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The residents of Albert Square are determined to have a peaceful Christmas this year. But with secrets festering, families fractured and pressure building, will they all get the Christmas they asked Santa for?

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1 hour

Audio described

Music Played

  • Shakin鈥� Stevens

    Merry Christmas Everyone

  • Band Aid

    Do They Know It's Christmas?

Full Synopsis

Early on Christmas morning, Phil wakes in his armchair to find Sharon stuffing stockings; he鈥檚 surprised when Sharon informs him Michelle鈥檚 returned and is spending Christmas with Martin. Phil鈥檚 pleased to note Sharon鈥檚 wearing her eternity ring. The Mitchells open presents; Dennis gives Phil a 1,000 piece jigsaw puzzle. When Phil jokes he hopes he lives long enough to finish it, Sharon falters, noted by Ben. As he heads off to No. 45, Jay berates him. Ben insists he鈥檒l be back for lunch but needs to get away from Sharon acting likes it鈥檚 just another Christmas. Jay wants to help Sharon with dinner but she shoos him away. Alone, jittery Sharon drops a tray of parsnips. Billy and Honey arrive with the kids. Janet shows Louise her doll鈥檚 house. As Phil snoozes, Billy chats about Christmases past. Phil鈥檚 unresponsive.

Billy hurries into the kitchen; he鈥檚 preparing a panicking Sharon for the worst when groggy Phil suddenly wanders in 鈥� what time are they eating? Honey chastises Billy for not knowing a dead person from a sleeping one. Sharon鈥檚 upset when Ben texts to say he鈥檚 eating at No. 45. Lunch is a subdued affair; Louise won鈥檛 get off her phone and Roxy鈥檚 hung-over. Sharon tries to keep the peace while a seething Jay brands Ben out of order for staying at Ian鈥檚. Sharon escapes into the kitchen as Phil鈥檚 phone rings. Jay follows as Sharon frets that she doesn鈥檛 want to spoil Christmas but can鈥檛 help thinking it鈥檚 Phil鈥檚 last. Louise shouts from the living room 鈥� the hospital is on the phone. Phil looks at Sharon 鈥� they鈥檝e got a liver. Sharon and Phil head to the hospital in a taxi, accompanied by Michelle. Jay races round to No.45 to tell Ben. In the taxi, Phil gets a text from Tony who鈥檚 also been called in. Phil explains to Sharon he鈥檚 just the back up again, to her disappointment.

Meanwhile at No. 45, Kathy offers to take anxious Ben to hospital but he snaps at her. At the hospital, Sharon, Phil and Michelle wait anxiously for the liver to arrive. Shirley鈥檚 disgusted Ben鈥檚 not with his family and tells him to man up. Ben heeds her words and hurries home. Meanwhile, Michelle seeks out Sharon in the hospital chapel as she prays for Phil 鈥� she鈥檚 needed. A shell-shocked Phil is being prepped for surgery - Tony wasn鈥檛 well enough. Phil admits he鈥檚 scared and tells Sharon her loves her as he鈥檚 wheeled into surgery. As they wait, Sharon questions Michelle about why she鈥檚 back but she avoids the question. Emotional Sharon talks about her past with Phil, and thinks he鈥檚 changed - she can鈥檛 lose him. She鈥檚 touched when Ben arrives with Louise, Dennis and Jay with sandwiches to wait with her.

At the Vic, the Carters face Christmas without Linda and Johnny; Babe attempts to take over Christmas dinner from Whitney but Mick turfs her out of the kitchen. Later, Babe finds a solemn Mick alone in the bedroom. Babe gives Mick Linda鈥檚 present - a homemade jumper. It鈥檚 hideous, huge and Mick loves it. Over Christmas dinner, Mick commends Whitney for a job well done. Linda鈥檚 going to video call from Spain later - Elaine isn鈥檛 doing well and can鈥檛 speak. Whitney proposes a toast to Elaine. Later, the family are video calling Linda and Johnny when the lights go out - it鈥檚 a power cut and the whole Square is in darkness.

