Soaps coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guideto find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Former EastEnders boss reveals a very different disaster was considered for 40th anniversary episodes
There was the potential for a very different anniversary disaster.
Chris Clenshaw has revealed that the EastEnders 40th anniversary episodes could have looked very different. Speaking on the EastEnders podcast Albert Square After Dark, former EastEnders executive producer Chris Clenshaw reflected on his award-winning run on the BBC One soap from 2022 to 2025. Clenshaw stepped down from the role in June this year. In the conversation, Clenshaw reflected on the blockbuster 40th anniversary episodes in February, which saw an explosion rip through the Queen Vic and kill two major characters. Clenshaw revealed: "We talked about the tube coming off the track – it would be brilliant, but we couldn’t make it work for various reasons. But I love the Vic, it’s the heart of the show." He also spoke again about the decision to kill off the beloved Martin Fowler (James Bye), who died after saving the life of his true love and ex-wife, Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner). "Martin was the first person born on the show – you have to kill someone who you care about," noted Clenshaw. "We wanted people’s hearts to go out for him because we’ve been on that journey with him for forty years. There’s a sense of poetry about that." Of course, Lacey Turner gave a standout performance in the live episode, and had only recently given birth to her third child weeks before. However, the actress's pregnancy certainly created the potential for logistical issues. View oEmbed on the source website Clenshaw recalled: "I remember when Lacey told me she was pregnant, I apparently went white… We did have a backup plan, which wouldn’t have been as good, and we had to shoot a different ending. It was January, and we were getting a bit nervous because we would have had to start rehearsing different scripts, and then we finally got a text from Lacey saying, “She’s here!” and we all breathed a huge sigh of relief." Of course, another memorable moment from the live episode was when we learned the results of an audience vote for Denise Fox (Diane Parish) to choose between the men in her life: ex-husband Jack Branning (Scott Maslen) or lover Ravi Gulati (Aaron Thiara). In the end, fans chose for Denise to reunite with Jack, but how did Clenshaw feel about it? "I think the audience chose love, not lust," concluded Clenshaw. "I think it may have been a different result if Priya [Nandra-Hart, Ravi's ex] hadn’t been in the picture. "Looking back, I am pleased it went to Jack, actually." We'll have to wait and see if Jack and Denise can stay happy... Meanwhile, current executive producer Ben Wadey has been teasing what fans can expect from the upcoming Christmas episodes. Read more: EastEnders Christmas and New Year spoilers: Your day-by-day guide as Slater and Branning secrets implode EastEnders 2025 Christmas schedule confirmed by BBC - including festive episode timings EastEnders' Pam St Clement and Shaun Williamson reveal emotional returns to Walford set for special episode EastEnders confirms no early BBC iPlayer release for key Christmas episodes Visit our dedicated EastEnders page for all the latest news, interviews and spoilers. Add EastEnders to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Soaps coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guideto find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
EastEnders boss Ben Wadey confirms truth behind 'past, present, future' for Christmas 2025 episodes - and teases Zoe twists
Executive producer Ben Wadey teases what fans can look forward to this festive season.
