EastEnders confirms Ben Wadey's debut episode won't air early on iPlayer – but it'll "get everyone talking"
It's set to be a "summer you don't want to miss" in Walford.
Following on from the confirmation that the first episode of EastEnders credited to executive producer Ben Wadey will air on Monday, we've now had a scheduling update.
While episodes usually arrive each morning on iPlayer, this brand new episode won't, and will instead air on both BBC One and iPlayer at the same time - 7:30pm on Monday 16th June.
Wadey teased the episode, which will follow Chris Clenshaw's final instalment, which aired today (Friday 13th June), saying: "Next week marks the start of something big in Walford that we hope will get everyone talking, and it’s only just the beginning.
"We’ve got twists, shocks, and plenty of drama lined up for a summer you don’t want to miss."
The short synopsis for the episode says: "Jean takes action to right a wrong, Alfie is clearly hiding something, and George gets some advice."
Clenshaw was in the executive producer role on the soap for three years, and stepped down in February, as the soap celebrated its 40th anniversary.
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Wadey previously worked as the story editor on EastEnders, overseeing its 35th anniversary celebrations and a special episode that focused on Linda Carter as she struggled with her alcoholism.
The BBC's head of continuing drama, Kate Oates, previously teased his return to the soap, saying that the show's "heartland characters" have some "really, really big stuff coming up".
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She continued: "We've got some uncharted territory, which considering we're following on the heels of Mr Clenshaw is quite an accolade, because he has broken quite a lot of fresh ground, so I think the challenge for Ben [Wadey], who is our new exec, has been to carry on after Chris's success, but he is very much ready to do that and we're excited as a team.
"We're going to miss Chris terribly, but we're also really excited for what's to come."
EastEnders airs Monday to Thursday 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.
Authors
James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.