Mick despairs - he鈥檇 been waiting all day to see Linda. Babe discovers the gas ovens are working downstairs. Lee suggests they could cook Christmas dinners, and points out Linda wouldn鈥檛 let a power cut spoil Christmas. Mick orders Lee to run round the Square to tell everyone to bring their food over. The Square鈥檚 residents congregate at the Vic and jostle for space in the kitchen. Mick commends Lee for rallying everyone. Whitney proudly shows off her Christmas present from Lee - a diamond necklace. When Mick鈥檚 laptop battery dies, Derek strikes up a tune on the piano. Mick eventually gets through to Linda on video call; she opens her present and bursts into tears when she sees the necklace to replace her gran鈥檚 one. Downstairs, Shirley pulls a wishbone with Sylvie, who wishes her daughter Shirley would visit.

During dinner, Billy gets a text that Phil鈥檚 having the liver transplant. Mick leads a toast to Phil. Derek takes song requests and Kathy calls for 鈥楤ring me Sunshine鈥�. While everyone sings, the lights suddenly come back on. Two policemen enter, and lead Lee outside, where he鈥檚 arrested for conspiracy to commit robbery. Whitney follows, shocked. As Lee gets into the police car, he orders Whitney not to tell Mick.

At No.31, Stacey, Martin and Bex discuss Michelle鈥檚 unexpected arrival as they open presents with Lily; Stacey鈥檚 convinced something鈥檚 happened in America while Bex wonders if she left her husband. Martin insists Michelle will tell them if she wants to. Kat鈥檚 sent Lily a scooter for Christmas. Stacey bemoans the loss of their turkey. Bex video calls Sonia at work. When Michelle gets up, Stacey pointedly wonders how long she鈥檚 staying. Martin assures Michelle she can stay as long as she wants. When Michelle raises her eyebrows at Stacey鈥檚 鈥榯oad in the festive hole鈥�, Stacey determines to serve a proper dinner and beseeches Denise to open the Minute Mart. She arrives home with BBQ chicken, stunned to find a huge turkey鈥檚 been delivered with no note.

Meanwhile, a Christmas pudding is delivered to the Beales, and crackers to the Mitchells, which are immediately bagged by Billy. In No. 31, Michelle slips off to the allotments while the family hacks up the turkey to fit in the oven. She ignores a phone call from Martin and kneels next to Arthur鈥檚 old plot 鈥� she wishes he was here. Later, Michelle rings Mark but the call is rejected. Billy鈥檚 perplexed when all the cracker jokes are the same, with the answer 鈥楲ast Christmas鈥�. Later, Stacey鈥檚 heading back to the Vic from No. 31, when a man emerges from the shadows and wishes her a Merry Christmas 鈥� did she get the turkey he sent? It鈥檚 Max Branning.

Kathy鈥檚 appalled when Ian announces they鈥檙e doing Christmas differently this year with beef wellington and festive nibbles instead of turkey. Kathy complains about the lack of sausages on sticks to Jane, who quietly reveals they鈥檙e Bobby鈥檚 favourites - they wanted to see him today but he鈥檚 taken them off the visitors list. Lauren鈥檚 unimpressed not to have heard from Max. Tipsy Kathy reminisces about Christmases when Ian was a child and treats the family to a rendition of 鈥楤ring me Sunshine鈥�. Steven finds a Christmas pudding left on the doorstep. Ian baulks as he reads the note 鈥楳erry Christmas from Lucy鈥�. He bins the pudding, lies it was delivered to the wrong address and rips up the note.

