Main content

The Mitchells and the Beales spend Christmas Day together, but with tensions high and secrets rife, events soon take a sinister turn.

Two of Walford's most iconic families - the Mitchells and the Beales - spend Christmas Day together, but with tensions high and secrets rife, events soon take a sinister turn. While Jane and Ian are desperate to protect Bobby's secret, Sharon's determined to keep her own family safe.

As tensions heighten amongst the adults, little do they know that hostilities between Bobby and Dennis are escalating, triggering a catalogue of incidents, leaving lives hanging in the balance...

Available now

1 hour

Audio described

Clip

Music Played

  • Brenda Lee

    Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree

  • Michael Bublé

    Winter Wonderland

  • Ella Fitzgerald

    Sleigh Ride

  • Neil Diamond

    Jingle Bell Rock

  • CeeLo Green

    All I Want For Christmas

  • Michael Bublé

    Holly Jolly Christmas

  • CeeLo Green

    Silent Night

  • Rod Stewart

    Blue Christmas

  • Paul McCartney

    Wonderful Christmastime

  • Aled Jones

    Walking In The Air

  • Rod Stewart & Dave Koz

    Let It Snow Let It Snow Let It Snow

  • Greg Lake

    I Believe In Father Christmas

  • Mariah Carey

    All I Want for Christmas

  • Michael Bublé

    It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas

  • Band Aid

    Do They Know It's Christmas?

  • The Voluntary Butler Scheme

    Quinzhee

  • Mel Smith & Kim Wilde

    Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree

Full synopsis

Jane, in her wedding dress, pulls up to the junction that she came to the night that Lucy died. Tied to a lamppost are flowers for a little boy that died there last year. Jane was faced with the choice, turn right to the hospital or left to the common. Her left indicator turns on. She turns to find Ian sat in the passenger seat beside her. Then she sees Sharon placing flowers on the lamppost. She turns to talk to Ian but he has gone. She frantically beeps her horn to attract Sharon’s attention. Sharon slowly turns to face her, her hand pointing. Jane wakes up with a start.

It’s Christmas morning and the Square is a hive of activity. Ian is polishing a brand new car. Billy is walking with William riding his new scooter. Jack comes out of Dot’s house to see Ronnie. Kim introduces him to Pearl. She hasn’t seen Vincent or Claudette all morning. Jack invites Ronnie over for Christmas lunch. She has something to sort out first. In the Arches she taunts Vincent who is locked in the boot of a car. She tells him that the men who put him in there will be back later to take him to the scrap yard. Jack spots her as she comes out. At home Dot opens her present from Fatboy, a framed photo of them together. He is visiting his father for Christmas. Jack apologises for missing Kim’s funeral. They decide to scatter his ashes together with Sonia, Bex, Patrick, Denise and Amy in the Square. Dot says a few words and decides that she will plant a bush of rosemary in his memory in the spring.


Jack notices Ronnie watching from her window.Ìý Jack tells Ronnie that he can tell something is wrong and refuses to leave her alone until she explains why. She is shocked to see Vincent going into his house. She has a sudden change of heart and kisses Jack. In the Arches someone is still banging from inside the boot of the car. In the Vic Ronnie asks Vincent how he got out of the car. He doesn’t know what she’s talking about and fear sets in. She rushes to the arches but the car has already gone.

Ìý

Ian shows Jane the new car he has got her for Christmas. She tells him that Sharon is going to the police about Bobby. Dennis pulls up next to Bobby who is on his new bike and tells him that he overheard his mum saying that he killed Lucy. Jane tells Ian that it was Bobby that pushed her down the stairs and Kathy mentioned it to Sharon. Ian is adamant that he will stop her. Kathy hands him his phone, Sharon’s cancelled lunch. Bobby comes in wearing his bike helmet and Kathy looks at Jane; he got the bike he wanted. Ian decides that they will all go to the Mitchell’s regardless. In Phil’s kitchen Sharon receives a text message from Gavin saying that he will miss her today. Phil gives Sharon her present; she can smell the booze on him. She replies to Gavin saying she will miss him too.


