‘Cor, it’s a bit whiffy in here, isn’t it?” At 7pm on February 19, 1985, we were greeted by Simon May’s now-iconic theme music and the distinctive intro featuring the River Thames – later followed by that memorable opening line.
The BBC launched this new soap drama in a bid to rival ITV’s Coronation Street, aiming for a broad audience with episodes airing twice weekly. Co-created by producer Julia Smith and writer Tony Holland, the series depicted a raw narrative set in a Victorian square located in the fictional London borough of Walford. Initially, the show was considered for several titles, including Square Dance, Round the Houses, and London Pride, before settling on the name EastEnders.
The debut episode attracted an impressive 17 million viewers, with numbers peaking at an astonishing 30 million the following year. Today, four episodes of EastEnders rank among the UK’s Top 10 most-viewed television broadcasts ever, excluding sports and news.
Marking its 40th anniversary this week, the BBC is celebrating with nostalgic documentaries, interactive storylines, and a live show. We commemorate the occasion by revisiting its 40 most unforgettable moments, featuring insights from its creators and cast. Together, let’s chant: “Get outta my pub!”
Our entry into E20 foreshadowed the dark themes that would come to define the series. Neighbors burst into 23 Albert Square, concerned for Reg Cox (Johnnie Clayton). They discovered the elderly man lifeless in his armchair, murdered by “Nasty” Nick Cotton (John Altman) for his war medals. Welcome to Walford.
Michelle Fowler’s (Susan Tully) unexpected teenage pregnancy became the first major mystery of the series: Who’s the father? Four men from Walford were potential candidates. Ultimately, it was disclosed that Den Watts (Leslie Grantham), the pub landlord of the Queen Vic, was the one. His moniker “Dirty Den” was well-earned.
Among the show’s most legendary scenes, a record audience of 30.1 million viewers were left aghast when the unscrupulous Den presented divorce papers to his wife Angie (Anita Dobson) while uttering a now-iconic festive phrase.
Faced with financial difficulties, patriarch Arthur Fowler (Bill Treacher) resorted to using the Christmas Club funds to finance Michelle’s wedding. His mental breakdown led to a moment of destruction as “Arfur” demolished the decorations before collapsing in tears beside the Christmas tree.
Activist and actor Michael Cashman stirred controversy even before his character appeared, as the casting of him as the openly gay graphic designer Colin Russell prompted headlines like “EastBenders” in the Sun. “Amid the AIDS crisis, Thatcher’s government, and rampant homophobia, the mere introduction of a gay character was staggering,” says Cashman. “The BBC showed incredible bravery. That headline foreshadowed what lay ahead.”
The News of the World publicly outed Cashman’s partner Paul, a move he deemed unforgivable, revealing their neighborhood. Terror soon followed, with a brick thrown through their window shortly after the paper was released. “Strangely, it empowered me,” Cashman recalls. “As I picked up the brick, I thought: ‘If you think you can scare me…’”
Colin made history as the first openly gay individual in a British soap, notably when he shared a kiss with his boyfriend Barry (Gary Hailes) on the forehead. “We didn’t fully grasp the significance at the time. There were parliamentary inquiries, and some politicians called for the show’s cancellation. However, feedback suggested the public was significantly more accepting. In an age devoid of LGBTQ role models, it offered solace to many. We shattered stereotypes and catalyzed positive shifts.”
A year later, Colin shared a kiss with his new boyfriend, Guido (Nicholas Donovan), this time on the lips. “Aside from Piers Morgan, who denigrated it in the Sun as ‘a love scene between yuppie poofs,’ the second kiss passed with minimal fallout. The first provoked uproar, but this time it was barely a ripple.” (Morgan later retracted his derogatory comments.)
Taking advantage of his newfound fame, Cashman campaigned against section 28, a government law that prohibited the promotion and teaching of homosexuality. “To their credit, the BBC never once advised against my activism. The only person I consulted was June Brown, who played Dot Cotton, as we were due to shoot together the day of the protest. June was an old-school Tory, but she made arrangements for me to attend. That moment set my course in life. Without it, I wouldn’t have co-founded Stonewall with Ian McKellen or become a member of the House of Lords. EastEnders gave me my voice and the courage to utilize it.”
