BBC announce that Dominic Treadwell-Collins has stepped down as Executive Producer after over a year. Dominic said upon his exit: " I have had a brilliant year on EastEnders but its time to move on. I wish the show the best for the future."

The_Soap has been announced as the new Executive Producer of EastEnders, replacing Collins. The_Soap said upon his role of the popular show: "I am excited to be part of the show and promise to do my best. I thank Dominic for all he has done for the show and wish him best for the future."

First episode up tomorrow

Tuesday 6th January 2015

The Branning Family are forced to face the future as they try and come together about Emma's death. Lauren is trying to keep it together at number 5, while Max locks himself on his room. Abi and Lauren come together to think of a idea to get Max to come out. Carol puts her coat on and heads over to the Brannings. As Carol walks up the stairs to the Brannings, Sharon shouts Carol. Sharon tells Carol to give these flowers to Max and to tell everyone that if they need anything, to just ask. Lauren hears the doorbell and rushes to see who it is. Lauren invites Carol in and Carol hands over the flowers that Sharon gave her to Lauren. Carol asks Lauren how Max is. Lauren tells Carol that Max has locked himself in his room and wont come out.

Six cast members are to leave BBC soap EastEnders in the coming months, we can confirm.

John Altman, who played Cotton villain Nick since Altman reprising his role, will bow out later this year, while Shane Ritchie's role as Alfie Moon will also come to an end after 5 years back under new producer The_Soap,

Carter army-boy Lee, Played by Danny-Boy Hatchard, exit storyline is currently being planned.

Speaking of his departure, Danny-Boy said: "I have had a great year working on EastEnders playing Lee. He has been a great character to play and without giving too much away, he's sure to ruffle a few feathers before he leaves."

He continued: "Working alongside Danny Dyer, Kellie Bright, Maddy Hill, Sam Strike and the rest of the Carters has been a real pleasure and I will enjoy watching what the Carters get up to as a viewer."

Meanwhile, Shirley Carter's son Dean - played by Matt Di Angelo - will also film his final scenes later this year and is expected to depart in a storyline connected with Linda Carter's rape.

In addition, 26 year old Ricky Norwood - Arthur 'Fatboy' Chubb in the programme - is due to depart at the end of his current contract. He said: "I've had a great time playing Fatboy but I agree with The_Soap that after five years of great storylines, it is now time for Fatboy to move on. EastEnders was my first real job and I have learnt so much but I am now really looking forward to trying new roles."

Kristian Kiehling,who became EastEnders first market Inspector to join as a regular, will further be written out.

Carol tells Lauren that she will try and get Max out. Carol walks into the kitchen and looks in the fridge. Abi tells Carol that they haven't been shopping in a while and Carol give Abi some money and tells her to go to the supermarket and buy some food. Carol tells Lauren to put the flowers in water and to tidy up the kitchin. Carol goes upstairs and knocks on Max's bedroom door. Max shouts go away and Carol tells Max that he isn't going until he comes out. Yvonne arrives back at number 25 to find Nick coming throw the back door. Yvonne tells Nick that he shouldn't leave the house. Nick tells Yvonne that he cant stay in all the time. Yvonne tells Nick that she hopes he gets court by the cops. Nick pushes Yvonne against a wall and says if she isn't careful that she wont see another day.

