First look at EastEnders’ Christmas episode as Albert Square is covered in blanket of snow

ALBERT Square is transformed into a wintertime wonderland - arsenic filming for EastEnders’ Christmas occurrence gets underway.

Birds oculus drone shots showed the acceptable covered successful a airy dusting of snowfall connected Friday, with 2 festive nutcrackers lasting defender extracurricular the Queen Vic’s treble doors.

Neatly wrapped boxes had been stacked beneath a Christmas histrion successful Albert Square.

It comes arsenic fans speculate implicit what benignant of chaos Christmas Day could bring for the soap’s characters.

Some fearfulness it could beryllium the extremity for soap fable Phil Mitchell, played by Steve McFadden, portion others judge villain Nish Panesar volition beryllium killed off.

Over the years, galore EastEnders characters person had their lives turned upside down astatine Christmas.

From the revelation of Max (Jake Wood) and Stacey's (Lacey Turner) affair to much precocious with The Six, viewers cognize they request to beryllium connected precocious alert.

In tense scenes past year, Linda Carter (Kellie Bright) killed Keanu Taylor (Danny Walters), portion protecting her champion person Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean).

They covered up what happened with the assistance of 4 different women, aboriginal framing rapist Dean Wicks (Matt Di Angelo).

In caller scenes, Linda confessed her involvement to the police.

This year, a large storyline successful the build-up to Christmas surrounds Sonia Fowler (Natalie Cassidy).

Desperate for a kid with spouse Reiss (Jonny Freeman), Sonia turned to IVF aft struggling to conceive.

However, amid fiscal woes, Reiss began stealing wealth from his comatose woman Debbie (Jenny Meier) to money the treatment.

After archetypal experiencing a blighted ovum, Sonia aboriginal fell pregnant.

Meanwhile, shocking scenes saw the seemingly mild-mannered Reiss smother Debbie to death, eliminating her attraction costs, but it didn't extremity there.

He and Sonia were some arrested for Debbie's murder during their engagement enactment and taken distant successful beforehand of their household and friends.

However, Reiss was shown to person been cleared during the investigation, starring to his release.

With Sonia large and successful prison for a execution she didn't commit, what volition the festive play clasp for her?

In the build-up to next year's 40th day - including a unrecorded episode - bosses person besides brought backmost respective past characters.

Jane Beale (Laurie Metcalfe) and Chrissie Watts (Tracy Ann Oberman) made caller instrumentality appearances.

Others, specified arsenic Bianca Jackson (Patsy Palmer), David Wicks (Michael French) and Ruby Allen (Louisa Lytton) are besides connected their mode backmost to Walford.

Will they marque it successful clip for Christmas?