It's no small feat to handle your first Christmas when working as executive producer on EastEnders, but now show boss Ben Wadey has teased what fans have to look forward to this festive season. Speaking to RadioTimes.com and other press at an event for the show's yuletide offerings, Wadey spoke about the importance of the festive episodes to the show, and to him personally. "For me, growing up and as a fan, Christmas is EastEnders. I always have that countdown to the Christmas episode, and my Christmas Day is normally structured around watching EastEnders. "So, coming in, I really wanted to not just make Christmas Day amazing and talk to the writers and the team about how big we could go, but actually give a series of treats over that Christmas period. So, we structured it around this 'past, present, future' theme." So, what does this mean? Here are some teasers from Ben Wadey below... EastEnders' past: Nigel Bates's special episode On where the past fits in, Wadey then clarified that this was around the special episode (23rd December 2025) focused on Nigel Bates (Paul Bradley) and his dementia journey, which features returns of iconic characters Pat (Pam St Clement) and Barry Evans (Shaun Williamson), along with Nigel's late first wife, Debbie Bates (Nicola Duffett). The episode comes as Nigel's current wife, Julie Bates (Karen Henthorn) and his best friend Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden) debate what is best for Nigel's future as his condition deteriorates. Wadey noted: "So, the past, we stepped back in that Nigel episode that [writer] Richard Davidson did a beautiful job on. It's a really lovely episode, and I'm really proud of it. "It's a bold choice to go so emotional that close to Christmas, but I think Christmas is a tough time for people as well as a really happy time - and we've got the real range of emotions over December." Speaking about the episode and how it furthers Nigel's story, Wadey added, "When I arrived, Chris Clenshaw and the team had brilliantly set up this story with Nigel and his dementia. So when you knew it was going to be a challenge of taking that to the next steps and had been talking to the team about it, and we discussed ways of doing that and how to experiment with the storytelling, but, you know, Pat is a legend in EastEnders and anything to try and get her back on screen - because she's just amazing, I'd always, you know, been a dream to work with Pam. "So we just had that idea for that episode, and it just seemed really fitting as a love letter to the show, a love letter to the fans, and also an episode in the present that really tells that story of what it's like caring for somebody with dementia, especially at a period like Christmas." The executive producer said he "ran through the story office" after St Clement agreed to reprise her iconic role. <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2025/12/540486-203a780.jpg" width="4329" height="2823" alt="Pat, in a pink blazer and blue shirt, comforts Nigel, who is wearing a black suit and white shirt in the Queen Vic. A wine glass and cigarettes are on the table in front of them and the pub is decorated in a 90s theme in a scene from EastEnders" title="540486,TITLE:Eastenders" /> "The episode worked so brilliantly, and so beautifully directed by Richard Lynn," commented Wadey, "because the whole team came together and really pulled their A game into it." He also teased the fine details on the furnishings of the Queen Vic to take viewers back to the 1990s, from the booth coverings to costumes and peanut packages, so keep your eyes peeled! Add Radio Times as a Preferred Source on Google EastEnders' present: Zoe Slater, Jasmine Fisher, and a Beale-Branning festive meal Of course, the Christmas Day episode will be the 'present' focus of the show - and that is regarding the ongoing dramas surrounding Zoe Slater (Michelle Ryan), her search for her abandoned son, and her stalker torment - but viewers are also now aware that her secret daughter, Jasmine Fisher (Indeyarna Donaldson-Holness), is on the Square. "We've got the ongoing story with Kat and Zoe," continued Wadey. "We found out last week that Jasmine is Zoe's daughter, but we revealed that a week before Christmas because there are a lot more twists and turns to come in that story. So, not all is as it seems." Is Jasmine really Zoe's daughter? Is the troubled Dr Anthony Trueman (Nicholas Bailey) really the father of Zoe's twins? Will we meet Zoe's son? Who is stalking Zoe? Answers await, and either way, it's not a quiet Christmas for reinstalled Queen Vic landlady Kat Moon (Jessie Wallace). If that's not all, the Beale-Branning Christmas dinner promises a "rollercoaster" of drama, but also the hint of comedy as well... Max Branning's return unearths multiple secrets, and Oscar Branning (Pierre Counihan-Moullier) finds himself at the centre of the chaos at Christmas due to his love life with Jasmine, and also when he gets drunk and spills secrets he shouldn't... "It's going to be explosive," teased Jake Wood at the same event. "I think that's one of the things about Max. He's got so much drama and history with so many characters, they've just done it brilliantly in terms of pacing of when he bumps into the characters and finds out about all these secrets...just keep watching." Regarding the discovery that he has a daughter, Annie Carter (Lois Hawkins), Wood confirmed that Max would feel "betrayed" that his family hid the secret of this. We can't say we blame him, but where does this leave Max and former lover Linda Carter (Kellie Bright)? EastEnders' future: Max Branning's 2027 flashforward Finally, perhaps the most-discussed upcoming instalment is the episode on New Year's Day 2026, which will flashforward one year into the future and centre on recent returnee Max Branning (Jake Wood) in early 2027. Wadey teased: "Then we go into Christmas future, the flashforward and a year of Max and a year of the Brannings." Very little has been revealed about the episode, but expect Max, Lauren and Oscar to be at the centre of the drama... Read more: EastEnders Christmas and New Year spoilers: Your day-by-day guide as Slater and Branning secrets implode EastEnders 2025 Christmas schedule confirmed by BBC - including festive episode timings Visit our dedicated EastEnders page for all the latest news, interviews and spoilers. Add EastEnders to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Soaps coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guideto find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Emmerdale and Coronation Street crossover reveals full cast as villainous John Sugden return confirmed
Here's everyone who will be joining Aaron Dingle and Lisa Swain in the crossover event...
