We’re just days away from finding out what really happens… (Picture: BBC)

We’re counting down the days until the huge Christmas Day reveal in EastEnders which will see one Walford man murdered by The Six, and it’s felt like we’ve been waiting for an eternity to see this play out.

However, we haven’t been waiting as long as show boss Chris Clenshaw, who has revealed that the planning of this storyline started way back in the Autumn of 2022.

‘I think it all started 18 months plus ago. We shot the flash forwards in the first week back in after Christmas in January. But obviously the planning of that was months in advance. So, yeah, quite a hell of a long time.’

Viewers will remember that a flash forward scene which aired in February of this year took us forward to Christmas 2023, and saw Linda Carter (Kellie Bright), Suki Panesar (Balvinder Sopal), Kathy Beale (Gillian Taylforth), Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner), Denise Fox (Diane Parish) and Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean) all gathered around the body of a dead man.

Like the viewers, Kellie, Balvinder, Gillian, Lacey, Diane and Letitia were kept in the dark over who was dead and who did it for a very long time, until they finally found out during the recording of a spin off show called The Six – Revealed.

Having had to wait so long to finally start filming the Christmas Day episode, we understand why Diane has cited it as one of her highlights of the year.

‘I think I’ve said already that, that first day when we stepped on set in the Vic to film Christmas Day was an incredible experience because it was like, we’d done all the bits around it, we’d sort of prepared ourselves and talked about it and talked about it and talked about it and then there was that moment where we all went in there in our dresses and began the story. I just felt like it was take-off time and it was really a good moment.’

Lacey was quick to agree, saying: ‘I think for me the Christmas story, The Six and the build up to all the different stories of the six characters, sort of leading up to it for me has just been amazing to watch and amazing to be a part of and to play out.’

The Six have enjoyed working so closely together (Picture: BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron)

Those dresses that Diane mentions have become somewhat of a symbol of this story, with Gillian quipping that they look like ‘Quality Street’.

However, they weren’t always going to go down that colour route, as executive producer Chris revealed.

‘They’re kind of their colours, aren’t they really? We did have a very early meeting, last October I think, and at one point there was an idea that they were going to be in different shades of red, but then it just didn’t feel right for various reasons and actually we didn’t land on that. We went with individual colours that suit their characters.’

‘We’re very honoured to be part of The Six’ (Picture: BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron)

Though the cast now know exactly what happens on that fateful day, Chris has promised that the episode will keep us viewers guessing until the very end.

‘There’s the high drama and I think it’s something to watch live on Christmas Day. And I think you’ll be guessing right up until the very end.’

The storyline has been a huge hit with fans, and Chris credits that to The Six, explaining that it was ‘incredibly important’ to have these characters involved.

Fans have become very familiar with The Six’s dresses (Picture: BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron)

‘I think that’s why it’s a success. We’re a show about families. We’re a show about strong formidable females. The powerhouses sitting up here, that’s why I believe the story has been such a success as well.’

The stars themselves haven’t taken their roles in the Christmas Day episode for granted, with Letitia saying, ‘We were all really excited.’

Gillian was quick to add: ‘And very honoured, to be part of a big storyline like this.

‘We’ve been sort of chosen as The Six as it were. What a wonderful idea, what a wonderful idea for us all. It was great, and we’re very honoured to be part of The Six and we have really come together because we don’t always work together all the time.

‘I’ve worked with Tish obviously over the years and then Kellie a little bit. But now to work with Lacey and Diane and Bal an awful lot, it’s been great. The six of us together, we’ve even got our own little WhatsApp group.’

According to Kellie, this story is far from over, and the women are set to continue working together for a while yet.

‘Super Kath walks in with the wedding dress that she wears on Christmas Day’ (Picture: BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron)

‘I really did feel excited about it and I think for me, a bit like what the ladies have said, it was just so nice to do it all together. But honestly, these women are beyond brilliant in every way, not just at what they do on screen, but holding each other up behind the scenes because it has been a lot, and I really do feel like we have stood shoulder to shoulder and really looked after each other and that has been amazing.

‘I don’t know when it’s going to come to an end, but I don’t want it to end is what I would say. I miss them when I’m not with them.’

The stars kept tight lipped about the actual content of the Christmas Day episode, but one thing Gillian revealed was how Sharon ends up in that iconic dress.

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‘Well, the wedding dress gets caught in a load of mud and everything. So Kathy has bought two wedding dresses, one she bought in the sale in the garage.

‘So she bought that and then she buys another one that she likes better, so she’s got the spare wedding dress. When Posh Sharon’s dress gets caught up in all this mud and everything else, Super Kath walks in with the wedding dress that she wears on Christmas Day…’

With The Six brimming with excitement over the Christmas episodes, we can hardly wait to sit down on the big day and finally see how it all plays out.

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‘I don’t want it to end!’