At No.20, Denise is irked when Patrick reveals he鈥檚 invited Derek to spend Christmas with them. Stacey sympathises and thinks Denise must be excited for next Christmas with her baby. Kim video calls from Montserrat; Denise is horrified when Kim reveals she鈥檚 told their mum about the baby. Once the power鈥檚 out, grumpy Denise is reluctant to go to the Vic but Patrick coaxes her out. A tipsy Derek laughs that Patrick鈥檚 a bad influence; Denise whispers to Libby that Derek has a crush, and later shares her suspicion with Kush. When she tells Patrick, he laughs, but Denise is insistent. Derek invites Patrick over to his place; Patrick quickly asks if he can bring Dot, hinting that they鈥檙e very close.

Dot grumbles when the stray cat knocks over a photo of Ethel and poos on the carpet. As Dot eats Christmas dinner alone, she talks to the cat about past Christmases and names it Ethel. During the power cut, Dot frantically searches for the cat; finding her curled on the couch, Dot sits with her and soothes she鈥檚 not a stray anymore. Alerted by the flickering torchlight, Patrick calls round; he feels awful no one attended Dot鈥檚 party and she鈥檚 spent the day alone. Dot refuses to come to the Vic, insisting her eyes are fine in the dark. Patrick pointedly wanders why Dot鈥檚 calling a tom cat 鈥楨thel鈥�, and drags her to the Vic. Everyone offers heartfelt apologies for not attending her party and Dot鈥檚 presented with a retirement gift 鈥� a washing machine.

On the Square, Jack spots hung-over Roxy walking home with no shoes on. Later in the Vic, Amy shies away from Roxy. Jack explains she鈥檚 afraid of the dark. When Roxy lets Amy have chocolates before dinner, Jack berates her and drags Amy away. Roxy storms off to the toilets. Jack returns with Amy to No.27 as Ronnie nurses a poorly Ricky, while, in the Vic, a wired Roxy throws herself into the celebrations.

Carmel鈥檚 pleased when Donna tells her to come to the market traders Christmas party.

Credits

Role Contributor
Max Branning Jake Wood
Stacey Fowler Lacey Turner
Martin Fowler James Bye
Bex Fowler Jasmine Armfield
Sonia Fowler Natalie Cassidy
Michelle Fowler Jenna Russell
Dot Branning June Brown
Abi Branning Lorna Fitzgerald
Lauren Branning Jacqueline Jossa
Jack Branning Scott Maslen
Ronnie Mitchell Samantha Womack
Roxy Mitchell Rita Simons
Louise Mitchell Tilly Keeper
Ben Mitchell Harry Reid
Phil Mitchell Steve McFadden
Sharon Mitchell Letitia Dean
Jay Brown Jamie Borthwick
Billy Mitchell Perry Fenwick
Honey Mitchell Emma Barton
Donna Yates Lisa Hammond
Kush Kazemi Davood Ghadami
Shakil Kazemi Shaheen Jafargholi
Carmel Kazemi Bonnie Langford
Denise Fox Diane Parish
Libby Fox Belinda Owusu
Kim Fox-Hubbard Tameka Empson
Vincent Hubbard Richard Blackwood
Patrick Trueman Rudolph Walker
Kathy Beale Gillian Taylforth
Steven Beale Aaron Sidwell
Ian Beale Adam Woodyatt
Jane Beale Laurie Brett
Linda Carter Kellie Bright
Mick Carter Danny Dyer
Johnny Carter Ted Reilly
Lee Carter Danny-Boy Hatchard
Whitney Carter Shona McGarty
Shirley Carter Linda Henry
Tina Carter Luisa Bradshaw-White
Sylvie Carter Linda Marlowe
Babe Smith Annette Badland
Amy Mitchell Abbie Knowles
Dennis Rickman Bleu Landau
Janet Mitchell Grace
Will Mitchell Freddie Phillips
Lily Fowler Aine Garvey
Ricky Mitchell Henri Charles
Derek Harkinson Ian Lavender
DC Fred Cole Victor Gardener
Marcus Greaves-Smith Dominic Jephcott
Dermot Hayes Geoffrey Newland
Delivery Man Jack Brundle
Heather Trott Cheryl Fergison
Executive Producer Sean O'Connor
Director Michael Owen Morris
Writer Daran Little

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