We finally have the full cast list confirmed for the Coronation Street and Emmerdale crossover episode, Corriedale. The ITV soap event on Monday 5th January 2025 will mark the start of the new soap hour in the weekday schedules and will feature a cataclysmic event that brings both soaps together and leaves many characters in danger. We already knew that a selection of characters would be taking part in the drama, including fan favourites Aaron Dingle (Danny Miller) and DS Lisa Swain (Vicky Myers). However, we now have more individuals confirmed, including the return of the murderous John Sugden (Oliver Farnworth), who has been a fugitive since his crimes were exposed in the Autumn. Will Aaron and soulmate Robert Sugden (Ryan Hawley) survive whatever John has planned? John isn't the only soap villain confirmed for the event either, with the scheming Becky Swain (Amy Cudden) and abusive Theo Silverton (James Cartwright) from Corrie, and dangerous Ray Walters (Joe Absolom) and dastardly Joe Tate (Ned Porteous) from Emmerdale also present. Will the event finally see comeuppance delivered to some of these villains, or does tragedy await them at the hands of others? In the meantime, who else features in the drama of Corriedale? Corriedale cast: Full list of confirmed characters <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2025/12/00EMBARGOCORRIEDALE-6a56cb0.jpg" width="4724" height="2910" alt="An image depicting a nighttime scene on a road with car headlights in the distance, from left to right we see Sue Devaney as Debbie Webster in a wedding dress, Gareth Pierce in a suit as Todd Grimshaw, Alison King as Carla Connor with a bloodied forehead, Jeff Hordley as Cain Dingle, Emma Atkins as a pregnant Charity Dingle, and Oliver Farnworth as a brooding John Sugden, in a promo image for Corriedale." title="00_EMBARGO_CORRIEDALE" /> The following cast members from each soap have been confirmed for the special crossover episode Corriedale. Coronation Street Sally Carman-Duttine as Abi Webster Tanisha Gorey as Asha Alahan Amy Cudden as Becky Swain Sydney Martin as Betsy Swain Daniel Brocklebank as Billy Mayhew Jonathan Howard as Carl Webster Alison King as Carla Connor Claire Sweeney as Cassie Plummer Jack P Shepherd as David Platt Sue Devaney as Debbie Webster Jason Callender as James Bailey Olivia Frances-Brown as Jodie William Roache as Ken Barlow Michael Le Vell as Kevin Webster Jacob Roberts as DC Kit Green Vicky Myers as DS Lisa Swain Vinta Morgan as Ronnie Bailey Tina O'Brien as Sarah Platt Julia Goulding as Shona Platt Simon Gregson as Steve McDonald Harriet Bibby as Summer Spellman James Cartwright as Theo Silverton Joe Duttine as Tim Metcalfe Gareth Pierce as Todd Grimshaw Kate Ford as Tracy McDonald Emmerdale Danny Miller as Aaron Dingle Jeff Hordley as Cain Dingle Emma Atkins as Charity Dingle Lucy Pargeter as Chas Dingle Christopher Chittell as Eric Pollard Joe-Warren Plant as Jacob Gallagher Christopher Bisson as Jai Sharma Ned Porteous as Joe Tate Oliver Farnworth as John Sugden Jonny McPherson as Dr Liam Cavanagh Lawrence Robb as Mackenzie Boyd Natalie J Robb as Moira Dingle Joe Absolom as Ray Walters Ryan Hawley as Robert Sugden Katie Hill as Sarah Sugden Isabel Hodgins as Victoria Sugden Who will survive the disasters to come? Corriedale airs on Monday 5th January 2025 at 8pm on ITV1 and ITVX, with no early release on ITVX. Visit our dedicated Coronation Street and Emmerdale pages for all the latest news, interviews, and spoilers. Add Coronation Street and Emmerdale to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Soaps coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
EastEnders airs icon's unsettling return to Walford amid heartache in early BBC iPlayer release
Spoiler warning for Thursday 4th December 2025.
