EastEnders viewers are praising the soap for delivering an “historic” moment just days into 2025.
This year is set to be a big one for the BBC soap, which will celebrate its 40th anniversary with the return of iconic character Grant Mitchell (Ross Kemp) – but things kicked off in moving fashion with a surprise cameo-of-sorts that delighted fans.
On Thursday (2 January), the fallout from a dramatic New Year’s Day episode was revealed as four characters fought for their lives after a deadly wedding.
*Spoilers follow – you have been warned*
Fans tuned in to see whether Eve (Heather Peace) survived being poisoned by Nish (Navin Chowdhry) on her wedding day to Suki (Balvinder Sopal), who herself was pulled over a balcony by her jealous ex.
It turns out that Nish died in the fall but, to the delight of viewers, both Eve and Suki survived – and what’s more, a heartwarming moment at the end of the episode commemorated the end of their torment at the hands of Nish, as well as their historic marriage, in a rather touching manner.
As Eve laid with Sukiu in her hospital bed, a special version of the soap’s theme music could be heard. Named “Julia’s Theme”, this composition, which is a swelling piece of music heard in place of the famous “doof-doofs”, is usually reserved for the most important moments in the soap’s history.
The piece, composed by Simon May, is named after one of EastEnders’s creators, Julia Smith, and it has been used just 75 times since the soap debuted in February 1985.
Fans noted the momentous use of the music, with one person calling it “the most perfect way to seal the end of Nish and mark the start of Suki and Eve’s new chapter, free from him, free from fear and happily together, as wives”.
“Sukeve getting the first ‘Julia’s Theme’ of the year is huge. It’s monumental. It’s historic,” the viewer added, with another chiming in: “Finally we can explore the next chapter of their relationship.”
One emotional viewer wrote: “Literally no other melody hits you in the feels like ‘Julia’s Theme’.”
EastEnders will celebrate its 40th anniversary on 19 February, with the return of Grant Mitchell.
Speaking about the “explosive” storyline, Kemp, who last appeared on the soap in 2016, said: “EastEnders has always meant so much to me, so to return as the show is about to celebrate such a special anniversary is an absolute honour.
“Grant has never been far from the action and, let’s just say, this time is no different as he certainly comes back with a bang.”