8 EastEnders characters who should have a huge 2025

Indeed, I must admit that EastEnders truly kicked off 2025 in style, delivering an extraordinary week of New Year’s episodes filled with excitement and drama.

The passing of Nish Panesar (Navin Chowdhry) and the marriage between Suki Panesar (Balvinder Sopal) and Eve Unwin (Heather Peace) were significant events that have undeniably set the stage for dramatic developments as we approach the 40th anniversary of the BBC One soap opera in February.

2024 proved to be quite a pivotal year for the soap, as it saw significant roles from characters like The Six, George Knight (Colin Salmon), Cindy Beale (Michelle Collins), Yolande Trueman (Angela Wynter), the killer Reiss Colwell (Jonny Freeman) and returning cast member Whitney Dean (Shona McGarty), all playing prominent parts.

Of course, just like every time, it’s delightful to witness the camaraderie and dedication among such a gifted group of actors. Furthermore, we look forward to nurturing the promising abilities that have been displayed so far.

Here are eight characters we would love to have a huge 2025 in EastEnders.

1. Eve Panesar-Unwin (Heather Peace)

Following a tumultuous year in 2024, especially for Suki Panesar (played brilliantly by Balvinder Sopal), and the intense fireworks on New Year’s Day, Sukeve is now stepping into 2025 with renewed vigor and strength.

Nevertheless, one can’t help but sense a shift where Eve seems to be playing a secondary role in the relationship lately. It appears that we may have overlooked significant growth and development for her character over the past year, especially during the instance when Eve visited her estranged parents after Nish’s mother was severely attacked by someone.

EastEnders has gold dust with Sukeve so let’s hope it makes the best of both of them.

2. Callum Highway (Tony Clay)

Since the sudden departure of Ben Mitchell (Max Bowden) in early 2024, Callum Highway (Tony Clay) seems to have taken a back seat with fewer personal storylines.

In the time since Ben’s incarceration, the narrative most reminiscent of Callum’s tale unfolded when he clashed with pal Johnny Carter (Charlie Suff). This encounter not only advanced the Ballum love story but did so in a manner that remained true to the character and kept fans satisfied.

So far, Callum and Jay Brown (Jamie Borthwick) haven’t been shown much in the storyline involving Lexi Pearce (Isabella Brown), since Lola’s death and Ben’s departure. It would be interesting to explore more about their characters, whether it’s through work, friendships, or potentially other relationships. We look forward to seeing Tony Clay demonstrate his acting skills further in the show soon.

3. Gina Knight (Francesca Henry)

In contrast to her powerful portrayal in the Knight series, Francesca Henry’s performance as Gina Knight in 2024 was relatively subdued. This came after an unfortunate romantic entanglement between her character and the character of rapist Dean Wicks, played by Matt Di Angelo, which turned out to be a poor decision.

From a passionate movie enthusiast’s perspective, I can’t help but feel that by 2025, Gina – the enigmatic and fiery heart of the Knight clan with a past shrouded in tragedy – should truly shine as the leading star among her kin. With Henry’s captivating talent, he certainly has what it takes to support her on the silver screen.

With Cindy Beale’s (Michelle Collins) ongoing struggles and her recent ordeal, let’s hope that Gina gets her moment in the spotlight, developing a storyline all her own soon.

4. Priya Nandra-Hart (Sophie Khan Levy)

During the Chris Clenshaw period, Priya stood out as one of the bright stars, yet remained somewhat underutilized. With actress Sophie Khan Levy demonstrating her ability in both hearty comedic moments that make you laugh out loud and poignant scenes that tug at your heartstrings, she could easily become a captivating character in a soap opera.

Emerging as a convincing matriarch figure, a mischievous charmer, and forming a solid duo with Ravi Gulati (portrayed by Aaron Thiara), this dynamic has been particularly noticeable in the recent New Year episodes and during the summer when she tried to deceive Nish.

We hope Priya will be around Walford for years to come!

5. Nicola Mitchell (Laura Doddington)

In the realm of EastEnders’ 2024 cast, I must say, there’s a fresh face that truly stands out – none other than the new Mitchell matriarch, Nicola Mitchell. She’s not just a newcomer; she’s the one who’s making waves on the Square.

With an irresistible charm, a quick wit, and an intense drive for her goals, Nicola shows more than just a hint of vulnerability but also has the capability to become quite malevolent – this is clear from her actions that threatened Phil Mitchell’s sobriety.

It seems that we’ve barely scratched the surface of Nicola’s storyline thus far, yet with Laura Doddington being so captivating, we eagerly anticipate further exploration of her tumultuous past, her relentless pursuit of ex-husband Teddy (Roland Manookian), her protective nature towards her sons, and her complex relationships with other long-standing characters.

6. Kat Slater (Jessie Wallace)

2024 saw a more subdued period for the renowned Kat, after her high-profile divorce from Phil Mitchell (played by Steve McFadden).

It’s great to see that her screen impact grew significantly as a result of the intense storyline about domestic abuse by her character’s teenage son, Tommy Moon (played by Sonny Kendall). Once more, she demonstrated why she’s one of the top performers in the cast, skillfully portraying both light and dark aspects.

One noteworthy moment was when Kat reunited with her soulmate Alfie Moon (played by Shane Richie), a scene that felt authentic yet fitting for viewers, and it was important to take time to make this moment believable after how poorly he had treated her in 2018.

As it seems that 2025 could bring brighter times for both Kat and ‘Kalfie’, we can’t help but hope that it won’t result in Jessie Wallace fading into the shadows. Her exceptional talent certainly warrants a starring role.

7. Ravi Gulati (Aaron Thiara)

Indeed, Ravi Gulati experienced quite an eventful holiday season and kickoff to 2025, yet when compared to his turbulent 2023 filled with various dramas that he either instigated or was part of, the previous year remained relatively tranquil for him.

Originally, Ravi appeared quite villainous on the show, but as the storyline progressed and Aaron Thiara delivered a compelling performance, Ravi transformed into more of an anti-hero. He’s now focused on safeguarding his family while simultaneously captivating female characters such as Denise Fox (Diane Parish) and his childhood sweetheart Priya.

After his violent actions at New Year, resulting in the murder of his adoptive father Nish Panesar and nearly killing Suki in the process, there are many more aspects to explore about this troubled character – most notably the ongoing love triangle he’s involved in with Denise and her ex-husband Jack Branning (Scott Maslen). However, it seems that Ravi might be better suited with the equally mischievous Priya?

Let’s just hope he gives dangling school pupils over bridges a miss in 2025!

8. Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt)

Yes, we could all do with some more Ian Beale in our lives.

Although Cindy Beale has had a strong presence on the soap during the past year, the show’s longest-running character, Ian, has seen relatively little action recently.

It’s great to see that the Christmas 2024 episodes have brought Adam Woodyatt’s acting talents back into focus, and with the mystery of ‘Who attacked Cindy Beale?’ unfolding, let’s hope Ian becomes the main character in the story.

Since EastEnders has been airing for its 40th anniversary, it seems fitting that the character who has spent the most time on the Square plays a significant role in the plots this year.

2025-01-06 15:34