EastEnders will reportedly start afresh when it returns from its summer break.
The BBC One soap will be forced off the air later this month after production was halted in March as a result of the ongoing global healthcare crisis.
With filming not due to resume until the end of June, pre-recorded episodes will end on June 16.
It will mark the first time in 35 years that the show has not been airing on UK TV.
It’s been reported that the pause – expected to last for around two months – will result in many storylines being scrapped with the soap ‘essentially starting a second series’.
“Everyone understands that this is an unprecedented moment in the soap’s history having to take this break, so they want to make a big event out of the comeback,” a source shared with The Sun newspaper.
They explained: “They’re planning big storylines and a big marketing push — but that may mean they just start new stuff from scratch rather than continuing where they’re already at so they can be dramatic as possible.
“It would essentially mean the first series of EastEnders lasted 35 years — and the second starts in two months.”
BBC One this week announced two new special shows which will air in place of regular episodes.
Starting from June 22, on Monday nights we’ll be able to get a unique chance to look behind the curtains of the soap in EastEnders: Secrets From The Square.
The show will be hosted by Stacey Dooley who will sit down each week in Ian Beale’s restaurant, Walford East, with members of the cast to reflect on their time on the soap, tease what’s to come when EastEnders returns as well as the occasional sneak peek behind the scenes.
Then on Tuesday nights, we will have the chance to continue to reminisce and relive some of the unforgettable moments from the past as BBC One shows a selection of iconic episodes including the classic two hander between Den and Angie, Sharongate and the explosive reveal of Max and Stacey’s affair.
EastEnders is available to watch on BBC iPlayer here.
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