REGULAR CAST

Nick Cotton - JOHN ALTMAN
Sharon Mitchell - LETITIA DEAN
Ian Beale - ADAM WOODYATT
Dot Branning - JUNE BROWN
Martin Fowler - JAMES BYE
Phil Mitchell - STEVE McFADDEN
Carol Jackson - LINDSEY COULSON
Sonia Fowler - NATALIE CASSIDY
Peter Beale - BEN HARDY
Ben Mitchell - HARRY REID
Billy Mitchell - PERRY FENWICK
Cindy Williams - MIMI KEENE
Liam Butcher - JAMES FORDE
Kat Moon - JESSIE WALLACE
Mo Harris - LAILA MORSE
Patrick Trueman - RUDOLPH WALKER
Alfie Moon - SHANE RICHIE
Jane Clarke - LAURIE BRETT
Stacey Branning - LACEY TURNER
Dean Wicks - MATT DI ANGELO
Denise Fox - DIANE PARISH
Max Branning - JAKE WOOD
Abi Branning - LORNA FITZGERALD
Lauren Branning - JACQUELINE JOSSA
Shirley Carter - LINDA HENRY
Jay Brown - JAMIE BROTHWICK
Shabnam Masood - RAKHEE THAKRAR
Roxy Mitchell - RITA SIMONS
Ronnie Cotton - SAMANTHA WOMACK
Tamwar Masood - HIMESH PATEL
Masood Ahmed - NITIN GANATRA
Whitney Dean - SHONA McGARTY
Kim Fox-Hubbard - TAMEKA EMPSON
Fatboy - RICKY NORWOOD
Cora Cross - ANN MITCHELL
Lola Pearce - DANIELLE HAROLD
Les Coker - RODGER SLOMAN
Tina Carter - LUISA BRADSHAW-WHITE
Linda Carter - KELLIE BRIGHT
Mick Carter - DANNY DYER
Nancy Carter - MADDY HILL
Aleks Shirovs - KRISTIAN KIEHING
Stan Carter - TIMOTHY WEST
Babe Smith - ANNETTE BADLAND
Charlie Cotton - DECLAN BENNETT
Lee Carter - DANNY-BOY HATCHARD
Donna Yates - LISA HAMMOND
Pam Coker - LIN BLAKLEY
Yvonne Cotton - PAULINE McLYNN
Elaine Peacock - MARIA FRIEDMAN
Kush Kazemi - DAVOOD GHADAMI
Buster Briggs - KARL HOWMAN
Sylive Carter - LINDA MARLOWE

RECURRING CAST (No children/animals credited)

Tracy - JANE SLAUGHTER
Ritchie Scott - SIAN WEBBER
DI Samantha Keeble - ALISON NEWMAN
PC Evans - ADAM MCNAMARA
DS Cameron Bryant - GLEN WALLACE

DEPARTING CHARACTERS

Stan Carter - TIMOTHY WEST (Winter 2015)
Peter Beale - BEN HARDY (Spring 2015)
Nick Cotton - JOHN ALTMAN (2015)
Alfie Moon - SHANE RITCHIE (2015)
Lee Carter - DANNY-BOY HATCHARD (2015)
Dean Wicks - MATT DI ANGELO (2015)
Fatboy - RICKY NORWOOD (2015)
Aleks Shirovs - KRISTIAN KIEHING (2015)

RETURNING CHARACTERS
Henry Summerhayes - WILL KNIGHTLEY (Winter 2015) (G)
Margot Summerhayes - JILL BAKER (Winter 2015) (G)


(G) - Guest appearence

Max finally comes out of his room and comes downstairs to find Carol asleep on the sofa. Max wakes Carol up and asks why she is asleep on the sofa. Carol tells Max that she didn't want to leave him. Abi and Lauren walk down stairs and sit at the table. Carol tells Max to go and sit with Abi and Lauren, while she cooks breakfast. Nick looks in a bag to find Phil's money gone. Yvonne walks into the living room and Nick asks where his money is. Yvonne tells Nick that she spent the money on number 29A, so she didn't have to live with him. Nick tells Yvonne that she is pushing her look. Carol brings in the breakfast and tells Max that he can put his feet up. Max tells Carol that he needs to go back to the car lot. Carol tells Max that Jay is looking after the car lot. Max pushes the table over and tells everyone to get out. Max throws Abi, Lauren and Carol out of the number 5.

Cora walks over to Abi, Lauren and Carol and asks whats going on. Abi tells Cora that Max has chucked them out. Cora tells Lauren and Abi that they can stay with her. Carol tells Lauren and Abi, she has to go to work. Kim is watching the telly when the electricity goes off. Kim asks Denise why the electric has gone off and Denise tells Kim they are struggling with money. Kim tells Denise that they may have to Patrick in a home. Denise tells Kim that Patrick is staying with them.

At 12 noon a leaving character will be announced

At midnight a returnee will be announced

How many male characters do you want gone?! Aleks is a fantastic character, gutted to see him going. At this rate, you're only going to have 16 male characters left (Ian, Martin, Phil, Ben, Billy, Liam, Patrick, Max, Jay, Tamwar, Masood, Les, Mick, Charlie, Kush and Buster), which is pale in comparison to the 28 female characters you will have left over.

