EastEnders has closed out the festive season with one of its most shocking and emotionally loaded storylines in years, as the dramatic death of Anthony Truman not only marks the end of an era but also ignites a chain of events that will ripple through Albert Square well into 2026. With long-buried secrets resurfacing, old enemies re-emerging, and a chilling sense that nothing is quite as it seems, Walford is once again a place where the past refuses to stay buried.

After a quarter of a century connected to the Square, Nicholas Bailey has officially bowed out of EastEnders, with his character Anthony Truman meeting a tragic fate during a devastating Christmas Day episode. Anthony’s death, however, is far from a simple exit. Instead, it has become the catalyst for a far darker and more complex narrative, one that centers on Zoe Slater, her children, and a haunting question that now dominates the Square: who is really responsible?

Anthony’s return earlier this year already carried emotional weight. Reintroduced as the biological father of Zoe Slater’s twins, who were given up for adoption back in 2006, his presence reopened old wounds that Zoe had spent years trying to seal shut. What began as an attempt at reconnection quickly spiraled into manipulation, with Anthony using the revelation of their daughter’s identity to force his way back into Zoe’s life. His methods were controlling, calculated, and ultimately destructive, setting the stage for the explosive confrontation that would follow.

Christmas Day, traditionally a time of warmth and celebration, descended into chaos as Zoe and Anthony’s simmering tensions finally boiled over. A fierce argument erupted, ending with Anthony collapsing to the ground, unresponsive. Believing she had killed him in the heat of the moment, Zoe made the agonizing decision to hand herself in to the police. In doing so, she vowed not to repeat her past mistakes, determined not to run as she once did in the aftermath of Dirty Den Watts’s death all those years ago.

Yet almost immediately, doubts began to surface. Viewers noted that Anthony appeared to still be alive after the confrontation, raising unsettling questions about what really happened next. Those questions intensified when Zoe’s mother, Kat Moon, uncovered evidence suggesting that Zoe’s long-time enemy Chrissie Watts had orchestrated an elaborate plot to frame her daughter for murder. If true, Anthony’s death may be the result of a far more sinister chain of events than anyone initially realized.

Nicholas Bailey has since confirmed that this Christmas storyline marked his final appearance on the soap, bringing closure to his intermittent portrayal of Anthony Truman since his first debut in December 2000. Reflecting on his exit, Bailey described securing a Christmas Day storyline as a milestone for any soap actor, making the experience both meaningful and bittersweet. While saddened to leave a place where he quickly felt at home again, he praised the storyline for pushing him creatively and offering powerful, emotionally charged material.

Bailey also noted that, in hindsight, Anthony’s fate felt tragically fitting. A man who spent his life suppressing emotions and avoiding accountability, Anthony ultimately reached a breaking point. This time, he simply could not hold everything in any longer. His death, while heartbreaking, feels like the inevitable result of a lifetime of unresolved conflict and poor choices.

But Anthony’s story does not end with his death. Instead, it opens the door to one of EastEnders’ most tantalizing mysteries yet: the return of Zoe’s son and the possibility of revenge. While Zoe believed she had lost her daughter forever, it has now emerged that her child was manipulated and psychologically tormented by Chrissie Watts for months. The revelation that Jasmine, the girl Zoe thought had died, wanted nothing to do with her mother was another devastating blow in a storyline already heavy with grief.

As Zoe sits in custody, maintaining her innocence, Kat remains fiercely convinced that her daughter has been framed. The Slater family, no strangers to tragedy, once again find themselves at the center of a storm that threatens to tear them apart. And lurking in the background is the growing sense that Anthony’s death has awakened something far more dangerous than grief alone.

With New Year’s Day approaching, EastEnders boss Ben Wadey has teased that viewers should brace themselves for major twists, warning that things are not as they appear. Central to this is a flashforward episode set in 2026, focusing on Max Branning. The episode promises to offer cryptic glimpses of the future, including hints that Max may be preparing to marry, while deliberately misleading audiences with scenes that will later take on new meaning.

Ben Wadey has assured fans that answers will not take a full year to unfold. Instead, revelations will come thick and fast, with familiar scenes revisited, new footage introduced, and hidden layers gradually exposed. The fallout from Anthony’s death and Zoe’s arrest will feed directly into these developments, ensuring that the consequences of Christmas continue to shape the narrative long after the decorations come down.

Beyond the Slaters, Walford is bracing itself for an explosive year ahead. Ben Wadey has revealed the arrival of a new character, played by Ronnie Anona, described as bringing a distinctive and unsettling energy to the Square. This character, an old school friend of Linda’s, will introduce a storyline rooted in tragic comedy, with clashing memories of the past driving tension and conflict.

Meanwhile, Billy and Honey are set to take center stage as the aftermath of last year’s misogyny storyline continues. Joel’s trial looms large, with his return forcing characters to confront painful truths despite his not-guilty plea. The emotional toll on Vicki will be significant, as she finds herself torn between Ross and the unresolved trauma linked to Joel’s actions, opening the door to a classic soap love triangle involving Zack.

Elsewhere, Ravi will be forced to face the psychological consequences of his past behavior, both for himself and his family, while a revenge storyline involving Harry Mitchell promises further danger and intrigue. Phil and Nigel’s deeply emotional arc will also continue, with Ben Wadey describing it as heartfelt, realistic, and filled with standout performances that will carry EastEnders forward into 2026.

At the heart of it all, however, lies the haunting legacy of Anthony Truman and the children he left behind. With Zoe’s son now positioned as a potential force of reckoning, the question of revenge looms large. Is he seeking justice for a father he barely knew, or has he been shaped by manipulation and lies into something far more dangerous?

As EastEnders moves into the New Year, one thing is certain: Anthony’s death was not an ending, but a beginning. Secrets will be exposed, alliances tested, and the sins of the past will demand payment. In Albert Square, revenge rarely comes quietly—and Zoe Slater may soon find that the most terrifying consequences of her past are only just beginning.