THE team behind Emmerdale have promised the soap's biggest ever year for storylines as it celebrates its 50th anniversary.
Speaking exclusively to The Sun, show bosses Jane Hudson and Laura Shaw revealed 17 huge spoilers and admitted hated Meena Jutla will finally get her comeuppance after a string of horrific storylines.
Other spoilers include three weddings, a shock baby and justice for a serial killer.
You can read the full 17 revelations here on The Sun.
Read our Soaps live blog below for the latest news and gossip…
- Milica Cosic
'Corrie’s canteen is top tier'
We hear a lot about the rivalry between soaps such as Emmerdale, EastEnders and Coronation Street during awards season.
But what we rarely hear about is the food service on the soaps, and Corrie star Jack James Ryan has spilled the beans (so to say).
The actor, who plays Jacob Hay on the cobbles, reckons his show has the best canteen.
Jack’s sister, Rebecca Ryan, has recently joined him on the show playing Lydia Chambers, so he gave her a tour.
He said: “I showed her the toilets and canteen and – bang! – that was it.
“Corrie’s canteen is top tier. It’s so good, better than Emmerdale’s but don’t tell them that.
“She didn’t need much advice from myself.
“But I told her to enjoy it as everyone is so nice.
“I knew how much she would fit it.”
- Milica Cosic
Danny Dyer on EastEnders exit
The actor has insisted his character Mick Cart will not be killed off – leaving the door open for a return in the future.
Speaking on Sorted with the Dyers podcast, he said: "I know some people will be jumping for joy at the idea of me leaving EastEnders, there will be others who are quite disappointed. Other people will wish me the best for the future.
"There's no big story around it, really. Other than the fact I've decided to go off and try some other stuff.
"I'm 44 now, and I've had nine years of playing Mick and I think he needs to be rested. I'm still looking for that defining role. Maybe it is there, maybe it isn't. But I've always been quite ambitious and I had quite a long career before I went into EastEnders.
"I know the landscape has changed slightly but I want to go out there and have another go, and the only way I can do that is if I decide to walk away from the job.
- Milica Cosic
BREAKING: Danny Dyer breaks silence on EastEnders exit
DANNY Dyer has broken his silence on his EastEnders exit telling fans it's going to be "f***ing special".
Speaking on Sorted with the Dyers podcast, he said: "I am leaving EastEnders. I'm very lucky, I'm very grateful. When you're in a job like a soap your contract comes up for renewal and every time it has they've asked me to stay, and I'm very grateful for that. Because I've seen a lot of people come and go. It's very tough.
"I always debate whether I want to sign again and I've been contemplating a while now about whether it's time to roll the dice, take the leap.
"I've not been poached by anybody, that's not true at all.
"The big news is I've decided not to renew my contract. That's all. That's not because I've fallen out with anybody, I love everybody. That job has been amazing for me. It's an important part of television.
"I'm grateful for the beautiful years I've had there. I'm going to miss the people massively. It's me taking a risk."
He continued to say: "It'll be a sad year for me, but I'm also very excited about it. So we're going to attack this year, and we're going to make this year a f***ing special one."
- Louis Allwood
The end is nigh for Meena (continued…)
Meena Jutla actress Paige teased: “Everyone is starting to suss her out. They’re not seeing the mask anymore. I always write in my notes: ‘the viper under the mask’. I think they’re starting to see who she really is, and so it’s the beginning of the end.”
Paige also opened up about how much she loves playing the killer nurse.
“I love her, I think she’s hilarious,” she added. “She’s got so much charisma. She’s so strange! She’s just odd – everything about her.
“The things that she says and the way that she says them. But I love that. She’s just weird! It’s so much fun to play such a weird character.
“I think going to those dark places can be really fulfilling, but her slightly comedic edge is always fun. I love her flamboyancy, and I love everything about her. I’ll miss everything to be honest.”
- Louis Allwood
Emmerdale star Paige Sandhu hints the end is near for Meena
EMMERDALE star Paige Sandhu has teased the end is near for serial killer Meena Jutla in the ITV soap.
The actress has loved playing the evil murderer for the last two years but has now given her biggest hint yet that she is set to exit soon.
Viewers have watched Meena murder Leanna Cavanagh, Andrea Tate and Ben Tucker in her village reign of terror.
And this week she plans to kill her own sister Manpreet Sharma, and captive Vinny Dingle.
However it may be the end for Meena.
- Louis Allwood
When will the next episode of EastEnders be aired?
Fear not, you don’t have long to wait until the next episode.
The soap will be catching up with a double feature tomorrow night – Tuesday, January 11 at 7.30pm.
