The BBC series EastEnders, created by Julia Smith and Tony Holland, premiered on 19 February 1985 and will celebrate four decades on air in 2025.
In recent years, the soap has delighted fans with the return of Kathy Beale, Cindy and Peter Beale and Lauren Branning.
And executive producer Chris has teased that more familiar faces will be stopping by Walford in the run-up to the anniversary.
He told The Sun: “As we approach our 40th anniversary, I think the nostalgic element means a lot. Looking ahead to the autumn and the end of the year, we have a lot of surprises ahead of us.”
EastEnders showrunner Chris Clenshaw (pictured) has hinted that the soap’s 40th anniversary celebrations will see the return of a number of beloved characters.
BBC’s EastEnders, created by Julia Smith and Tony Holland, premiered in 1985 and will celebrate four decades on air in 2025. Pictured: fan favourite Grant Mitchell (Ross Kemp).
In recent years, the soap has delighted fans with the returns of Kathy Beale, Cindy and Peter Beale (pictured) and Lauren Branning.
Asked if that meant the return of long-gone characters, Chris coyly replied: “Maybe. It all depends on the story and where the characters are. But it has to come from the character, it has to come from the story.”
As to whether he had been inserting clues into the scripts, Chris added: “It would depend on when you look back on it, but probably. The 40th anniversary has been in the works for quite a while and Christmas is already underway. In the story office there’s a board and everything connects. I liken it to a tapestry board – everything has to fit together.”
Several former cast members previously returned for Dot Cotton’s funeral in 2022.
They included Colin Russell (Lord Michael Cashman CBE), Barry Clark (Gary Hailes), George “Lofty” Holloway (Tom Watt), Mary “the punk” Smith (Linda Davidson) and Disa O’Brien (Jan Graveson).
Jacqueline Jossa (Lauren Branning) also returned and has since become a permanent fixture again.
Michelle Collins’ character Cindy Beale, who was murdered in 1998, has been making headlines since her death in 2023.
She has resumed her relationship with her ex-husband Ian Beale, but continues to yearn for her second ex-husband, George Knight.
However, this didn’t stop her from sleeping with George’s son in jaw-dropping scenes that aired in June.
Michelle Collins’ character Cindy Beale, who was murdered in 1998, is currently in a love triangle with her ex-husbands George Knight (Colin Salmon, left) and Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt).
Fans will remember that Cindy and Ian share twins: Lucy and Peter Beale.
Lucy was brutally murdered by her own half-brother Bobby, Ian’s son, something Cindy only discovered when she returned.
With her second husband, George, Cindy has two daughters, Gina and Anna Knight. George is currently married to Elaine, Linda Carter’s mother.
His youngest daughter, Anna, will soon see her world come crashing down around her when something is slipped into her drink.
