EastEnders fans have been left scratching their heads after the BBC One soap opera ended with a shocking cliffhanger on Monday, February 20. The female-led episode concluded with Denise Fox, Kathy Beale, Linda Carter, Sharon Watts, Stacey Slater and Suki Kaur Panesar gathered over a dead body in a flash-forward scene that took place at Christmas 2023.
The flash-forward scene kicks off a huge storyline that will be taking place throughout the year. Viewers will now have to wait 10 months before they find out who dies.
While story details are currently thin, the flash-forward scene has given fans some clues as to what happens. Here’s what we caught during the shocking moment.
Read more: BBC EastEnders fans all say the same thing as '10 month' cliffhanger airs in show first
The mystery cufflinks
The only glimpse we got of the victim was a set of jewelled cufflinks. These were spotted in the fateful moment that Sharon knelt down to feel the deceased man’s pulse.
It’s safe to say that the cufflinks, themselves, look expensive and therefore, Phil Mitchell and Nish Panesar immediately come to mind as potential owners. Perhaps they were a gift for Christmas, though? So we’re not ruling anyone out.
Linda’s split lip
Actress Kellie Bright has confirmed that her character, Linda Carter, has a split lip in the flash-forward scene. Speaking on ITV’s This Morning, she said: "I'm really excited. Watching it last night I was really excited as well. When we filmed that flash-forward we didn't know much at all. And what you can't really see is that I had a split lip. And I don't know why.”
In the same episode, Linda discovered that Shirley Carter had been back in contact with son Dean Wicks (Matt Di Angelo), who raped her in 2014. Will Linda finally get her revenge against him at Christmas?
The suit of armour
One of the more random things to feature in the flash-forward scene was a suit of armour. It could be seen in the back of shot as all six women looked guilty, standing over the dead body.
Radio Times have theorised that the suit of armour relates to Kathy's partner, Rocky (played by Brian Conley). The actor previously told press: "[Rocky's] not quite in the same league as me, romance-wise, because I proposed to my wife dressed as a knight in armour with a full choir backing me!" Could this have provided some inspiration for the suit of armour's inclusion?
Smashed bottle
One of the more significant moments in the flash-forward scene came when Denise could be seen holding a smashed champagne bottle. As to why she is holding it, remains to be seen.
Could the bottle be what dealt the deadly blow to the victim? It certainly looks that way.
Sharon and Keanu are ‘engaged’
During their encounter in the Queen Vic toilets, Sharon and Keanu locked the doors to avoid being disturbed. As they did, the lock on the door read, ‘engaged’.
Considering how Sharon was seen getting married at the end of the episode, has this hinted who her husband-to-be is? We’ll have to wait and see but it's certainly looking that way.
EastEnders airs on Mondays-Thursdays at 7.30pm on BBC One. The show also streams on BBC iPlayer. For more showbiz and television stories get our newsletter here.
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