EastEnders has vastly expanded its collection of classic episodes on BBC iPlayer ahead of the soap’s 40th anniversary.
Soap fans can now relive more iconic moments from the Walford archives with more than 50 episodes from 1985 to 2008 available to stream.
iPlayer previously showcased only a handful of classic episodes from the soap’s early years, like the Christmas 1985 edition which saw Den Watts (Leslie Grantham) serve wife Angie (Anita Dobson) with divorce papers.
But many more are now on offer, including Bianca Jackson’s (Patsy Palmer) 1997 wedding to Ricky Butcher (Sid Owen), the reveal of the ‘Who shot Phil?’ whodunnit from 2001 and Dot Cotton (June Brown) and Jim Branning’s (John Bardon) engagement and wedding.
Fans can also enjoy Cindy Beale’s (Michelle Collins) 90s affair with David Wicks (Michael French) again, or witness Sonia Fowler’s (Natalie Cassidy) surprise labour from 2000.
If you want to binge some of these memorable moments, all you have to do is search for the ‘Classic EastEnders’ collection on iPlayer.
Of course, BBC iPlayer is also still home to the complete archive of all episodes from 2008 right through to the present day.
Last year, every Christmas episode from 1985 to 2023 also became available to enjoy again.
The new additions to the classic collection are just one of the ways the soap is celebrating its 40th anniversary later this month.
As well as an explosive week of episodes – including a fully-live instalment – bosses have lined-up many other treats, including a cast takeover of other popular BBC shows.
On 15 February, Adam Woodyatt, Michelle Collins, Micah Balfour and Molly Rainford will all appear on an EastEnders-themed edition of Bridge of Lies, which is hosted by Walford icon Ross Kemp (aka Grant Mitchell).
Former cast members Danielle Harold (Lola Pearce) and Max Bowden (Ben Mitchell) will also reunite for a special episode of Celebrity Antiques Road Trip to air on 14 February.
Meanwhile, Joe Swash will host EastEnders Revealed: The Lock In following the live episode.
The special spin-off will take viewers behind the scenes, offering insights into Cindy’s attacker reveal and Denise, Jack and Ravi’s interactive love triangle, as well as digging into the events of the live episode.
Ross Kemp – who is reprising his role as Grant Mitchell next week – is also set to front a one-hour BBC One documentary about the soap’s 40-year history.
