A FIRE is set to rip through Walford as EastEnders marks its 40th anniversary.
While scant details are known about the nature of the blaze at present, a BBC show source told The Sun: “The drama is really ramping up.”
Yet it could mean the lives of a number of EastEnders fan-favourites hang in the balance.
It comes after we exclusively reported Ross Kemp’s “return” to the soap for its four-decade milestone.
Ross first quit playing his EastEnders character Grant Mitchell in 1999 after nearly a decade, before brief returns in 2005 and 2016.
We were first to reveal how he will now present a one-off documentary about the show that made him famous.
A source said: “Ross is joining in celebrations by hosting his own EastEnders documentary.
“He will interview stars past and present about why it is so good and how important it is.
EastEnders will always have a special place in his heart and he’s really excited.”
Asked about a return to EastEnders last week on This Morning, he said: “I can tell you nothing.”
Back in 2010, EastEnders showcased a week of episodes centred on a blaze in the pub.
Dubbed the Queen Vic Fire Week, four episodes captured the build up to a fire at the iconic boozer, at the time run by Peggy Mitchell.
It was her son Phil – brother of the returning Grant – who lit the spark to set the inferno alight.
The quite literally explosive scenes were penned to accommodate for a refurbishment of the drinking hole, which tied in to viewers then experiencing the episodes broadcast in high-definition for the first time.
Tied into the upcoming plotlines, we can also reveal how Navin Chowdhry is leaving after two years as Nish Panesar.
The 53-year-old has quit his evil character role after joining in 2022.
A show source said: “It’s not known if Nish will be killed off, even though his health is suffering, but expect the exit to be very impactful and dramatic.
“Navin has made quite the impact on the show in the two years he has been a part of it, especially as a key part of the huge Christmas storyline with The Six. He’ll be missed by cast, crew and viewers alike.”
The Sun has contacted a spokesperson for the soap for comment.
