this Christmas and New Year.

An official synopsis for the festive period this month revealed that ‘secrets and lies’ will blow the Beale

and Knight’s yuletide to smithereens as Cindy’s (Michelle Collins) affair with Junior (Micah Balfour) is exposed ‘in spectacular fashion.’

We know that the incriminating evidence – a recording of her confessing everything – will land in the wrong person’s hands, and be the gift that nobody wants under their tree this year!

Well, maybe us.

‘I think it was important for us after last year, when we did the format-breaking episode with the flashforward and The Six, this year because we are entering the 40th year, it was really important for us to have a classic EastEnders’ Chris teased.

‘If you bring back Cindy Beale, you want Cindy Beale! So we always knew it wouldn’t probably take too long for her to look elsewhere.

‘We knew it wasn’t going to take too long for Cindy to get up to her old tricks.’

But it’s not just those clans at the heart of the drama – all of Albert Square has something a bit more than turkey on their plate.

Commenting on the love triangle between Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner), Martin Fowler (James Bye) and Ruby Allen (Louisa Lytton), he added: ‘Since Ruby’s return, Stacey’s definitely got the feels but it’s whether or not she can pluck up the courage to tell him or whether it’s too late.’

But who will Martin choose?

Another huge story involves Phil Mitchell’s (Steve McFadden) loneliness.

The soap stalwart, who first appeared in 1990, has had a turbulent year.

After sleeping with Emma Harding (Patsy Kensit), sister Sam (Kim Medcalf) exposed his fling to wife Kat Slater (Jessie Wallace) before rinsing him of inheritance money from their Aunt Sal (Anna Karen).

With his relationship with Kat in tatters – and his step-sons moving out with her – he was devastated to then learn that his son Ben (Max Bowden) was to be imprisoned for fraud in the US.

Recently, Nicola Mitchell (Laura Doddington) learnt that he was living in squalor.

‘He’s got family around him but despite that, he’s struggling’ Chris commented.

‘As per usual with Steve McFadden, he’s blowing my socks off. It’s really kind of interesting and different to tell this story with Phil Mitchell. We all know someone like [him].

‘I just signed off on an episode last week that’s phenomenal.’

We also know that love is in the air for Denise Fox (Diane Parish), who has had her head turned by old flame Ravi Gulati (Aaron Thiara) whilst ex-husband Jack Branning (Scott Maslen) tries to win her affections back.

‘Ravi and Denise – will they? Won’t they?’ Chris laughed.