With a wedding being a classic soap staple, it would almost be remiss of EastEnders to celebrate its 40th anniversary without one.
So to help mark the milestone, two Walford favourites will be walking down the aisle as the BBC soap hits the big four-oh next week.
However, for Honey and Billy Mitchell (Emma Barton and Perry Fenwick) it will be a wedding to remember for all the wrong reasons, as disaster lies ahead.
Their nuptials will be the scene of a huge explosion which is set to devastate the Queen Vic and change Albert Square forever.
It will be the couple’s fourth attempt to walk down the aisle, and as their big day arrives on Monday, there is a feeling of love in the air for many Walford locals.
‘It’s an honour to be using our wedding to get together for this wonderful and special birthday,’ says Emma Barton, who plays Honey, of the occasion. ‘Perry and I were both over the moon when we were told by the producers.’
As their family and friends rush around making the final preparations, they are unaware, however, of Phil Mitchell’s (Steve McFadden) deepening mental health crisis, as he makes a huge decision that could have heart-wrenching consequences…
Meanwhile, Billy and Honey’s wedding day also sees killer Reiss Colwell (Jonny Freeman) make a terrifying return to the Square, having been on the run after Bianca Jackson (Patsy Palmer) exposed his murderous secret.
A furious showdown between him and Bianca then collides with another big confrontation happening elsewhere on the Square, triggering an unexpected series of events that causes a huge explosion to tear through the Queen Vic.
While it remains to be seen if Billy and Honey will manage to say ‘I do’ before the blast upends their nuptials, fans can expect some devastating scenes as lives hang in the balance – and not everyone is likely to make it out alive.
‘It’s going to be full on! Dramatic, beautiful and sad,’ Emma teases.
‘It’s a week of episodes not to be missed. It’s written and directed wonderfully, and the lead up to it has been phenomenal.’