EastEnders actress Shona McGarty is to bow out of the BBC soap later this year, We can confirm.

The 23-year-old - who has played adopted Whitney Dean since April 2008 - recently decided to leave her Albert Square counterpart behind and pursue new projects.

Speaking of her decision, she said: " I have had an amazing time at EastEnders and this has been been a very difficult decision for me to make but now seems like the right time to move on and leave Whitney behind even through she's been such a fantastic character to play."

Details of Whitney's exit story are to be confirmed.

EastEnders will welcome back one of its popular characters next year as Kacey Ainsworth reprises her role as Little Mo Slater.

The actress will return to filming at the BBC One soap next year after nine years away from the square.

Little Mo was last seen leaving Walford to start a new life.

While exact details of her comeback storyline have yet to be revealed, she bosses are promising that Little Mo's return will be one to remember.

Ainsworth: "I may have left EastEnders over nine years ago, but the show has always been in my heart, as has Little Mo and she has never really left my side.

"I am so excited about returning and seeing what the future holds for her. It's been a while since I set foot in Albert Square and I am looking forward to coming home."

EastEnders executive producer The_Soap added: "Little Mo is one of EastEnders loved characters, played by one of television's finest actors and I am tremendously excited that Kacey has decided to return home to Walford."

"Little Mo's last time on the Square was iconic. But that was just the first act. There is so much more to come for Little Mo - and her return will send ripples of drama through the Square."

Ainsworth's original stint as Little Mo ran between 2000 and 2006.

Lauren tells Cora and Abi that after the funeral she is leaving to live with Tanya. Abi tells Lauren that her home is around here and Lauren tells Abi that its time to move on. Carol tells Fatboy that its about time he started looking for somewhere else to live, which makes Fatboy think about his future on the square. Donna is on the Market when she announces to Kat that she is moving to no.47a and she wants them to make friends. Kat tells Donna that she will will try and become friends. Yvonne starts to move into no.29A and tells Nick to stay-away. Nick tells Yvonne that he cant promise anything. Yvonne tells Nick that if he doesn't stay-away, she will phone the police.

Sharon goes to visit Phil and tells him Richie has quit. Phil tells Sharon that they will have to get another brief. Sharon tells Phil that they haven't got any money and Phil tells Sharon to get some money together. Charlie and Roxy are at the hospital, when the nurse tells them that the baby is ready to go home. Charlie tells Roxy that he can't look after the baby alone. Roxy tells Charlie to look at the future together. Donna and Kat go to the Vic. Kat tells Donna that they should work together to improve there business on the square. Donna tells Kat that a good idea. Max is walking down Bridge Street when he spots Henry and Margot checking into King George Guest house. Kat finds five pounds on the floor and buys a scratch-card. But has she won?

Kat looks up from the scratch-card and smiles. Kat runs to Donna and tells Donna that she has won on the scratch-card. Donna asks how much as she won. Kat tells Donna £1,000,000. Henry and Margot head over to Max's. Max asks Henry and Margot why they are here. Margot tells Max they are here for Emma's funeral. Sharon goes to see Ian and asks for a lorn of two-thousand pounds for a lawyer. Ian agrees to give sharon the money but only if she agrees to help get revenge on Nick. Will Sharon agree? Denise and Kim decide that they are going have to sell the B&B and move into somewhere smaller. Roxy and Charlie are sat with Ronnie when Ronnie starts to wake up. Charlie runs to get a doctor. Sharon agrees to help Ian.

A new family are set to arrive in the Square in the Spring, we can confirm

Actress Claudia Casey will be playing the role as Sara Bridge and actor Martin Copeland-Gray will be playing her husband, Kevin Bridge.

Also joining the show is Oscar Jacques and Julia Lynch as Sara and Kevin's son, Toby and Kevin's daughter Bethany Bridge.

EastEnders star Natalie Cassidy is leaving her role as Sonia Fowler, it has been revealed.

The actress, who return to the BBC One Soap 1 year ago, is being written out of the show as part of a shocking storyline, the Daily Star Sunday reports.

