‘Expect the unexpected’ (Picture: BBC)

It has been the biggest storyline of the year, and EastEnders fans have talked about little else but the upcoming Christmas Day murder ever since it was teased in the flash forward back in February.

Though there have been countless twists and turns along the way, Kathy Beale star Gillian Taylforth has warned us to continue to ‘expect the unexpected’ as the Christmas Day episode approaches.

Fans have been invested in this storyline from the outset, eager to try and work out who is dead and who has killed them, with theories flying around all corners of the internet – none of which have gone unnoticed by the stars involved.

‘The audience have been so invested in the storyline which is lovely,’ Gillian said.

‘We often chat about the different theories we’ve seen – some of them have been more convincing that others!

‘But I think it’s just so great that the viewers have been able to get involved in Christmas all year, because at the end of the day, everything we do is for those watching at home.’

Kathy has been heavily involved in the storyline, and things have only continued to get worse for her since discovering that husband Rocky Cotton (Brian Conley) set fire to her beloved café, and nearly let her take the fall for putting her grandsons in hospital.

‘She’s heartbroken,’ Gillian revealed. ‘After Gavin, Kathy didn’t think she’d have another chance at love again and then along came Rocky, who through want of trying, taught her to love again. She thought their marriage was for keeps but he’s pushed her too far this time, so she’s finally called it quits.

‘Kathy would love nothing more than to be happily married to Rocky, but he’s incapable of being honest with her and she can’t live with the constant lies.’

With Rocky having caused her so much upset, could he end up wearing the dreaded cufflinks on Christmas Day?

‘I think it’s safe to say that Rocky is firmly in Kathy’s bad books. He set fire to her café, put two of her grandsons in hospital, and then he had the brass nerve to convince her to sell the café to Nish so that he could get away scot-free with his crimes.

There’s no going back for Kathy and Rocky (Picture: BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron)

‘Kathy has forgiven him time and time again, but this time it’s one time too many.’

Kathy has been an Albert Square stalwart since the very first episode, but one thing she has never done is killed. Could this be the year?

Whatever her involvement, Gillian is thrilled to be included in this ground-breaking episode.

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‘I was so chuffed to be involved in the storyline and felt really grateful to Chris and the team for including Kathy in The Six.

‘This will be Kathy’s twenty-fourth Christmas in Albert Square, and the thirty-eighth in the show’s history which is just incredible.

‘If you’d have told Tish [Letitia Dean] and I that we would be stood here all of those years later, we wouldn’t have believed it and I think for me, that’s made it even more special.’

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There are plenty more twists and turns ahead…