KATHY Beale is celebrating her birthday and Rocky Cotton does all he can to make it special.
Meanwhile, mystery enemy throws The Vic into chaos. Get the lowdown on all the EastEnders drama.
EastEnders spoilers for today
Linda Carter (played by Kellie Bright) re-introduced her mother Elaine Peacock (Harriet Thorpe) in explosive scenes aired on BBC One last night.
This evening, the new Vic co-owner makes herself right at home as the fallout of her return continues.
She quickly charms some punters and puts others in their place but Nish Panesar's (Navin Chowdhry) intimidation tactics have no impact on her.
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But how will she'll find the Vic bar trashed by mystery intruders?
Could the Panesar clan try to get revenge?
Elsewhere in Walford, Rocky Cotton (Brian Conley) is thrown into a panic when Sonia Fowler pulls out of the special performance concocted for Kathy Beale's (Gillian Taylforth) Eurovision-themed party.
He begs Jean Slater (Gillian Wright) to step in before making a frantic phone call to an old contact.
Soon, Rocky's mystery guest appears in Albert Square - but who could it be?
Ben Mitchell (Max Bowden) is also working hard to finish in time for his mother's birthday party.
Jay Brown (Jamie Borthwick) drops in to explain he'll need to take Lexi as Lola Pearce is too tired to go.
Ben breaks down in exhaustion and when he turns up at the party, he's horrified to find he forgot Lexi.
He soon decides to knock back the booze before picking a fight with Vinny Panesar (Shiv Jalota).
Fists are about to fly but can Ben stop himself from spiralling before it's too late?
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Who is in the cast of EastEnders?
Families, hated or loved, have come and gone from Albert Square since the program was first broadcasted.
The line-up has been put through many shake-ups with numerous new faces taking their part in the drama.
However, familiar faces are also in the mix, despite multiple exits and explosive returns.
Sharon Watts actress Letitia Dean has most notably been in the Square since day one and viewers have been able to watch her grow up from a shy teen into a cunning femme fatale and sharp businesswoman.
She isn't the only stalwart present in Walford as Gillian Taylforth has also become a household name by portraying Kathy Beale.
Kathy, much like Sharon, knows that life in the fictional London borough is never truly peaceful - particularly if you're involved with a criminal in the likes of Phil Mitchell.
Steve McFadden has been another legendary actor in the soap, making his debut in 1990 as the eldest son of Peggy Mitchell.
The Mitchells, the Beales and Watts have gone down in soap history but let's not forget the Fowlers and Slaters who have become EastEnders royalty in their own right over the years.
Both families even share bonds due to Martin Fowler, played by James Bye, embarking on a romantic relationship with fellow long-standing resident Stacey Slater aka Lacey Turner.
The market trader was also involved with Walford nurse Sonia Fowler, portrayed by Natalie Cassidy, who has been in Albert Square since 1993.
Stacey, on the other hand, has gone through several relationships which always ended in heartbreak but she can rest assured - her cousin, Kat Slater by Jessie Wallace, found the love of her life in the form of Phil Mitchell after her own fair share of failed romances.
How long has EastEnders been on TV?
EastEnders was the BBC's response to rival ITV soaps Coronation Street and Emmerdale.
Both of these programs already had an established spot in British TV as they aired respectively for the first time in 1960 and 1972.
Writers worked for two years before the London-based drama would be broadcasted.
The first ever episode of EastEnders was aired on February 19, 2023, and it immediately set the tone.
BBC One viewers were introduced to the world of EastEnders with a murder mystery when Arthur Fowler, Ali Osman and Den Watts forced their way into Reg Cox's flat, finding him near death.
Things also kicked off with a bang in The Queen Vic, Albert Square's very own iconic pub, when treacherous thug Nick Cotton began to cause trouble.
It was later revealed he was responsible for Reg Cox's death.
EastEnders attracted some 17 million viewers with its first episode and it has become another staple on the box ever since.
Where is EastEnders filmed?
The initial set of EastEnders was built in 1984 for the purpose of the program from steel frames, plywood and plaster brick panels.
Cameras then had to relocate to Pinewood Studios in Buckinghamshire in February, 2008 but that wouldn't be the last time the show would be subjected to some major production changes.
In 2014, it was revealed that a brand new set would be built from scratch opposite the one that was shown on screens.
Construction was postponed and delayed, notably due to the Covid pandemic.
EastEnders is filmed at the BBC's Elstree Centre in Borehamwood
Several additions were made to the Square in the new updated set such as block of flats, a railway tunnel and line for the famous Walford East tube station.
BBC bosses took on the mammoth task of building a new set to make Walford HD-ready.
When is EastEnders on ITV?
Much like Emmerdale over on ITV, EastEnders airs during the week on BBC One.
However, after years of airing on Friday evenings, the program was forced to stick to Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings.
The schedule change was made in early 2022 and has remained the same ever since.
EastEnders is in direct competition with Emmerdale as it also airs at 7.30pm.
Soap fans can then catch up with the program on the BBC iPlayer.