Confirmed the news on Twitter, Cassidy said: "Thanks so much to everyone wishing me well you've made me smile, but fear not there's still a lot to come on screen for Sonia."

REGULAR CAST

Nick Cotton - JOHN ALTMAN
Sharon Mitchell - LETITIA DEAN
Ian Beale - ADAM WOODYATT
Dot Branning - JUNE BROWN
Martin Fowler - JAMES BYE
Phil Mitchell - STEVE McFADDEN
Carol Jackson - LINDSEY COULSON
Sonia Fowler - NATALIE CASSIDY
Peter Beale - BEN HARDY
Ben Mitchell - HARRY REID
Billy Mitchell - PERRY FENWICK
Cindy Williams - MIMI KEENE
Liam Butcher - JAMES FORDE
Kat Moon - JESSIE WALLACE
Mo Harris - LAILA MORSE
Patrick Trueman - RUDOLPH WALKER
Alfie Moon - SHANE RICHIE
Jane Clarke - LAURIE BRETT
Stacey Branning - LACEY TURNER
Dean Wicks - MATT DI ANGELO
Denise Fox - DIANE PARISH
Max Branning - JAKE WOOD
Abi Branning - LORNA FITZGERALD
Lauren Branning - JACQUELINE JOSSA
Shirley Carter - LINDA HENRY
Jay Brown - JAMIE BROTHWICK
Shabnam Masood - RAKHEE THAKRAR
Roxy Mitchell - RITA SIMONS
Ronnie Cotton - SAMANTHA WOMACK
Tamwar Masood - HIMESH PATEL
Masood Ahmed - NITIN GANATRA
Whitney Dean - SHONA McGARTY
Kim Fox-Hubbard - TAMEKA EMPSON
Fatboy - RICKY NORWOOD
Cora Cross - ANN MITCHELL
Lola Pearce - DANIELLE HAROLD
Les Coker - RODGER SLOMAN
Tina Carter - LUISA BRADSHAW-WHITE
Linda Carter - KELLIE BRIGHT
Mick Carter - DANNY DYER
Nancy Carter - MADDY HILL
Aleks Shirovs - KRISTIAN KIEHING
Stan Carter - TIMOTHY WEST
Babe Smith - ANNETTE BADLAND
Charlie Cotton - DECLAN BENNETT
Lee Carter - DANNY-BOY HATCHARD
Donna Yates - LISA HAMMOND
Pam Coker - LIN BLAKLEY
Yvonne Cotton - PAULINE McLYNN
Elaine Peacock - MARIA FRIEDMAN
Kush Kazemi - DAVOOD GHADAMI
Buster Briggs - KARL HOWMAN
Sylive Carter - LINDA MARLOWE

RECURRING CAST (No children/animals credited)

Tracy - JANE SLAUGHTER
Ritchie Scott - SIAN WEBBER
DI Samantha Keeble - ALISON NEWMAN
PC Evans - ADAM MCNAMARA
DS Cameron Bryant - GLEN WALLACE
Henry Summerhayes - WILL KNIGHTLEY
Margot Summerhayes - JILL BAKER

DEPARTING CHARACTERS

Stan Carter - TIMOTHY WEST (Winter 2015)
Fatboy - RICKY NORWOOD (Winter 2015)
Aleks Shirovs - KRISTIAN KIEHING (Winter 2015)
Nick Cotton - JOHN ALTMAN (Winter 2015)
Peter Beale - BEN HARDY (Spring 2015)
Lee Carter - DANNY-BOY HATCHARD (Spring 2015)
Whitney Dean - SHONA MCGARTY (Spring 2015)
Dean Wicks - MATT DI ANGELO (Spring 2015)
Alfie Moon - SHANE RICHIE (Summer 2015)
Sonia Fowler - NATALIE CASSIDY (Summer 2015)

RETURNING CHARACTERS
Little Mo Slater - KACEY AINSWORTH (Spring 2015)

FUTURE CHARACTERS
Sara Bridge - CLAUDIA CASEY (Spring 2015)
Kevin Bridge - MARTIN COPELAND-GRAY (Spring 2015)
Toby Bridge - OSCAR JACQUES (Spring 2015)
Bethany Bridge - JULIA LYNCH (Spring 2015)

