EastEnders’ Christmas might not have lived up to expectations but its 2022 certainly will.
With a new boss taking the helm and episodes returning to their full 30-minute length, it’s all to play for in Walford.
And here are some of the highlights…
Phil Mitchell locked up?
Next week Phil makes a snap decision that puts him on a collision course with the police.
With Kim and Denise setting his imprisonment in motion – it forces Kat and Sharon to team up to try and save him.
But he will face his biggest challenge yet and be forced to make the ultimate decision.
Gray Atkins’ comeuppance
The serial killer will finally face justice this year – three years after arriving in Walford.
A wife beater, a killer and a monster hiding in plain sight – viewers will finally see Gray’s storyline come to an end.
But will Chelsea manage to survive her new husband before that happens?
Monroe’s bomb plot
Aaron Monroe’s plot to blow up Walford’s new Islamic community centre took centre stage this week.
And the fallout – though top secret – will push the family into crisis in 2022.
Janine Carter?
The schemer has made no secret of the fact that she will stop at nothing to make Mick Carter hers.
And now she’s got Linda back on the booze and being hateful to her family it’s only a matter of time until Janine gets her man.
Or will Mick be able to resist her?
Ballum troubles
Ben is once again reminded soon that the trauma of his past is never far away.
It plunges him and husband Callum into chaos.
And it forces Callum to call in reinforcements to help him with his struggles.
Stuart’s cancer
Funeral director Stuart is still hiding his breast cancer diagnosis from wife Rainie.
Teetering on the edge of destruction most of the time anyway, how will Rainie cope?
Bernie’s return
And while the couple have cancer to contend with – there’s also their missing surrogate Bernie Taylor.
The pregnant teenager did a runner after becoming convinced Rainie was back on drugs.
Her return is confirmed – but what will happen with the baby she is carrying?
Dotty Cotton
Thrown out of grandma Dot’s, haemorrhaging friends and family by the second, Dotty is in trouble.
Now with the knowledge she isn’t Nasty Nick’s daughter – but Rocky’s – what will she do?
With only Vinny Panesar to turn to, she finds an unlikely alliance elsewhere.
But who is it?
Trouble at the Panesars’
With Kheerat focused solely on helping Chelsea Fox with Gray, he risks missing out on finding love himself.
Ash meanwhile is caught up in a horrifying incident.
And Suki finds herself forced to confront who she really is when Honey Mitchell confronts her over that kiss.
Ian Beale’s return?
It was widely expected that Ian would be back in Walford in 2022.
However actor Adam Woodyatt has admitted he may never return to the soap that made him famous.
Could Ian be killed off?
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