The storyline ventured into cockney gangster themes when the nefarious Den was shot by a hitman who cleverly concealed his weapon among a bouquet of daffodils. Den ended up in the canal, presumed dead.
A revolutionary Boxing Day installment featured Mark Fowler (Todd Carty) revealing his HIV-positive status to his parents, making him the first major soap character diagnosed with the disease. This narrative was developed in partnership with the Terrence Higgins Trust.
There’s a threshold to earning the “gate” suffix for scandals, and this love triangle inspired by Tristan and Isolde crossed it. The turbulent marriage of Grant (Ross Kemp) and Sharon Mitchell culminated in her seeking solace with her brother-in-law Phil (Steve McFadden), leading to an affair. A drunken Sharon’s unguarded confession to her best friend failed to recognize she was being recorded. A heartbroken Grant discovered the tape and played it to an audience in a packed pub during Phil’s engagement party, before drying his eyes and assaulting his brother.
“Sharon and Phil always had undeniable chemistry,” reflects Letitia Dean, who portrays Sharon. “The breadcrumbs were laid throughout, making it exhilarating to ultimately explore it. None of us anticipated its monumental impact. Fans approached me in supermarkets, saying, ‘Sharon’s a naughty one, but Phil treats her so much better.’ I still receive comments about it, despite it being over three decades ago.”
The pub confrontation took two days of filming, capturing the dramatic encounter from various angles. “Most of the cast was involved, and you could have heard a pin drop when Grant played the recording,” she recalls with a laugh. “It’s a rare occurrence for the Vic to be silent during shoots.”
Phil’s fiancée, Kathy, reacted to the betrayal with a slap and a harsh insult directed at Sharon. “In those days, we performed our slaps for real, without stunt coordinators,” Dean says. “I just told Gillian Taylforth, who played Kathy, to be cautious of my earrings. My accessories would make Pat Butcher envious! I prefer the authenticity of a real slap, but it was executed rather softly.”
The prolonged storyline captivated 25 million viewers at its zenith. “That’s what I cherish about EastEnders,” Dean shares. “Stories are given room to breathe, and then bam, the drama explodes.” After four decades, Dean still relishes those climactic “doof doof” moments: “You must maintain the intensity and emotion longer than usual. Once the director yells cut, I often burst into laughter.”
“You witch!” “You cow!” An all-out clash between the leading women unfolded as Peggy Mitchell (Barbara Windsor) and Pat Butcher (Pam St Clement) tussled for Frank’s (Mike Reid) affections.
“Tiff the Stiff” screamed the Daily Star. Following her abusive ex Grant Mitchell’s snatching of their daughter, Courtney, the beloved barmaid (Martine McCutcheon) chased after them, only to be struck by Frank Butcher’s vehicle.
When nightclub owner Steve Owen (Martin Kemp) was mocked by an old flame, Saskia (Deborah Sheridan-Taylor), regarding an aborted baby, he struck her with a marble ashtray, discreetly buried her body in Epping Forest, and set up his DJ for the crime.
Tension built as siblings clashed over Grant’s affair with Phil’s ex, Kathy. An emotional Phil held Grant at gunpoint, forcing him to drive at breakneck speeds before they careened into the river, ruining their no-claims bonus.
Knock, knock! Who’s there? Frank, on Pat’s doorstep, sporting nothing but a flashy dickie bow. A memory forever etched in viewers’ minds.
“Dorothy Cotton, I’m apprehending you on suspicion of possessing class B narcotics.” The lovable Dot inadvertently became a drug user when she mistook cannabis for herbal tea, served a cup to an officer, and ended up arrested, understandably fainting from shock.
Cult favorite Sonia (Natalie Cassidy) is preparing to depart after a remarkable 32-year journey on the show. She once found herself at the center of a teenage pregnancy narrative, having been completely unaware of her condition until her labor led to giving birth to a daughter.
