EastEnders boss Ben Wadey confirms truth behind ‘past, present, future’ for Christmas 2025 episodes – and teases Zoe twists

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Okay, so taking the reins as executive producer of EastEnders for your first Christmas? That’s a huge challenge! But Ben Wadey, the show’s boss, has given us a little sneak peek of what we can expect this festive season, and honestly, I’m already excited to see what he’s got planned.

Growing up, and even now as a viewer, Christmas always means EastEnders to me. I always look forward to the Christmas episode, and watching it is usually a central part of my Christmas Day.

I wanted to make Christmas Day special, and I discussed with the writers and team how we could create a series of festive events throughout the holiday season. We decided to base everything around a ‘past, present, and future’ theme.

So, what does this mean? Here are some teasers from Ben Wadey below…

EastEnders’ past: Nigel Bates’s special episode

Wadey explained that this storyline connects to a special episode airing December 23rd, 2025, which centers on Nigel Bates (Paul Bradley) and his battle with dementia. The episode will bring back beloved characters like Pat (Pam St Clement) and Barry Evans (Shaun Williamson), as well as feature appearances from Nigel’s deceased first wife, Debbie Bates (Nicola Duffett).

This episode focuses on Nigel’s wife, Julie Bates, and his close friend Phil Mitchell as they discuss how to care for him as his health gets worse.

Wadey mentioned revisiting a previous storyline in the episode featuring Nigel, which he praised as beautifully written by Richard Davidson. He expressed his pride in the episode’s quality.

Sharing such strong feelings right before Christmas is a bit risky, but I understand why someone might. Christmas can be a difficult time for many, even though it’s often associated with joy, and December really brings out all sorts of emotions.

Wadey explained that the storyline involving Nigel’s dementia was already well-established when he joined the show, thanks to Chris Clenshaw and the team. He and the writers then focused on how to develop it further, exploring innovative storytelling techniques. A key goal was to bring the beloved character Pat back to the screen, as Wadey had always admired Pam St Clement and hoped to work with her.

We came up with this episode idea, and it felt like the perfect way to show our appreciation for the show and its fans. It also allowed us to tell a current story about the challenges and emotions of caring for someone with dementia, particularly during the Christmas season.

The executive producer excitedly rushed to the story office after St. Clement agreed to return to her famous role.

Wadey praised the episode, saying its success was due to the entire team performing at their best, and highlighted Richard Lynn’s excellent direction.

He hinted at the meticulous attention to detail in recreating the Queen Vic pub’s look for the 1990s, including the booth upholstery, costumes, and even the peanut packaging – so watch out for those nostalgic touches!

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EastEnders’ present: Zoe Slater, Jasmine Fisher, and a Beale-Branning festive meal

The Christmas Day episode will heavily feature the ongoing storylines surrounding Zoe Slater, including her search for her son and the person who’s been stalking her. Viewers now also know that Zoe has another daughter, Jasmine, who is also living in the neighborhood.

Wadey updated us on the storyline involving Kat and Zoe, explaining they discovered last week that Jasmine is actually Zoe’s daughter. They shared this reveal just before Christmas to set the stage for further surprises and complexities in the story, hinting that there’s more to the situation than meets the eye.

Questions are swirling around Zoe: Is Jasmine actually her daughter? And is Dr. Anthony Trueman the father of her twins? Plus, will we finally meet Zoe’s son? Someone is also secretly following Zoe, and the truth is about to come out. Whatever happens, Kat Moon is facing a very dramatic Christmas as she returns to running the Queen Vic.

Get ready for a dramatic – and surprisingly funny – Christmas dinner with the Beale and Branning families. It’s going to be quite a ride!

Max Branning’s comeback reveals hidden truths, and his son, Oscar (Pierre Counihan-Moullier), is caught in the middle of the resulting drama over the Christmas period. Oscar’s romantic involvement with Jasmine, combined with his tendency to reveal secrets when he’s been drinking, creates a lot of trouble.

Jake Wood hinted that things are about to get really exciting. He praised the show’s handling of Max’s storyline, saying the way Max reconnects with old characters and uncovers secrets is perfectly timed and creates a lot of drama. He encouraged viewers to keep watching to see what happens.

Wood explained that Max would feel deeply betrayed to learn he has a daughter, Annie Carter (Lois Hawkins), because his family kept it a secret from him.

It’s understandable why he feels that way, but what does this mean for Max and his ex, Linda Carter?

EastEnders’ future: Max Branning’s 2027 flashforward

The episode planned for New Year’s Day 2026 is generating a lot of buzz. It will jump forward in time to early 2027 and focus on Max Branning (played by Jake Wood), who recently returned to the show.

Wadey hinted that the Christmas special would jump forward in time, showing what life looks like for Max and the Branning family a year from now.

Not much is known about the next episode, but it seems Max, Lauren, and Oscar will be the main focus of the storyline.

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Authors

Lewis KnightNews and Trends Editor

I’m Lewis, and I basically get to live and breathe movies and TV as the News and Trends Editor at TopMob. I’m the one who keeps an eye on what’s happening and makes sure we’re giving our audience exactly what they want. Honestly, I’m a total film and TV obsessive – I could talk about Nicole Kidman all day, but I also love sci-fi, independent films, and whatever the latest buzzworthy HBO show is. My background is actually pretty interesting – I studied Psychology, then got my Masters in Film Studies. Before TopMob, I spent three years at The Mirror, working in everything from community management and SEO to covering showbiz, film, and television.

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2025-12-22 00:42