Warning: Contains spoilers for Thursday's episode of EastEnders, which airs at 7:30pm on BBC One or can be streamed now on BBC iPlayer. EastEnders aired the dramatic return of Sam Mitchell (Kim Medcalf) in the cliffhanger end to Thursday's episode (4th December 2025). The BBC One soap had already announced the return of Medcalf for a short stint this festive season, while they later revealed the character would be facing a breast cancer diagnosis in upcoming scenes. However, another big facet to Sam's comeback will be her reunion with a former partner in crime, Zoe Slater (Michelle Ryan). Fans have seen - to some frustration - Zoe panic over a mystery tormentor sending chilling messages and scaring her in recent weeks, but the true culprit remains a mystery. Following another outburst in the Queen Vic and pushing the Slaters, punters, and viewers at home to their limit, Zoe was asked to move out by her heartbroken mother, Kat Moon (Jessie Wallace). A newly homeless Zoe sought comfort and a home with her former flame, Dr Anthony Trueman (Nicholas Bailey), who viewers are now aware has been hit with a restraining order by his estranged wife, Sophie, and this is the real reason he's back in Walford. However, after Anthony exposed his thieving and blackmail crimes, Howie Danes (Delroy Atkinson) revealed Anthony's secret to a shocked Zoe. Following this, Zoe continued to confide in her new friend Lauren Beale (Jacqueline Jossa), who had sought her help with babysitting. As the pair walked through Albert Square at night, a high-heeled figure walked through the Square gardens by the lit Christmas tree, and the camera slowly panned to show Sam Mitchell watching over the scene of Zoe and Lauren. Is Sam secretly Zoe's tormentor? Next week, the pair will come face to face, and Zoe is quick to accuse Sam of wanting to settle old scores, but fans will have to wait and see if she is guilty of any misdeeds. Elsewhere today, in the aftermath of his betrayal of Patrick Trueman (Rudolph Walker) being exposed, Howie made one last-ditch effort to save his place in the Trueman-Fox clan, but remained an outcast and an upset Kim Fox (Tameka Empson) called time on their engagement and relationship, making clear that his son Denzel Danes (Jaden Ladega) could stay in his home but Howie had to go. Is there any going back for Kim and Howie? Read more: EastEnders 2025 Christmas schedule confirmed by BBC - including festive episode timings EastEnders advance Christmas spoilers confirm police swarm Albert Square – and reveal Nigel's special episode date EastEnders director reveals "eye-opening" experience crafting special Nigel Bates episode – and his incredible resilience to land the job EastEnders airs shock passion for Zoe Slater following intriguing tormenter twist in BBC iPlayer release EastEnders 2025 Christmas preview: Four major returns as Max Branning bombshells implode in a face-off with Cindy Beale Visit our dedicated EastEnders page for all the latest news, interviews and spoilers. Add EastEnders to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app– download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Soaps coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guideto find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
EastEnders star confirms Max Branning return date and teases "jam-packed" flashforward episode
Max Branning will stay on brand by being at the centre of festive drama.
