Soap's On! Eastenders Turns 40...and I Can't Look Away

I honestly can’t remember the last time I was a regular EastEnders viewer. Or any of the soaps, for that matter. As a kid and teen, I watched them all – Albion Market, Crossroads, Brookside, Eldorado – but somewhere along the way, the early evening slot stopped fitting into my day. And with the fifteen streaming platforms we seem to be paying for, catching up just fell off my radar. Occasionally, I’d dip into the Christmas specials, only to find myself utterly bewildered as familiar faces cosied up to people they once despised. There are only so many baffled voice notes about tangled plotlines my sister can tolerate.

But I do remember the very first episode of EastEnders. I was nearly ten, watching Reg Cox’s murder (thanks to that pesky Nick Cotton) kickstart life in Albert Square, meeting Den and Angie Watts holding court behind the bar at The Queen Vic, seeing the downtrodden, multigenerational Fowlers, and the entrepreneurial Beales in their modern high-rise flat – knitting machine front and centre.

Fast forward 40 years. The tower blocks are long gone, the houses around Albert Square would easily fetch a cool million on Rightmove, and the local pub… well, perhaps it blowing up is a metaphor for modern drinking habits. Yet despite the changing times, EastEnders’ 40th anniversary has pulled out all the stops – and Grant’s iconic leather jacket – with two explosive episodes already aired.

If you haven’t tuned in for years, don’t worry – it’s like stepping into a time machine. The OGs from the first episode are still leading the charge: Kathy, Ian, Sharon. Phil and Grant Mitchell are back with their old mate Nigel, while Patsy Palmer has returned from Malibu, slipping into Bianca’s leopard-print tracksuit to rescue a pregnant Sonia from her dodgy fiancé. Cindy’s back from the dead (brandishing guns and threats, naturally), and Billy Mitchell’s married Honey… again. It’s gloriously bonkers.

And yet, despite the drama, nothing really changes – and that’s the magic. Sure, EastEnders has tackled a host of hard-hitting issues over the years – the first gay kiss, HIV, domestic violence, teenage pregnancy, addiction – you name it. But there’s something oddly comforting about seeing those familiar faces, like slipping into a well-worn jumper… perhaps one Kathy once knitted?

Tomorrow night brings a live episode (remember the last one? An endearingly chaotic hour with cast members accidentally calling each other by their real names). Will it be flawless? Absolutely not. Will I be glued to the screen? You bet.

So here’s to 40 years of EastEnders – the drama, the nostalgia, and the comforting chaos that just keeps rolling on.