The two episodes will air back to back, with the first marking the soap’s return to full length, half an hour long episodes after a year of shortened episodes due to pandemic-related filming restrictions.
The second part of the double feature will, however, only be around twenty minutes in length.
After that, the soap will then be back to normal, with new half an hour long episodes set to air on both Thursday, 13 January and Friday, 14 January.
The soap typically airs four nights a week, but it looks like bosses may be considering extending the show’s offerings to five nights a week in an attempt to “stop the slide” of falling viewer numbers.
- Louis Allwood
Coronation Street’s Sally Metcalfe to leave in devastating Sophie twist
CORONATION Street’s Sally Metcalfe is going to get shock news about her daughter Sophie tonight – and it could pave the way for actress Sally Dynevor’s exit from the soap.
Actress Sally is taking part in the new series of Dancing on Ice, meaning she could need a break from the soap.
In tonight’s episode Sally receives a shock phone call from Thailand.
She is told that daughter Sophie has been involved in an accident and has been rushed to hospital.
Could Sally rush to her daughter’s side?
- Louis Allwood
Dancing on Ice returns THIS SUNDAY
Dancing On Ice will return to TV screens on Sunday, ITV has confirmed.
A new batch of celebrities will make their debut on the rink during the series launch on Sunday January 16 at 6.30pm.
This year the show features a star-studded line-up that includes Coronation Street actress Sally Dynevor, Love Island’s Liberty Poole and Happy Mondays dancer Bez.
Rugby star Ben Foden, Pussycat Doll Kimberly Wyatt, pop star Rachel Stevens, professional dancer Brendan Cole and The Vamps’ Connor Ball will also compete.
The last series, which was won by Capital FM presenter Sonny Jay, took place amid the pandemic and saw a number of celebrities withdraw after being injured or testing positive.
Strictly Come Dancing professional Oti Mabuse will replace John Barrowman on the judging panel this series, alongside Ashley Banjo, Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean.
- Louis Allwood
Letitia Dean looks unrecognisable in throwback clip
EastEnders star Letitia Dean looked unrecognisable as her alter-ego Sharon Watts in throwback clip from the BBC soap.
The actress, 54, has played the gym owner on the show since 1985.
At 18-years-old, Letitia made her first appearance on the hit programme 36 years ago.
In the clip, from spin-off show Secrets from the Square, Letitia is seen giggling away with Susan Tully, who played Michelle Fowler.
Sharon and Michelle were giggling about how unsuccessful Ian Beale and Kelvin Carpenter were with the ladies.
Read more here.
- Louis Allwood
More EastEnders spoilers
To get more spoilers, or gossip, visit these pages here:
- Visit our EastEnders page for the latest gossip
- Find all EastEnders spoilers here
EastEnders fans were shocked by Sharon’s drastic action with brother Zack
Last month, fans were left in shock after Sharon made a drastic decision about her brother Zack Hudson.
The businesswoman was left reeling when she discovered he had been responsible for Jada fleeing with baby Alyssa.
He had warned Jada that Sharon would take her child away from her if she stayed – and so the teen fled with Sharon’s granddaughter with her.
The truth emerged after Phil and Sharon’s private investigator discovered Jada’s father who spilled the beans – and Sharon couldn’t forgive Zack.
She savagely kicked him out.
Cast fears after Danny Dyer announcement
They see the loss of such a big star as a sign its fortunes have hit rock bottom, particularly after a run of bad ratings.
Danny, 44, is leaving the BBC1 show after playing pub landlord Mick Carter for nine years.
That could see the likes of Kellie Bright, who plays Mick’s wife Linda, and Lacey Turner (Stacey Slater) follow him out.
An insider said: “The feeling among the EastEnders team is his departure is seen as a very bad omen because he’s such a key part of the cast.
“Mick is such an integral and well-liked character that his removal will only make the situation deteriorate. And they don’t want to hang around to see things go from bad to worse, particularly if their roles are linked to Danny’s part. But at this stage it’s not clear exactly who’d follow suit and go.”
The past year has seen the departures of Maisie Smith, who plays Tiffany Butcher, and Adam Woodyatt (Ian Beale).
There are also fears Rose Ayling-Ellis, who plays Frankie Lewis, could quit after winning Strictly.
Who is the man behind Eastenders Mick Carter?
Danny Dyer is a 44-year-old actor and soap heartthrob known for making a slew of low-budget gangster movies.
Born in Canning Town, East London in 1977, Danny – who is an avid West Ham United fan – now lives in Essex.
Some of his most memorable projects include The Football Factory, The Business and Doghouse.