Later Phil pours vodka into a beer can and a hip flask. The Beales arrive with lunch saying that their oven is broken. Billy and Honey have brought Les with them. In the kitchen Sharon makes it clear that she is not going to change her mind. Bobby overhears them talking. Over lunch the atmosphere is awkward and Ian takes the opportunity to raise a toast to family and friends. Dennis asks if they can go out on their bikes. Sharon tells Dennis she doesn’t want him going but Dennis pushes her arm out of the way. Jane comments on it just being a nudge. Sharon walks into the kitchen to find Gavin. He exits at the sound of Ian approaching. He leaves Sharon a present; a watch. Will returns alone and tells them that the boys went to Walford Common. Phil and Ian go to find them. They pull up to the junction from Jane’s dream and head to where Lucy’s body was found. They set out on foot and find Denny’s bike. Bobby returns home, his shoe and shirt stained with blood. At the Mitchell’s Jane receives a call from him asking for help. She rushes home and sees the bloody shirt.


Kathy and Sharon follow her in and on seeing the shirt Sharon lunges at Bobby. Jane protects him and he rushes upstairs. Ian and Phil stumble upon Dennis lying on the ground. Bobby begins to explain what happened to Jane but Kathy interrupts them, Sharon is going to the police. Ian calls Jane to say that they found Dennis and he’s ok. She relays what Bobby said and Ian questions Dennis. They start to bicker and Phil becomes distracted by them. The car swerves, hits a curb and rolls off of the road. Dennis is lying motionless outside of the car. Jane grabs the phone from Sharon and tells the police about the accident. Phil’s head is ringing and he becomes impatient with Ian. He sees Sharon calling him and ignores her call. Ian finds the hip flask and asks Phil why they crashed. Bobby asks what’s happened and Jane leaves him with Kathy. At the hospital Sharon rushes to see Dennis who is strapped up with a neck brace.


The doctor tells her that they need to do a CT scan. He then approaches Phil and asks to check him over. He lifts his shirt to reveal a livid bruise. Ian tells Jane where they found Dennis. He asks if Dennis knows that Bobby killed Lucy. Jane bats this idea away. Phil and Sharon come out and tell them that the CT scan showed swelling to the brain. Sharon makes it clear that she is going to the police. Ian tells Phil he will take the blame for the crash if he can stop Sharon from going to the police. Sharon asks Phil if he was driving drunk and he says Ian was driving. Ian returns home to tell Jane about his deal with Phil. Jane opens her present from Bobby, a car air freshener saying ‘world’s best mum’. They hear Kathy shouting from upstairs and a crash. Bobby has thrown Kathy’s TV down the stairs. Ian runs into Bobby’s room as he starts throwing parts of his computer. He calms him down and asks why he is doing this. Bobby says that Dennis told him he killed Lucy. At the hospital the doctor tells Phil that he has cirrhosis of the liver and if he doesn’t act now this could be his last Christmas. Bobby asks why people go quiet when he enters a room. Ian closes the door; the time has come to tell him the truth. Jane decides that they should go to the police. In the hospital Phil hears the alarms in Dennis’s room and Sharon’s cries. Denny isn’t moving…

Ìý

Stacey and Martin get out of a cab as Sonia, Tina and Bex crowd around to see baby Arthur Brian Fowler. Stacey is distracted and takes him away. Mick shouts out of the Vic window and Martin tells him the baby’s name. Carmel, Kush and Shabnam step out of their flat and Shabnam looks over at Stacey with her baby. After their Christmas meal Masood tells Shabnam that he’s proud of her for being there for Stacey. She says that she wants to visit them so Masood takes Kamil upstairs to find baby Arthur a present. Shabnam tells Carmel that she doesn’t need to get them a present as she gave them Kush’s old baby grow. She comments on not realising baby grows were family heirlooms. Carmel turns to Kush, does Shabnam know? They visit Stacey and Martin and Arthur is in the baby grow. Kamil gives him a teddy and Stacey moves it away from Arthur. Carmel asks to hold him but Stacey coldly says to leave him. Shabnam suggests they take Martin to the pub. Shabnam and Stacey are left with Arthur. Shabnam tells her that she knows Kush is his father. After a long silence Stacey tells her that he isn’t. Stacey makes the cross symbol across her heart. Once Shabnam has left Stacey turns off the flat’s fuse box. Shabnam joins the others in the Vic as Martin raises a toast to his son. She kisses Kush and takes him home. Stacey sits on her door step and tells Arthur that his real father’s identity is their secret. A cab pulls up and Kat steps out.