Before the widespread discourse around assisted dying took root, terminally ill Ethel Skinner (Gretchen Franklin) earnestly pleaded with her dear friend Dot to assist her in concluding her life. Dot, grappling with her religious ethics, ultimately consented, leading to their heartfelt farewell.
The Slater sisters made an unforgettable entrance in Albert Square in 2000, yet there was an unexpected twist. Young Zoe (Michelle Ryan) clashed with her protective sister Kat (Jessie Wallace), declaring, “You can’t tell me what to do! You aren’t my mother!” The nation gasped when Kat retorted, “Yes, I am!” This line has since become one of the most quoted in soap history.
The gravelly-voiced tough guy became the subject of a who-dun-it akin to a JR-from-Dallas plot when he was shot on his doorstep by an unknown assailant, who was ultimately revealed to be his ex-lover, Lisa Fowler (Lucy Benjamin). Lesson learned? Spoiler: not quite.
Little Mo Slater (Kacey Ainsworth) endured relentless abuse from her husband Trevor Morgan (Alex Ferns). On New Year’s Eve, yet another attack escalated, leading her to defend herself by striking him with an iron. Believing she had killed him, she returned with her sisters, only to find Trevor was no longer there.
“His first line back had to be: ‘Hello, princess.’ Anything else would have fallen flat,” shares screenwriter Sarah Phelps, who contributed nearly 100 episodes to EastEnders over her decade-long tenure. This included the pivotal week when the original pub landlord Den Watts made a shocking return to Albert Square, astonishing his daughter Sharon, who, along with 16 million other viewers, presumed he was dead.
“Getting to work with such an iconic character was pure delight,” Phelps recounts. “The secrecy surrounding it was remarkable. After a script meeting, I accidentally left my notes at the pub, and I ran there faster than I ever have in my life! Thankfully, the folder was untouched.” In the reunion sequence, Sharon is struck dumb before rushing to the restroom to vomit. “It was sheer shock,” Phelps reflects. “Her life was turned upside down. Would she leap into his embrace? No, the reaction was to throw up. That’s what I would do.”
She readily dismisses notions that the storyline was too far-fetched. “I appeared on Radio 4, and Mark Lawson quipped, ‘This is insane, isn’t it?’ to which I replied: ‘Is it?’ Just look at John Darwin, the canoe man. Life can be more outrageous than fiction. People often walk out of their lives – and occasionally return.”
Dirty Den’s comeback was wrapped in a contentious narrative centered around incest. “I was a newcomer to EastEnders when I pitched the plot of Sharon having an affair with her adoptive brother, Young Dennis. It was a controversial concept. I received letters condemning it, saying things like: ‘You are filthy! I switched it off and only returned to see who wrote it.’ Then we introduced Old Dennis into the equation. The old lion returned to find this new contender on his territory – a writer’s dream come true.”
His return spurred a surge in ratings and earned the title of the viewers’ favorite soap revival. Phelps completed the circle 18 months later by scripting Den’s second and definitive murder, meted out by three betrayed women of Walford: “I wanted it to be mythic. These Furies ushering in retribution.” Now a Bafta-winning writer, Phelps lauds her early education in storytelling through EastEnders: “Soaps serve as rigorous training grounds for television. If you can thrive there, you can succeed anywhere. It’s like people’s theater; a Greek tragedy adorned with acrylic nails. It’s grand, it’s massive, and I adore it.”
During a fierce tirade on their Highland honeymoon, Janine Butcher (Charlie Brooks) informed the comical Barry Evans (Shaun Williamson) that their marriage was a facade and unceremoniously hurled him off a cliff. As if that wasn’t enough, she taunted him as he perished.
The festive seasons are always thrilling in the enchanting world of Walford. This was highlighted when the Branning-Slater clan gathered to unwrap presents in front of the television. Bradley Branning (Charlie Clements) was given a DVD of his wedding day, and everyone encouraged him to watch it—only to be met with stunned silence when the footage revealed the bride Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner) kissing her father-in-law, Max (Jake Wood).