Beginning his career at the age of 16, he was discovered by an agent who auditioned him for the part of Martin Fletcher in the Granada Television series Prime Suspect 3 in 1993.
Since then, other TV jobs have included roles in Cadfael, A Touch of Frost, Loved Up, Thief Takers, Soldier Soldier, Casualty, Hollyoaks Later and Skins – as well as enjoying a hugely successful film career.
Nowadays though, he’s best-known for playing Queen Vic landlord Mick Carter in EastEnders.
Sally Dynevor reveals Dancing on Ice fears
The soap stalwart, who plays Sally Metcalfe on the cobbles, will be putting on her skates for the Dancing On Ice rink on Sunday — and says it is the “scariest thing” she has ever faced.
The ITV show, which is back for its 14th series, features a star-studded line-up of celebs from the world of TV, music, sport and dancing.
Sally, 58, said: “I walked to base camp Everest, but that was with a team and I was on two feet.
“The other scary thing that I did for Prevent Breast Cancer was I cycled from London to Paris and I vowed that I wouldn’t do anything where I didn’t have two feet on the floor.
“I have two feet on the floor with this, but the ice is so slippery and that’s really scary.
“I’m pretty terrified of falling on the ice. The thought of it terrifies me. This is the scariest thing I’ve ever done.”
It was Sally’s Everest mission that stopped her joining Dancing On Ice sooner, as she climbed 17,000ft to the South Base Camp in November 2019, raising more than £100,000 to help fight breast cancer.
Gray Atkins makes horrifying decision on Eastenders
In upcoming episodes Chelsea attempts to cut all future ties with Gray by signing Jordan’s birth certificate, following Whitney and Kheerat’s advice.
However, Gray is one step ahead of her and manages to register their son’s birth, gifting a framed copy of Jordan’s birth certificate with his name on it to a deflated Chelsea, who refuses to eat.
Another hurdle for Chelsea to overcome in her attempts to leave the lawyer, which only discourages the beautician.
This leads to her mother Denise to recommend that Gray sees a GP in the hopes that Chelsea can get help.
Chelsea has been putting up a fight against Gray in recent weeks.
After finding out what came of Chantelle, Gray’s first wife, during their Christmas Day wedding (December 25, 2021), Chelsea has been adamant on leaving and exposing the father of her son.
She has been able to count on Whitney’s – who revealed to her the abuse Chantelle endured for years at the hands of Gray – unwavering help and support.
Next week, Chelsea will do everything she can to register Jordan’s certificate alone.
But after she raised his suspicion, Gray has installed cameras within their home, tracking her every move.
- Louis Allwood
Tim Metcalfe collapses as Sally catches him
Sally Metcalfe is hot on husband Tim’s trail as she is convinced he is hiding something from her.
But as his lies catch up with him, the cabbie’s heart problems reach troubling heights when he collapses during a confrontation with his wife.
Convinced he has been hiding something from her, her mind darting to the possibility of him being unfaithful, Sally tracks his every move after attempting to confront him.
Sally eventually finds him in a hotel with a bottle of champagne and two glasses.
Confronting him a second time proves to be fruitless and Sally only finds Tim in the company of another woman, Aggie Bailey.
Catching him red-handed at Aggie’s, Sally spots the pair sharing an embrace and screams before being ushered inside by the nurse.
But when Tim finds the courage to finally come clean about his operation, a wave of pain overcomes him as he collapses, clutching his chest.
- Louis Allwood
Chas and Marlon Dingle get devastating news on Emmerdale
The Woolpack went up in flames during Emmerdale’s Chrismas special and in an upcoming episode Chas and Marlon Dingle’s insurance claim will not be accepted.
The pair are devastated when they find out their insurance claim is void as they failed to mention any development plans.
Trapped, Chas agrees to assign ownership of The Woolpack over to Al, after weeks of fighting to keep the pub afloat.
Al has had plans to turn The Woolpack into luxury apartments, much to the dismay of the Dingle family.
However, in order to financially support his project, he has had to turn to a loan shark named Gavin and is struggling to repay the debt.
- Louis Allwood
Danny Dyer pay cut (continued…)
A TV insider told The Sun: “When you’re an actor and you’ve played a character for nearly ten years, of course you’re going to want to go off and try new things. But you can’t go off and do two shows at once.
“The audience figures and high-profile job at EastEnders is great for them, but if you want time off to go away and do other stuff you can’t just up and leave with no notice.
“No drama gets filmed within six months, so that’s why many big names end up going on a break from the soap.
“How many times has Jessie Wallace, Shane Richie and Steve McFadden said they’re leaving, but have always come back.
