Inside Soap UK 51/52 - 2017

1 Drama overload! Your typical Christmas has more shocks than January, February and March put together. And this year is no exception, as you’re about to find out when you turn the page… 2 Extra, extra! Hour-long episodes, the soaps on more days than usual – you can’t move for frothy fun at Christmas. And as it’s the holidays, there’s plenty of time to keep up with it all, with a box of Celebrations on your lap. Result! 3 Winter warmers! As well as big drama, there’s plenty of happy moments. It’s the one time of the year we see soap families sat round the table, laughing, bantering, bickering and acting like… well, real families! 4 Costume drama! Forget Halloween – if you’re into dress-up, the festive season is the…

All hell breaks loose in Walford this fortnight, as unhinged Max sets the wheels in motion for the Square’s most catastrophic Christmas to date! His dealings with Willmott-Brown exposed, he has nothing left to lose after he comes to the cold-blooded conclusion that he’ll have to murder Ian and Phil. Only Stacey is prepared to throw Max a lifeline – and as she agrees to let him stay with her at the Fowlers’, the stage is set for some highly charged scenes between the former lovers. Meanwhile, the damning voicemail that Jane Beale left Stacey informing her of Max’s treachery resurfaces with a vengeance – signalling horrific consequences for the Branning clan… “The build-up to Christmas is some of the most action-packed stuff I’ve ever seen,” grins actor Jake Wood,…

The details of how Max’s spectacular story concludes are a secret, but we know that it will spell the end of Lauren and Abi’s time in the Square. Jake has had the pleasure of watching co-stars Jacqueline Jossa (Lauren) and Lorna Fitzgerald (Abi) grow up on EastEnders, so he’s sad to see them go… “Filming their final scenes will be tough,” he sighs. “I’ve known Lorna since she was 10, and she has a long career ahead of her. Jacqueline is the same. They are both highly talented, so I’m looking forward to seeing what they go on to do.”…

LUST! Max set the bar for many Christmases to come when he began an affair with his son Bradley’s girlfriend, Stacey – paving the way for an incredibly cruel Yule the following year… BETRAYAL! After Lauren caught Max and Stacey sharing a kiss on camera, she made a DVD of the betrayal and beautifully gift-wrapped it for her half-brother Bradley to open. The footage was then played to the entire clan… DEATH! All three Branning brothers were in the frame as Kat’s secret lover – until dastardly Derek was exposed as the dirty rotter! However, the affair came to a heart-stopping end when Derek croaked it in the Square… BIGAMY! Max was all set to wed Tanya again, and this time it was for keeps. Well, until his secret wife…

“Mick stands to lose everything if this plot goes wrong…” Mick’s involvement with Aidan is set to have catastrophic consequences for the Carter family this Christmas – after the crook plants a gun at the Queen Vic! As the festivities kick off in Walford, Linda is determined to make her family’s last week in the pub their best one ever. But as the landlady throws herself into planning her vow renewal ceremony, she has no idea her hubby’s foolish actions could be about to cost them everything… “Mick may think he’s pulled the plug on any involvement in Aidan’s big job – yet he couldn’t be further from the truth!” exclaims our Walford spy. “Aidan really isn’t a man you say no to, and he’s furious that Mick has backed…

The day of Aidan’s big job dawns this fortnight – and judging by these pictures, it looks as though Mick is in! While the rest of Walford sleep off their New Year’s Eve hangovers, Aidan and his cronies – Phil, Vincent, Mick and Keanu – are getting ready to pull off the con of the century. And with everyone now fully on board with the plan, what could go wrong? “I think a lot of the gang are in too deep!” reckons Danny Walters, who plays Keanu. “My character in particular hasn’t experienced this sort of job before, and he’s out of his depth. There are a lot of things that could go wrong – and someone could end up paying the price.” Following their secret meeting at The Albert,…