Most likely killers & victims in EastEnders’ epic ‘The Six’ Christmas Day episode as Walford’s deadly secret is exposed
IT’S been ten months in the making, but we are just days away from the big reveal of soapland’s biggest-ever whodunit.
EastEnders’ epic storyline The Six began in February with a flashforward scene showing half a dozen Walford women gathered around a dead male body in the Queen Vic.
Since then, a complex series of plots have been woven — all pointing towards one epic Christmas Day episode where both the killer AND the victim will be unveiled.
And bosses have gone to extraordinary lengths to keep the identity of the gruesome twosome a secret.
Even the cast members themselves have been kept none the wiser, with multiple endings filmed.
Executive producer Chris Clenshaw told The Sun: “I think it’s something to watch live on Christmas Day and I think you’ll be kind of guessing right up until the very end.
“We have gone to quite some lengths to keep everything under wraps, but I can’t reveal what those lengths are because then it might be a little bit too revealing.”
Brian Conley — who plays Rocky Cotton, one of the potential male victims — said that scenes had been filmed with lots of Albert Square fellas to stop any leaks.
Ratings boost
He explained: “I believe leading up to Christmas, there might be ten of us laying there so that it will be a big surprise to us as well.
“We’re all going to maybe film a moment where we’re all laying on the floor, and then right up until the last minute, they can reveal on Christmas Day who it is.”
The Six storyline has given EastEnders’ ratings a boost, with viewers up 300,000 on last year.
A TV source said: “The Six storyline has put EastEnders back on the map and everyone wants it to go off without a hitch.
“Security around the plot has been on another level, with most of the cast and crew still in the dark even though the reveal is just days away.
“There are going to be a lot of nerves at Elstree Studios come Christmas Day but once they pull it off it will all have been worth it.”
Soaps Editor Carl Greenwood looks at the potential villains and victims and their motives and backstories ahead of the big day.
Jack Branning
LOSING Jack (Scott Maslen) – a long-standing character with a family and a returning daughter in the form of Penny – would be a big risk.
But is Penny returning because of her dad’s death?
His romp with Stacey Slater threatens to destroy his marriage to Denise Fox – and both women were seen holding weapons and covered in blood in the flashforward.
Stacey Slater
SINGLE mum Stacey (Lacey Turner) has killed before, bumping off rapist Archie Mitchell on Christmas Day in 2009.
Now, she could have her sights on Nish, after he wanted her best mate Eve Unwin dead for having an affair with his wife Suki.
Will Stacey team up with Suki to kill Nish in revenge?
Or will Stacey be forced to act in self-defence if Nish attacks her for covering up Suki’s affair?
Nish Panesar
THIS one would be a huge cop-out because, frankly, no one would care if Nish (Navin Chowdhry) was killed off.
His death would have little impact on the Square and it would be unlikely to create any major storylines.
It would be a huge wasted opportunity.
Despite that, we could see Suki and Kathy face down Nish for all his crimes and put an end to him once and for all.
Suki Panesar
BUSINESSWOMAN Suki (Balvinder Sopal) arrived in Walford with a bang, pretending to have cancer to manipulate her children.
She mellowed somewhat after finding love with Eve.
But when Eve disappeared, Suki suspected husband Nish was to blame.
This week she’s begun her plot to rid the world of Nish by stealing pills to drug him.
Will she have it in her to kill him?
Or will she learn that Eve is alive and well after all?
Dean Wicks
FANS would support making Dean (Matt Di Angelo) the victim as many have never forgotten him raping Linda Carter in 2014.
But his death would mean he never faces true justice for his crimes.
His demise has been a long time coming, though.
And it would perhaps explain the actor’s shock return to the soap in October after seven years away.
Linda Carter
SINCE last Christmas, Queen Vic landlady Linda (Kellie Bright) has lost ex-husband Mick Carter and then faced the horror of her rapist Dean making a shock return.
Living in terror of what he will do next, the recovering alcoholic is teetering on the edge.
Is that enough to see her kill Dean?
Plus, The Sun exclusively revealed that her solicitor son Johnny is returning, suggesting she may need legal assistance.
Phil Mitchell
KILLING off Phil (Steve McFadden) would arguably make for the most shocking soap death in TV history – and the BBC is unlikely to oust a character of this magnitude.
But with former lover Sharon the one covered in blood in the flashforward, Phil does seem like a target.
Could bosses ever be that gutsy, though?
Sharon Watts
SHARON (Letitia Dean) once tried to poison Ian Beale for being partly responsible for her son Denny’s death, so imagine what she’ll do when she discovers partner Keanu was behind the kidnapping of son Albie.
She has also been hiding a secret – that Albie is Phil’s son, not Keanu’s.
But given her concerns over Phil’s involvement in Denny’s death too, will she be forced to kill long-time love Phil to protect Albie?
Keanu Taylor
KEANU (Danny Walters) gives off more red flags than the Love Island villa combined and all signs so far suggest he is the most likely candidate.
He has sworn on his life many times and “promised to always be around”.
If he is exposed as Albie’s kidnapper, then Albie’s mum Sharon has reason to kill – and the blood on her dress could easily be Keanu’s rather than Phil’s.
Denise Fox
MARRIED to a killer, mother-in-law to another killer and framed as a killer herself, is it only a matter of time before Denise Fox (Diane Parish) snaps and kills someone too?
She has discovered that husband Jack slept with Stacey Slater, but he is not the only one in her sights.
Denise has been blackmailed by Ravi, who seduced her and her daughter Chelsea.
She would love to stick him with a broken bottle.
Ravi Gulati
HAVING killed his adoptive father Ranveer and framed Suki for it, we know Ravi (Aaron Thiara) has got a dark side.
But he couldn’t bring himself to finish off Eve Unwin, so perhaps there is a heart in there after all.
He has seduced and blackmailed Denise, so she has a motive for revenge.
And so does Suki, who believes he killed her lover Eve.
Kathy Beale
IF anyone is being pushed to murder, then it is Kathy (Gillian Taylforth) – husband Rocky has repeatedly lied to her, blown up her cafe and tricked her into flogging her beloved business to blackmailer Nish.
Having finally snapped with all of Rocky’s betrayals, Kathy is just in the mood to stab him with something sharp.
But she could also turn her fury on to Nish and end his reign of terror on the Square.
Rocky Cotton
HE has betrayed wife Kathy time and again and nearly killed her grand-children, so Rocky (Brian Conley) very much has it coming.
The Sun has already revealed that Brian has quit the show, two years after joining, making the character’s demise a neat fit.
But would Kathy really kill Rocky?
She loves him despite everything he’s done.
More explosive plots
ASIDE from the big Christmas plot, this year has been a rollercoaster ride for EastEnders fans.
Stacey Slater was forced to join OnlyFans to earn money after her 12-year-old daughter Lily had a baby.
Cindy Beale returned after faking her own death 25 years ago and is now part of the Knight family as mum to Gina and Anna.
Linda Carter’s rapist Dean Wicks also returned – as Cindy’s mystery business partner.
Rocky Cotton tried to commit insurance fraud by burning down the legendary Kathy’s Cafe.
Lola Pearce-Brown tragically died of a brain tumour.
Zack and Whitney are fostering a child after losing their baby, while Sonia and Reiss are trying IVF.
And Alfie Moon is battling prostate cancer.
But in more upbeat news, Phil Mitchell finally met his match when he tried to take on drag queen Tara Misu – and ran away with his tail between his legs.