“Sometimes it’s not a bad thing for the characters if the actor wants some time off, it means they’re rested and ready to return fresh with bigger storylines.”
- Louis Allwood
Danny Dyer pay cut
But savvy Danny is set to earn millions regardless, by signing big money deals as he breaks free of his BBC contract.
The cockney actor’s first gig after leaving Albert Square will be to work on a new drama for Sky.
But with more free time on his hands outside of the busy soap filming schedule, Danny has the opportunity to work on multiple projects and multiply his income.
- Joseph Gamp
Meena's shock decision about Manpreet & Vinny (continued…)
Meena hit the roof, after first trying to deny it – Liam told her he had proof, and then she showed her nasty side.
“I know losing Leanna tipped you over the edge but you’ve crossed the line,” she said.
“You’ve gone way too far. And I’m going to be making an official complaint about your frankly predatory and bullying behaviour.”
Liam told her he’d spoken to the hospital and knows she lied, leaving Meena furious.
She said: “You’ve been checking my records? Not sure the medical council will be thrilled to hear that.
“You gave me enough sleeping pills to kill me. If I were to make a complaint…”
- Joseph Gamp
Emmerdale: Meena makes shock decision about Manpreet & Vinny
EMMERDALE fans are horrified after Meena Jutla made a shock decision about sister Manpreet Sharma and Vinny Dingle.
The killer nurse – who is played by actress Paige Sandhu in the ITV soap – has them both captive and has carefully planned their murders.
But in tonight’s episode Liam Cavanagh confronted her about her pregnancy lies – and forced her to move up her plans.
After realising she lied, Liam found her with the nasty wound from Manpreet as she searched the surgery for self-help.
He told her: “Meena, I know you’ve been hiding something very serious indeed.
“I’ve seen your notes. There was no baby. There was no miscarriage. You lied.”
- Joseph Gamp
EastEnders: Dana dumps Bobby after Nazi brother's lies
"I believe it, Dana. I know it," Bobby said, insisting Aaron is a far right terrorist.
"This must be a lot for you to take in and I shouldn't have come at you like that before and bombarded you. I'm sorry but he's been groomed and brainwashed. Someone's using him – but we can still help him before he hurts someone. We could even ask someone at the Mosque just for guidance."
But Bobby's words amounted to nothing as Dana decided to believe Aaron – and end things with Bobby.
"My brother doesn't need help, Bobby," she said.
"You do. You've been through a lot and I've tried my best to be understanding and supportive. But this is my brother Bobby. And what you've accused him of – I think it's all down to you wanting me to yourself. You want me to see my own brother as the enemy because he doesn't see the world like you.
"It's in your head and I can't live like that. Your faith means the world to you but my family means everything to me. I love you Bobby, but I can't forgive you for this. It's over."
- Joseph Gamp
EastEnders fans predict devastating twist as Dana Monroe dumps Bobby
EASTENDERS fans are predicting a devastating twist after Dana Monroe dumped Bobby Beale after he exposed her brother’s Nazism.
The student – who is played by actress Barbara Smith in the BBC soap – refuses to believe her brother Aaron is a Nazi despite all the evidence.
Bobby overheard Aaron’s clash with his dad, and spotted his tattoo with the white power number of 23 – and told Dana his fears.
She brushed him off, but eventually confronted Aaron about it all.
He managed to talk her round – insisting Bobby was abusive and trying to separate her from her family so he can have her all to himself.
After falling for Aaron's lies, Dana went to see Bobby and confronted him about what he had told her.
- Joseph Gamp
Danny Dyer pay cut
But savvy Danny is set to earn millions regardless, by signing big money deals as he breaks free of his BBC contract.
The cockney actor’s first gig after leaving Albert Square will be to work on a new drama for Sky.
But with more free time on his hands outside of the busy soap filming schedule, Danny has the opportunity to work on multiple projects and multiply his income.
- Joseph Gamp
EastEnders reveals first look at new set as filming begins
EastEnders has revealed the first look at its new set as filming begins on the soap.
The former Albert Square set was built in 1984 with an intention to be used for two years and was no longer "fit for purpose," the BBC has said.
On Tuesday, filming commenced on the new and improved set, including in the famous Queen Vic, with scenes due to air in Spring 2022.
The investment in the BBC's longest-running TV serial drama and wider BBC Elstree Centre will enable improved high definition for Walford fans.
It has also enhanced filming options, with EastEnders production now able to explore new areas on screen.
As a result, the soap's writers, producers and directors will have greater freedom to drive further creativity.
The serial drama returned to full-length episodes at the beginning of 2021 following a production break during the Covid-19 pandemic.
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