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HOLIDAY TIME is always stressful. Nowhere more so than in
Albert Square, where the doom descends with the December cold,
because we know that holiday tragedy is as traditional as mince
pies and fruitcake.
Billy is getting desperate for cash. Afraid to tell Honey how
bad things really are, she is oblivious. He tries to get the
council to get them new housing, but they can’t get it done in
time, so he goes crazy in the council office, screaming at the
hapless bureaucrats who cannot do anything for him. To make
matters worse, while he’s there, Ian sacks him from the fruit and
veg stall. He’s so desperate, he steals the money Peggy was
collecting for a Down’s Syndrome charity. But when he’s found out,
he’s made a pariah in the Square (not sure why though, since most
of them have done time themselves). But eviction day comes, and
Bill, Honey and their babies are forcibly removed from their flat,
and are literally out on the street with all their belongings on
Christmas Eve. Finally, Peggy takes pity on them and takes them
in. Another surprise? Ex-copper Jack Branning, whilst looking
for dirt on Phil, finds out where Lisa has been hiding with
Louise. Hmmm. Across the Square, the Wicks get bad news; because
of his fighting in jail, Deano is not getting out for the New
Year. But Chelsea is. Kevin and Phil discover that the dodgy
motors they’ve been fencing are not just stolen, they are cut and
shuts (ie dangerous, and not fit to drive). So they desperately
try to junk them, but not before Denise unknowingly sells one to
Yolande. Steven, at his wits end, attempts suicide, but Stacy
talks him out of it. Now he is stuck to her like glue, and is one
more impediment in her and Bradley’s attempts to get time alone.
Ian also takes pity on him and invites him over for Christmas
dinner (without telling Jane). When he shows up, she sets the
kitchen timer for one hour, telling Ian that that is all the time
he has there. When it rings, she tosses him out.
But the Christmas Cracker set to make the biggest pop is the
one at the Branning house. A few weeks earlier, Tanya unexpectedly
went into labour in the front room and Max had to deliver the
baby, a boy that they let Abi name Oscar. Older sister Lauren,
tired of being alternately ignored, or the target of Max’s
frustrations, now gets a chance at revenge. She finally looks at
the Stacy and Bradley’s wedding day footage and sees Max and Stacy
kissing on the hidden camera. She burns it onto a DVD and plans to
give it to Bradley, but then changes her mind and tosses it away.
But Tanya sees it in the trash bin, thinks it was a mistake, and
puts it under the Christmas tree. So when the whole family comes
over to open the pressies, Bradley gets handed the DVD. Despite
Lauren’s protests, Bradley puts it in the player and they all
watch, horrified at what they are seeing, and all hell breaks
loose. Bradley tries to attack Max, and then throws Stacy out.
Tanya throws Max out (and files for divorce). Stacy is once more
wearing the Scarlet Letter of Albert Square, and unknowingly blows
a chance to get back with Bradley by getting drunk and shouting
the odds, in the Vic, at those who are scorning her, just as
Bradley walks in to try and make it work. Sigh. True love; who’ll
have it? EASTENDERS SCHEDULE ALERT! To all the EastEnders fans
in the New York area who watch WLIW/Channel 21, there is going to
be a change in the schedule. WLIW has moved EastEnders from its
old Saturday Night time slot, and starting on Friday night, APRIL
4, EastEnders will be broadcast at midnight. (That’s Friday
night/early Saturday morning midnight). This change will NOT
affect the monthly EastEnders Slumber Parties, which feature four
back-to-back episodes. The Slumber Parties will still air every
third Saturday night, at midnight. WLIW said in their
announcement that this change was in response to EastEnders
viewers who get upset when they need to pre-empt the show for
general pledge activities. Also, that the Slumber Party episodes
have higher ratings that the regular episodes. They also say that
as long as EastEnders fans continue to support the show, they will
not be removing EastEnders from the broadcast schedule for the
forseeable future. Our only concern here at the Launderette is
that, when it comes time to pledge the show, it may be difficult
to do a successful pledge night for the show after midnight. But
when the time comes to support the show again, I’ll announce it
here. ’Til then. Signed, Your Faithful Reporter
Deborah Gilbert AKA Ishcabibble |
