The stars of EastEnders were in high spirits as they partied into the early hours to mark the end of the 40th anniversary celebrations after the BBC soap aired a live episode
The EastEnders crew had a wild party until 4am over the weekend to mark the soap’s incredible 40th anniversary. Viewers were left stunned last week when the dramatic live episode saw the Queen Vic explode and fan favourite, Martin Fowler, portrayed by James Bye, tragically die, causing a social media frenzy.
The entire cast put in an outstanding performance to celebrate the soap’s four decades on air and rightly let their hair down to toast their hard work. Seen grinning at the posh Twenty Two club in Mayfair, London, they partied until the early hours, sharing hugs and kisses. In one candid shot, Jessie Wallace, who plays Kat Slater, is seen entering the venue with Diane Parish (Denise Fox) and Patsy Palmer (Bianca Jackson). Patsy looked stunning in a midnight blue suit with flared silk trousers, while Jessie sported a broad smile as she follows her co-star, dressed in a black silk skirt and top.
Meanwhile, Diane looked ready to hit the dance floor in a knee-length burgundy dress under a black coat, teamed with black heels. Also joining in the celebrations was Ruby Allen actress, Louisa Lytton. She was spotted hugging Mohammed George, who played the loveable Gus Smith. Louisa was also seen arm-in-arm with Micah Balfour, who plays Junior Knight, reports the Mirror.
Kim Fox actress Tameka Empson and her co-star, Jaden Ladega, who portrays Kim’s stepson, Denzel Danes were also on the night out. Jaden was seen wrapping his arms around Tameka at one point while the actress was also spotted sharing a warm hug with actor Micah, donning a cream faux fur coat to combat the cold weather. Other stars of the soap there were Kitty Castledine, who plays Penny Branning, and Molly Rainford, who plays Anna Knight. They appeared to have had a blast as they exited the venue, with Molly offering a supportive arm to her friend.
EastEnders pulled out all the stops for its 40th celebration week, allowing viewers to decide the outcome of one of its storylines for the first time. The special episode was broadcast live from Albert Square, giving viewers the opportunity to choose whether Denise would reunite with her estranged husband Jack Branning (Scott Maslen) or start a new romance with Ravi Gulati (Aaron Thiara). This vote followed the breakdown of Denise and Jack’s rocky marriage last year, after it was revealed that he had been having an affair with Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner).
The polls closed at 7.10pm on Thursday, just 20 minutes before the live episode aired, with producers assuring that regardless of the result, the public’s choice would trigger a significant shift in Walford, leading to fresh storylines and iconic comebacks. Fans eagerly tuned in to see the result of the public vote, which saw Denise declare her love for Jack.
Meanwhile, the Queen Vic was set ablaze when Reiss Colwell’s car crashed into the pub and caused a massive explosion after Cindy Beale pushed her husband Ian in front of the vehicle, causing it to veer into the building. In the aftermath, Martin Fowler found himself trapped under a metal beam, leaving his fate uncertain.
Fans were left sobbing during the live episode as the iconic character, who has been a part of the BBC soap for 40 years, was tragically written out in, with him dying in the arms of Stacey, after they admitted their love for each other.