It's the day of Emma's funeral and Max is heartbroken. Lauren and Abi get ready to go to the church, while Margot and Henry have a little walk. Kat heads over to buy a house with her lottery winnings. As Kat walks over she notices that On the Spot Cash is up for sale. Max walks out of the house to see Cora, Abi, Lauren, Carol, Sonia, Whitney, Ian, Peter, Jane, Cindy, Denise, Donna, Pam, Les, Henry, Margot and Cameron Bryant all going to the funeral. Max walks over to Cameron and asks why he is here. When Cameron tells Max that he going to the funeral, Max tells Cameron that he isn't wanted. Ronnie is awake in the hospital, and asks to see her child. Charlie tells Ronnie that the baby isn't aloud in the hospital. After the funeral, Max puts a rose on Donna's grave and says 'I'll miss you.'

Donna Yates - LISA HOMMOND
Kat Moon - JESSIE WALLACE
Lauren Branning - JACQUELINE JOSSA
Cora Cross - ANN MITCHELL
Abi Branning - LORNA FITZGERALD
Carol Jackson - LINDSEY COULSON
Sharon Mitchell - LETITIA DEAN
Charlie Cotton - DECLAN BENNETT
Roxy Mitchell - RITA SIMONS
Max Branning - JAKE WOOD
Ian Beale - ADAM WOODYATT
Denise Fox - DIANE PARISH
Fatboy - RICKY NORWOOD
Yvonne Cotton - PAULINE McLYNN
Nick Cotton - JOHN ALTMAN
Phil Mitchell - STEVE McFADDEN
Kim Fox - TAMEKA EMPSON
Sonia Fowler - NATALIE CASSIDY
Whitney Dean - SHONA McGARTY
Peter Beale - BEN HARDY
Jane Clarke - LAURIE BRETT
Cindy Williams Jr - MIMI KEENE
Pam Coker - LIN BLAKEY
Les Coker - ROGER SLOMAN
Ronnie Mitchell - SAMANTHA WOMACK
Henry Summerhayes - WILL KNIGHTLEY (G)
Margot Summerhayes - JILL BAKER (G)
DS Cameron Bryant - GLEN WALLACE (G)

EastEnders bosses have cast Carli Norris in the role of Denise Fox's latest long-lost friend.

The actress has joined the BBC One soap for a short stint as newcomer Kath and has started filming her first scenes last week.

Norris commented: "I am thrilled to be a part of such an iconic show. I grew up watching EastEnders so this is really exciting for me!"

EastEnders executive producer The_Soap added: "I've always loved Carli and it will be a real treat for viewers to watch her and Diane together on screen as part of her major storyline. Kath gives as good as he gets, so is a great foil to Denise."

19 January 2015

Fatboy decides he is leaving the square and announces it to Carol and Whitney. Kat tells Donna that she wants them both to open up a cloths shop out of her lottery winnings. Donna says that a good idea but she hasn't got the money to pay for her share. Kat says that she will give her the money for her share. Lauren tells Abi phone for a taxi and Abi asks Lauren if she is making the right decision. Lauren says that this is the right decision to do. Denise and Kim start looking for a new house, when they find out Kat is putting No.23 up for sale.


20 January 2015

Kat gets a phone call saying that she has got No.43 and can move in later this month. Denise and Kim put a bid in for No.23 and decide to tell Patrick. Denise is shocked when Patrick is fine with the idea. Lauren says Goodbye to Cora, Abi and Max and leaves. Kat and Donna go to meet a guy called Kirim about the shop. Kirim tells Donna and Kat that if they get £255,000 by the end of the day, they can have the shop and the flat. Billy and Lola decide to go out for tea. Lola tells Billy that he should try and find a girl. Billy tells Lola that he is aright along. Lola tells Billy to try on-line dating. Billy agrees to have a try. Kat gives Kirim the money.

This marks the exit of Jacqueline Jossa aka Lauren Branning

22 January 2015

Billy and Lola sit down and set up an on-line dating site. Billy tells Lola that its not going to work. Lola tells Bily to give it a try. Fatboy says goodbye to Whitney, Carol and Dot. Dot tells Fatboy that she will miss him. Fatboy walks down the Square to the tube station. Cora finds a pregnancy test in her toilet and goes to question Abi. Abi tells Cora that its not hers. Cora says if its not hers then who's is it. Abi tells Cora that Lauren had all her friend round. Liam returns from Bianca's and goes to see Cindy. Cindy tells Liam that she cant cope with Beth. Liam says she not on her own.