“The moment the audience saw that kiss captured on camcorder, it turned into a ticking time bomb,” Turner remarks. “This is EastEnders! Secrets never stay hidden for long in Albert Square. It wasn’t a matter of whether it would emerge but when. The storyline unfolded slowly, allowing the audience to fully engage and amplifying the tension.”
Filming the living room scene was excruciatingly awkward, as realizations dawned upon the various generations present regarding what they were witnessing. “The expressions on everyone’s faces were hilariously cringeworthy!” Turner laughs. “We shot it in only two takes. It felt so natural, almost as if it was occurring in real life.”
“I grew up watching EastEnders with my family, always knowing the Christmas episodes would be especially intense,” she reflects. “Shooting feels incredibly special when it’s for a Christmas Day episode. The reaction was monumental. Grannies in the street would tell me that Stacey should ‘just settle down with that lovely boy Bradley’ or inquire, ‘What are you doing with Max?’ I often received warnings about him from viewers.”
As her husband Jim Branning (John Bardon) lay in the hospital following a stroke, Dot recorded an emotional half-hour message for him. This Talking-Heads-style soliloquy marked the soap’s only single-hander episode and earned June Brown a Bafta nomination.
Larry Lamb starred as the villainous Archie Mitchell, who met his demise after being brutally struck with the bust of the Queen Vic. Many were suspected, but in the show’s inaugural live episode, Stacey Slater emerged as the murderer.
This storyline depicted closeted Syed Masood (Marc Elliott) engaged in a covert relationship with Christian Clarke (John Partridge). On the day of his arranged traditional Pakistani wedding, Syed disclosed his truth, yet his mother, Zainab (Nina Wadia), pressured him to proceed with the ceremony, leading to a poignant horseback procession through the square.
Phil Mitchell, after losing custody of his daughter Louise (then played by Brittany Papple), succumbed to crack addiction. These scenes gained traction on social media, while provoking complaints due to its portrayal of drug use during pre-watershed hours. Phil would later accuse his mother Peggy of loving the Queen Vic more than him, culminating in him setting the pub ablaze. Just say no, kids.
Meme immortality was achieved by Vanessa Gold (Zöe Lucker) when she discovered her love interest Max Branning had reconciled with his wife. In a jealous frenzy, she destroyed her sitting room, stabbing a photo frame while repeatedly mumbling: “Bubbly’s in the fridge.”
One of the most controversial plots in the series saw Ronnie Branning (Samantha Womack) tragically switch her deceased baby with Kat Slater’s newborn. This prompted a record 14,000 complaints and led producers to abruptly end the divisive storyline.
“I’ve got nothing left!” Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt) lamented after the murder of his daughter Lucy. Strangely, he sought solace in the embrace of his nemesis Phil Mitchell, who infamously referred to him as “Beale the Squeal” and once dunked his head into a toilet. This scene evolved into a tear-streaked gif, rivaling James Van Der Beek’s emotional breakdown in Dawson’s Creek.
Mick Carter (Danny Dyer), the pub landlord, aimed for a romantic Christmas proposal to his beloved Linda (Kellie Bright), only to discover that she had been raped by his “nephew” Dean Wicks (Matt Di Angelo). As Mick overturned the festive dinner table and assaulted Dean, the resonating words echoed: “He’s your brother!”
The 30th-anniversary live episode revolved around revealing Lucy’s killer. However, the standout moment came when Tanya Branning mistakenly asked, “How’s Adam?” referring to Ian Beale, leading Jo Joyner to tweet humorously: “At least you know it’s live #gutted.”
Nick Cotton was a constant source of trouble for his mother, Dot, who ultimately abandoned her moral principles. After she procured heroin for Nick, which turned out to be bad, she ignored his cry for help, allowing “Jesus to decide instead.”
