Inside Soap UK January 2, 2016

A new year means fresh starts, new attitudes and – of course – a whole 12 months of brand-spanking-new soap to enjoy! Even though you’ve barely finished your turkey dinners, we’ve sent our spies far and wide to find out what 2016 holds for the residents of soapland. Turn the page for all the gossip! Elsewhere this week, the new year gets off to a cracking start with a virtuoso performance from Lacey Turner as EastEnders’ Stacey battles crippling mental illness following the birth of her son. I did think Lacey had been a bit underused since her return to the show, but it seems those Walford bosses were just biding their time, knowing what she was about to deliver when the time was right. Also, it’s all kicking off…

New year may be associated with fresh starts and resolutions, but for the residents of Weatherfield, long-standing feuds and cutting resentments are destined to dominate the early months of 2016. The bitter rivalry between Carla and Tracy flares up again in a major way, while new lovers Anna and Kevin find their relationship tested – as figures from the past come back to haunt them… DEAD-END MARRIAGE? Carla likes to live life on the edge, but her New Year’s Day fling with Tracy’s fella Robert is surely her most reckless choice to date. Carla and Tracy have only recently put their feud behind them, but it’s been no more than an uneasy truce at best. So when Tracy discovers what Robert has been up to with her nemesis, she is…

The dramas of Christmas may be over, but it’s not plain sailing for any of Emmerdale’s occupants as an exciting new year gets under way. With an old face returning, some unexpected arrivals and a couple of surprise romances, there will be no quiet life in the country… CHARITY BEGINS AT HOME Charity may have been stuck behind bars for months, but her troublesome presence has continued to be felt in the Dales. As her release from jail looms large, Moira in particular is dreading the return of her love rival, since Charity has made no secret of the fact that she’ll be coming back for her former lover – and Moira’s current husband – Cain. With Cain blaming Moira for his daughter Debbie leaving the village after being mistreated…

The residents of Walford face an explosive start to 2016, as the fallout from the festive period rages on in dramatic fashion! The shocks and surprises are set to continue as several old faces threaten to rake up the past – and rock the future. But why are they back, and what do they have in store for the people they once left behind? PHIL’S DEAD END? Phil Mitchell’s riotous reign as Albert Square’s top dog looks set to come to a tragic end in the new year, after he receives crippling news about his health. Following weeks of hitting the booze, alcoholic Phil will learn that he has cirrhosis of the liver – and that the damage can’t be repaired. But the devastating diagnosis isn’t enough to make Phil…

Although plenty of Hollyoaks residents will be hoping that 2016 might mark a fresh start, last year’s drama is set to creep up on them! As a variety of locals are forced to confront the past and embrace the future, it’s going to become harder and harder to keep secrets… TILL DEATH DO US PART! Killer Lindsey pushes on with her plan to win Joe’s heart, and the twisted medic has a new scheme up her sleeve to seize his affections. However, Lindsey may not get the fairytale ending she’s hoping for – as her husband Freddie makes a shock return to the village! With her most recent ‘victim’ surprisingly alive and well, Lindsey’s murderous identity could be on the cusp of being unveiled. But how much does Freddie remember…

Just as Connie’s finally found happiness in the arms of Jacob, her daughter Grace turns her world upside down! The last we saw of Grace, she was heading to New York to live with her father Sam. So imagine Connie’s shock when her little girl turns up in the ED! Can Jacob persuade Grace to stay put? Elsewhere, Ethan decides to hand in his notice – and it looks as if Dixie may finally find love when Jess asks her out on a date! Also… Zoe is jealous when she hears that Max has a date.…