Ìý

Dean has bought Roxy a new engagement ring and Jack has come to pick up Amy. Dean asks him to stay a moment as he gives Roxy her last present. Buster and Shirley sit on the sofa watching. He has got her the lease to a penthouse in Brentwood. Jack takes Amy and Shirley, Buster and Jade head over to the Vic to open presents with the Carters. The Carters sit opening presents in the living room. Lee has got a drone, Whitney some perfume and Nancy trainers. Mick quietly asks Whitney for her help later. Tina comes in with Sonia and Bex shortly followed by Shirley, Buster and Jade.Ìý ÌýDown in the barrel store Mick shows Whitney the wedding dress he has bought Linda. Shirley steps in and tells him that she will love it. At their family meal Mick sits down ready for his food and Babe places a nut roast in front of him as he refused to kill the goose. Later on Shirley and Buster are ready to head home but Mick asks them to stay a bit longer. He rushes upstairs to Linda who has been skyping Johnny. The family gather in the hallway and Mick shows Linda the wedding dress. She is stunned into silence, she loves it. He hands Shirley her present, they are going to walk across the O2. Dean sees through bar to the hall as Shirley and Mick hug.ÌýÌý

Credits

Role Contributor
Phil Mitchell Steve McFadden
Dennis Rickman Bleu Landau
Ian Beale Adam Woodyatt
Jane Beale Laurie Brett
Sharon Mitchell Letitia Dean
Kathy Sullivan Gillian Taylforth
Gavin Sullivan Paul Nicholas
Ben Mitchell Harry Reid
Abi Branning Lorna Fitzgerald
Jack Branning Scott Maslen
Jay Brown Jamie Borthwick
Billy Mitchell Perry Fenwick
Honey Mitchell Emma Barton
Les Coker Roger Sloman
Patrick Trueman Rudolph Walker
Denise Fox Diane Parish
Kim Fox-Hubbard Tameka Empson
Donna Yates Lisa Hammond
Ronnie Mitchell Samantha Womack
Roxy Mitchell Rita Simons
Dean Wicks Matt Di Angelo
Andrew 'Buster' Briggs Karl Howman
Shirley Carter Linda Henry
Mick Carter Danny Dyer
Linda Carter Kellie Bright
Elaine Peacock Maria Friedman
Lee Carter Danny-Boy Hatchard
Whitney Dean Shona McGarty
Nancy Carter Maddy Hill
Babe Smith Annette Badland
Tina Carter Luisa Bradshaw-White
Sonia Fowler Natalie Cassidy
Bex Fowler Jasmine Armfield
Martin Fowler James Bye
Stacey Branning Lacey Turner
Kat Moon Jessie Wallace
Shabnam Kazemi Rakhee Thakrar
Kush Kazemi Davood Ghadami
Carmel Kazemi Bonnie Langford
Masood Ahmed Nitin Ganatra
Tamwar Masood Himesh Patel
Dot Branning June Brown
Amy Mitchell Abbie Knowles
Bobby Beale Eliot Carrington
Jade Green Amaya Edward
Janet Mitchell Grace
Will Mitchell Freddie Phillips
Lily Branning Aine Garvey
Kamil Masood Arian Chikhlia
Dr Joe Yip Chike Chan
Debbie Frith Hester Ruoff
Writer James Payne
Director Richard Lynn
Executive Producer Dominic Treadwell-Collins

Broadcasts