One day, Sharon stumbled into the Arches garage to find her husband Phil Mitchell with a mysterious woman. Noticing a forgotten sandwich, she quipped, “Cheese and pickle? Basic.” The line became so popular that T-shirts were printed, and drag queens lip-synced it in performances.
Max Branning was wrongly accused of murdering Lucy Beale (originally played by Hetti Bywater). The true murderer was revealed to be her half-brother Bobby. In a moment of rage, 10-year-old Bobby (then portrayed by Eliot Carrington) struck Jane (Laurie Brett) with a hockey stick, later confessing in front of a crowded pub: “I’ve killed Mum, just like I killed Lucy.” Gasps echoed.
With terminal breast cancer, matriarch Peggy Mitchell returned for a heart-wrenching farewell. Eventually hallucinating the scent of cigarette smoke, she envisioned her long-time rival Pat, “with earrings rattling like Marley’s chains.” After Pat promised to support her, Peggy chose to end her life through an overdose.
Beloved characters Ronnie and Roxy Mitchell (Rita Simons) faced a devastating end when they were killed off together. Following Ronnie’s wedding, the sisters sneaked into a swimming pool, celebrating with champagne. Roxy dove in but never resurfaced; Ronnie attempted to save her, only to be pulled under by her heavy wedding dress.
While Phil was off dealing in Spain, Sharon found romance with young toyboy Keanu Taylor (Danny Walters), giving rise to the portmanteau “Sheanu.” Phil’s unexpected return coincided with a scene where Keanu was tied up in bed with pink fuzzy handcuffs. Awkward.
When the Queen Vic earned a riverboat party for Pub of the Year, the night turned chaotic. An evening of festive revelry led to fights, overdoses, a boat crash, Sharon Watts (formerly Mitchell) going into labor, and Ian Beale accidentally causing the death of her child. Anchors away!
EastEnders is renowned for unexpected returns, and Cindy Beale’s comeback after 25 years was the most remarkable.
“When I got the call, I had to sit down,” reflects Michelle Collins. “I informed my agent that for it to be believable, Cindy would need to fake her death and enter witness protection. The producers proposed this exact concept. I gasped and thought, ‘Oh my God, this could genuinely work.’ The only downside was keeping it secret for a year, attending rehearsals in a concealed vehicle under an alias in the script.”
As the new landlord of the Queen Vic, George Knight (Colin Salmon) arrived still mourning his mysterious lost love Rose. After hours, he selected Seal’s “Kiss from a Rose” for the jukebox and attempted to contact her. Cut to a familiar figure lounging by a pool in France, ignoring the call—Cindy, who the public believed had died in prison back in 1998.
“It was extravagantly camp, like: ta-da, she’s back!” Collins chuckles. “I even had a wind machine blowing through my hair. She was the cat that got the cream, enjoying rosé by her pool. Who wouldn’t want that lifestyle? I thought I’d be filming in France, but it turned out to be in Radlett. I might not have signed on had I known! Regardless, the reception was overwhelming. My phone was inundated with notifications. People serenaded me with ‘Kiss from a Rose.’ Younger fans approach me and say: ‘Cindy’s fierce, man, she’s sick.’ I respond: ‘Thank you?!’”
Collins passionately defends the soap genre. “There’s undeniable elitism, yet they excel in representing working-class individuals and racial diversity,” she argues. “Also, they highlight the narratives of older women, giving them a platform that other TV dramas often neglect. While I feared I’d forgotten how to embody Cindy, it felt like slipping into a familiar old slipper. She’s resilient, and that’s something we share. I’ll raise a lipstick-streaked glass of rosé in celebration of the anniversary. Just don’t ask me if I’ll return in another 40 years!”
EastEnders boasts a proud tradition of two-hander episodes, with a recent standout moment being Yolande Trueman (Angela Wynter) disclosing to her husband Patrick (Rudolph Walker) about her assault by their pastor. Both performances were profoundly stirring.
Catch EastEnders’ concluding three 40th-anniversary episodes airing simultaneously on BBC One and BBC iPlayer from February 18 to 20. The initial episode is already available on iPlayer.
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