Actor Jake Wood has confirmed Max Branning’s return date in EastEnders. The BBC One soap aired a shorter return for Max in the Autumn, but now he will be back full-time from December. Speaking on The One Show on Friday (28th November 2025), Jake Wood revealed when fans can expect Max to be back in Walford. Max’s return episode will air on 16th December 2025. This episode follows the return of Max’s former lover, Linda Carter (Kellie Bright), the previous day, after leaving Walford in July for a world cruise. Fans will be well aware that Linda and Max’s family are hiding from him the fact that Linda’s daughter, Annie Carter, is in fact Max’s daughter. Referring to the secret keeping by the other Brannings, Wood revealed: "That’ll be a big betrayal for Max." Max was last seen leaving Walford in disgrace after causing chaos at daughter Lauren’s (Jacqueline Jossa) wedding to Peter Beale (Thomas Law), his past affair with Zoe Slater (Michelle Ryan) being exposed, and failing to convince old flame - and daughter-in-law - Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner) to take up a romance with him before she departed the UK. So, what prompts Max’s return to Albert Square? Of course, the other big thing on the agenda for Max is that he will be the focal point of a special flashforward episode to air on New Year’s Day 2026, but it will be set on New Year’s Day 2027. Little has been revealed about the episode, but only that it chiefly concerns Max and the Brannings and will pose questions about what happens in 2026 and then what will happen next. Wood revealed on The One Show that filming recently concluded on the instalment before teasing it further. "Max is in a lot of trouble in the lead-up," teased Wood. "Those episodes are amazing." He continued: “Then, suddenly, we cut to The Vic, and it’s not New Year’s Day 2026, it’s New Year’s Day 2027. We see Max, obviously, he’s had a very busy year; he’s been in lots of drama; there have been a lot of events that have happened. "I think the audience is really going to love it. There’s gonna be so much speculation. "And it’s just a really interesting way of telling the story because over the next year we’re going to build up to what we’ve seen." He noted, "Honestly, it’s so jam-packed. Full of questions." Wood teased that the episode will be both "intriguing" and "confusing" for viewers, with the cast themselves joining in the intense speculation. Just what trouble has Max got himself into this time? Elsewhere, the coming week will see the departures of Freddie Slater (Bobby Brazier) and Anna Knight (Molly Rainford) as the couple head off travelling, while the week after will see the return of another Walford troublemaker: Sam Mitchell (Kim Medcalf). However, aside from mischief, Sam has an emotive and important storyline for her return stint. Read more: 5 EastEnders spoilers: Teddy Mitchell receives verdict in murder trial as Sam stands accused of being Zoe's tormentor EastEnders director reveals "eye-opening" experience crafting special Nigel Bates episode – and his incredible resilience to land the job EastEnders airs shock passion for Zoe Slater following intriguing tormenter twist in BBC iPlayer release EastEnders 2025 Christmas preview: Four major returns as Max Branning bombshells implode in a face-off with Cindy Beale EastEnders star Alice Haig confirms aftermath of Vicki Fowler's shock kiss with Zack Hudson in BBC iPlayer release EastEnders airs shocking sacrifice following brutal death in BBC iPlayer release EastEnders confirms explosive return of Mitchell icon this Christmas - but why have they returned? Visit our dedicated EastEnders page for all the latest news, interviews and spoilers. Add EastEnders to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app– download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Soaps coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Former James Bond producer's first project post-007 revealed - and it's starring Wicked's Cynthia Erivo
Oscar-nominated star Cynthia Erivo will be joined by David Oyelowo and Rachel Brosnahan.
Former James Bond producer Barbara Broccoli has revealed that her first post-007 feature film will be an adaptation of William Shakespeare's classic tragedy Othello. Deadline reports that Broccoli announced the news at Industry Days in Qatar, hosted by the Film Committee at Media City Qatar in partnership with the Doha Film Institute. The film is reportedly being shot in the Gulf territory and has financial backing from within Qatar. Broccoli is producing the film alongside Nicky Bentham and actor David Oyelowo, who will also star as the titular character. Oyelowo previously played the role of Othello in Broccoli's 2016 theatre production of the play, which reinvisioned the play as being set in US army barracks in Iraq. In addition to Oyelowo, the film will also feature Superman actress Rachel Brosnahan in the role of Othello's wife Desdemona, with Brosnahan also returning from the theatre production. Finally, Broccoli also confirmed that Wicked: For Good star Cynthia Erivo has been cast in the role of Emilia in the adaptation. In the play, Emilia is the maidservant of Desdemona and the wife of the story's antagonist, the scheming Iago. The casting for one of Shakespeare's most iconic villains, Iago, has yet to be confirmed. The news comes after it was revealed earlier this year that Broccoli and her half-brother Michael G Wilson would no longer be in creative control of the James Bond franchise, which would now rest entirely with Amazon MGM Studios. At the time, Broccoli said in a statement: "My life has been dedicated to maintaining and building upon the extraordinary legacy that was handed to Michael and me by our father, producer Cubby Broccoli. "I have had the honour of working closely with four of the tremendously talented actors who have played 007 and thousands of wonderful artists within the industry. "With the conclusion of No Time to Die and Michael retiring from the films, I feel it is time to focus on my other projects." Producer Cubby Broccoli had been involved with the Bond film franchise since its inception. Wicked: For Good is out now in cinemas, while no release date has been set for James Bond 26. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Strictly's Tess Daly put on the spot at Blackpool with question on show future following exit news
Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman have been confirmed to be leaving the show after this year.