This marks the exit of Ricky Norwood aka Fatboy.

23 January 2015

Sylvie and Babe arrive at the Vic for dinner. Babe tells Nancy that they are going to be evacuated from their house. Nancy tells Babe that they can sleep here for a while until they find somewhere to live. Lola and Billy keep searching to try and find someone. Kat and Donna start to plan the shop. Donna tells Kat that they should think of a name. Kat tells Donna that they should call it D & K Clothes. Donna agrees on the idea. Kat asks Donna if Mo can have the flat above the shop. Donna tells Kat that Mo can have the flat.

EastEnders star Jacqueline Jossa is not to return to the BBC soap.

Jacqueline Jossa played Lauren Branning from 2010 after taking over the role. .

Jacqueline earlier in last year revealed she is pregnant. Due to this Jacqueline has decided not to return to the show

EastEnders fans will see Cora Cross' nephew Dr Daniel arrive on Albert Square in the spring.

Cora (Ann Mitchell) made here first appearance on screen in April 2011 before coming in as a regular in September 2011.

Hot on the heels of his nan, Daniel arrives on the square as the new GP.

Actor Duncan Mais has landed the role of Daniel and will be a new regular cast member for the BBC soap.

Mais said: "I am delighted to be joining the cast of EastEnders and working with such great actors in my career. I am really excited to see what the writers have in store."

Daniel Anderton's first scenes will air in the spring.

EastEnders has revealed the cast changers for the month of February, leading up to the 30th anniversary, we can reveal.

The first major returnee is Barbara Windsor as Peggy Mitchell. Barbara first arrived in 1994 before quitting here role in 2010. Since leaving the show, Peggy made brief returns in 2013 and 2014.

"I am absolutely thrilled that Peggy has been included in the celebrations to mark the 30th anniversary of EastEnders," Windsor has said of her return to the programme.

Jacqueline Jossa will also appear next month. Earlier this month, we revealed that Jacqueline Jossa would not be returning to the show as Lauren Branning.

Alongside Jossa, Jo Joyner will be reprising her role as Max's ex-wife Tanya Cross.

Joyner said: "I'm really looking forward to working with everyone again, no matter how briefly. I hope I didn't kill Lucy!"

John Partridge will return to EastEnders for the soap opera's 30th anniversary.

Partridge said: "I am honoured to be returning to EastEnders at this most exciting time to celebrate 30 years of the show, and more importantly to find out who killed Lucy!"

Hetti Bywater will be returning to the show as Lucy Beale, as part of a special flashback episode!

Also returning for the flashback episodes are Tanya Fanks and Jamie Lomas as Rainie Cross and Jake Stone.

Sophie Stanton will also be returning as DCI Jill Marsden.

Nancy, Lee, Shirley, Dean and Stan are all sat in the kitchen. Everybody is shocks to see Linda and Mick arrive home. Mick asks Nancy what Dean is doing here. Nancy tells Mick that Dean lives here. Mick grabs hold of Dean and throws him out of the doors.

Denise and Kim clash at the B&B when it is revealed that Patrick has been offered to live at Cherry Care Home. Kim starts to question Denise's loyalty to Patrick but Kim tells Denise that he isn't giong to live in a care home.

As Mick goes back upstairs to chuck Shirley, Shirley tells Mick to hear her out. Shirley tells Mick that she was forced to give him up. Mick tells Shirley that it wouldn't have stop her from telling him. Shirley tells Mick that Sylvie said if he found out, he would be punished.

Cora heads over to Max's to see if Abi is there. Max tells Cora that he hasn't seen Abi since the funeral and that Abi lives with her. Cora tells Max that Abi didn't return home last night.

Kat heads over to the Beale's to see Alfie. Kat tells Alfie that she is filing a divorce. Alfie tells Kat that they could give it another try but Kat tells Alfie that there isn't no going back.

Mick tells Shirley that she has 24 hours to prove that he is sorry.