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EastEnders confirms no early release episodes in anniversary week

Fans will have to tune in on the night!

Rudolph Walker and Angela Wynter sat next to each other, smiling.

BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron

Published: Monday, 10 February 2025 at 8:00 pm

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While plenty have got used to EastEnders' early releases on BBC iPlayer, there will be a slight change in plans when it comes to the thrilling and explosive 40th anniversary week.

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It has been confirmed that starting from Monday 17th February, all episodes will be released simultaneously on BBC One and BBC iPlayer at 7:30pm, and will not be released at an earlier time on streaming.

As part of the 40th celebrations, an hour-long special episode will air on the show's anniversary (Wednesday 19th February), followed by a full live episode on Thursday 20th February.

Thursday's episodes will not only reveal who Denise Fox (Diane Parish) chooses, but will conclude what is sure to be an explosive week of drama in Walford.

But that isn't all the anniversary content, either, with two special documentaries set to air to fill fans with nostalgia.

An hour-long retrospective documentary, EastEnders: 40 Years on the Square, will arrive on Monday 17th February at 8pm on BBC One and iPlayer, which will be fronted by Ross Kemp as he looks back on some of the soap's most iconic moments with the help of some very special cast members from past and present.

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Meanwhile, EastEnders Revealed: The Lock In will air on Tuesday 18th February at 8pm on BBC Three, which will see Joe Swash get insights into storylines from the anniversary special, including Denise Fox's love triangle and Cindy Beale’s attacker.

Read more:

EastEnders airs Monday to Thursday at 7:30pm on BBC One and from 6am on BBC iPlayer.

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Visit our dedicated EastEnders page for all the latest news, interviews and spoilers. If you’re looking for more to watch, check out our TV Guide and Streaming Guide.

Authors

Black and white cut-out portrait headshot of Katelyn Mensah, smiling against a lime green background.

Katelyn MensahSenior Entertainment Writer

Katelyn Mensah is the Senior Entertainment Writer for Radio Times, covering all major entertainment programmes, reality TV shows and the latest hard-hitting documentaries. She previously worked at The Tab, with a focus on reality TV and showbiz news and has obtained a BA (Hons) in Journalism.

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