Tess Daly was put on the spot over a potential return to Strictly Come Dancing for a suggested All Stars series. The BBC One show's long-running presenter recently confirmed her exit from the show after over two decades in the role, departing alongside co-presenter Claudia Winkleman and sharing a heartfelt message with fans. In this week's Blackpool show (22nd November 2025), the show has welcomed back stars and previous winners for a group performance, which will air on Sunday. However, Tess found herself asked by a former winner, The Wanted star Jay McGuiness, about her future with the Strictly brand, while sitting between him and another former contestant, actor Layton Williams. After Tess noted that Jay would be recreating his Pulp Fiction jive for viewers, Jay said, "I just have to keep reminding myself how lucky you are even to do this show. I think we all feel really lucky to be invited back." However, he then added: 'And, if, hypothetically, there were a Strictly All Stars, would you want to come back one more time for the road, would you Tess?" Tess initially turned to Layton before both men made clear they meant her. She laughed, surprised: "Who? Me? I'm not a dancer!" Layton then added with a wink: "Neither am I, Tess, neither am I." Tess then responded: "Yes, you are!" She then added: 'It's a lovely idea, I like that." Of course, the mention of a potential All-Star series did not go unnoticed by fans of the show on social media. One viewer penned on X, formerly Twitter: "jay mentioning strictly all stars!!! HAS TO HAPPEN!!!!! #strictly @bbcone DO IT PLZ" Another added to the sentiment, penning on the platform: "I would like for Jay's 'All Stars' idea to become reality please #strictly" Meanwhile, a different viewer mused: "Strictly all stars would be interesting" Finally, one concluded: "Strictly All Stars would be amazing!! Give next year a break! Let the best of the best return". View oEmbed on the source website Elsewhere this week, it was confirmed that La Voix has had to withdraw from the 2025 competition on medical grounds, meaning no contestant will be eliminated during the Blackpool shows. Read more: Dame Helen Mirren and Gavin & Stacey icon confirmed for The Repair Shop 2025 Christmas special with an historical twist Claudia Winkleman wasn't first choice to host The Traitors UK - BBC content boss reveals who was Strictly Come Dancing continues on Saturday 21st November at 6:35pm on BBC One and iPlayer. Add Strictly Come Dancing to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
New Emmerdale fan-favourite tipped for exit later this year - but will they return?
The character arrived in the village this Autumn - but how much longer will they stay?
Despite going down well with fans since his debut, it seems actor Chris Coghill may have already filmed an exit for his Emmerdale character Kev Townsend. The ITV soap announced in the summer that the former EastEnders actor would be joining the soap as a mysterious character. Following his introduction in September, Coghill's character turned out to be Kev Townsend, the recently paroled secret husband of show favourite Robert Sugden (Ryan Hawley). Of course, this provided a fresh complication for star-crossed lovers Robert and his ex-husband, Aaron Dingle (Danny Miller), the pair having only just survived Robert's murderous half-brother and Aaron's new husband, John Sugden (Oliver Farnworth), who has since fled the country. An additional twist in the tale saw Kev reveal that he was terminally ill, prompting Robert to stand by Kev until he died, despite his love for Aaron. Since then, a flashback episode revealed the complex relationship between Robert and Kev, while in the present day, Robert ended his romance with Kev, Kev has hidden that he is not actually terminally ill nor as wealthy as Robert believed, and also since returned to a life of crime. Finally, a fresh twist saw it revealed on Friday (21st November 2025) that Kev is also the biological father of another village newcomer, Lewis Barton (Bradley Riches), but this remains a secret from Lewis for the time being. Now, a report from The Sun suggests that Coghill has wrapped filming his planned limited stint as Kev, but the reception to the character and Coghill's performance has left the door open for a return. A source told the paper: "Viewers absolutely love Kev. Bosses knew Chris would be popular because he’s a great actor but for Kev to have become so popular has definitely come as a big surprise." They added: "Chris has filmed scenes through to the end of the year and that was meant to be it. But now the bosses are looking at ways to bring him back in future to give the fans what they want." RadioTimes.com has reached out to ITV for comment on this story. What will happen to Kev that might cause him to leave the village, and what will this mean for the futures of Robert, Aaron, and Kev's son, Lewis? Read more: 5 Emmerdale spoilers next week: Bear Wolf forced to commit heart-wrenching act Emmerdale star Joshua Richards reveals aftermath of harrowing Bear Wolf incident in ITVX release Emmerdale's Ryan Hawley teases Aaron's "explosive" reaction to Robert's secret husband – and backs surprise Kev story Chris Coghill reveals previous Emmerdale role and confirms true nature of new character Kev Emmerdale's Jaye Griffiths reveals future for Celia after shocking twist Emmerdale airs weeknights at 7:30pm on ITV1. Stream on ITVX. Add Emmerdale to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Soaps coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Luther film sequel confirmed by Netflix with Idris Elba joined by returning fan-favourite
John Luther is back on the case - and this time he's got familiar company.
Former DCI John Luther is finally on his way back to our screens in an all-new film outing from Netflix. The Luther television series, led by the iconic Idris Elba, ran for five seasons on the BBC from 2010 to 2019 before receiving a feature-length outing on Netflix and in select cinemas, subtitled The Fallen Sun, in 2023. The film made some small changes to previous plot developments, but served as a sequel to the series. Now John Luther, last seen being recruited by MI5 after escaping prison in the previous film, is set to tackle a new case, and this time he will be joined by some familiar faces. Most importantly for Luther die-hards is the confirmed return of the award-winning Ruth Wilson as Luther's nemesis and sometime love-interest Alice Morgan. The character was last seen falling to her apparent death in the conclusion of the show's fifth season finale, but now Alice is back here. Is the murderous character alive after all, or is something even more sinister happening to John Luther? Elsewhere, series mainstay Dermot Crowley will also reprise his role as Martin Schenk, last seen as a retired ally of Luther in The Fallen Sun. The previous film's cast saw Academy Award nominee and Wicked star Cynthia Erivo join Luther as Odette Raine, the head of the Serious and Serial Crime Unit (SSCU), but she is not currently set to return here. The new film will once again be penned by series creator Neil Cross and will be directed by another series mainstay, Jamie Payne, who also helmed The Fallen Sun. In a statement shared with The Hollywood Reporter, Cross said: "Luther, Alice and Schenk are more than characters to me, they’re family." He added: "I never stop wondering where they are, what’s become of them … and what horrors might be stirring in the shadows of London while Luther’s not around. So we decided to get together and find out what happens next." The film will see Luther attempt to solve a series of seemingly unrelated brutal murders, all while trying to avoid being killed by numerous other parties. Cross previously spoke with us for The Radio Times Writers' Room, our video interview series in which we get to know what makes screenwriters tick, when he was asked about the chances that we will see Luther again. "There are extraordinarily strong possibilities you might see him again," Cross said at the time. "Is that the heaviest hint that’s possible to give without Netflix sending a trained assassin around to silence me? Yeah, there's every chance you will meet him again." Cross also previously hinted at a return for Alice Morgan too. We think we've heard this song before. Luther's next outing is set to begin filming in February 2026, and no release date is currently set. Luther: The Fallen Sun is available to stream on Netflix now. Sign up for Netflix from £5.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream. Check out more of our Movies coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.