The BBC has released a dramatic new trailer for EastEnders, offering a first look at the storylines heading to Albert Square in the run-up to Christmas 2026 and New Year’s Day. Among the biggest surprises is the confirmed return of Janine Butcher, with Charlie Brooks reprising her iconic role after almost four years away from Walford. The trailer also teases revenge, family confrontations, relationship troubles and a growing list of enemies for Max Branning.

Janine’s return is undoubtedly one of the biggest moments in the trailer, with the notorious Walford villain appearing in the closing seconds wearing a red dress and sporting a suspicious smile. Brooks last appeared in December 2022, when Janine’s marriage to Mick Carter (Danny Dyer) came to a dramatic end. The BBC has yet to confirm exactly what brings her back, although the trailer also features a mysterious death certificate and troubling developments for the Carter family, raising questions about whether her return could be connected to Mick’s disappearance.

Elsewhere, Max Branning (Jake Wood) looks set for a difficult festive season as his growing list of enemies threatens to cause serious trouble. Kat Moon (Jessie Wallace) continues seeking revenge following the death of her daughter Zoe (Michelle Ryan), with Max’s involvement in the circumstances surrounding her final moments threatening to come to light. Returning character Sean Slater (Rob Kazinsky) is also seen confronting Max, alongside heated clashes involving his brother Jack Branning (Scott Maslen) and Ravi Gulati (Aaron Thiara). With a gun also appearing in the trailer, the stage is being set for a dramatic conclusion to the soap’s New Year’s Day flashforward storyline.

Heartbreak and Family Secrets Across Albert Square

Away from Max’s troubles, there is further heartbreak for Suki (Balvinder Sopal) and Eve Panesar-Unwin (Heather Peace), with an emotional Suki seen smashing objects in her kitchen. Their relationship appears to be facing another difficult chapter, although the cause of their latest troubles remains unclear.

Denise Fox (Diane Parish) also faces a heartbreaking decision as she considers stopping treatment for acute myeloid leukaemia, leaving her family worried about what this could mean for her future. Meanwhile, Linda Carter (Kellie Bright) appears to be struggling with her own demons, with the trailer hinting at a possible return to alcohol as tensions continue within the Carter family.

Christmas brings plenty of family drama for the Hawkins family, with tensions erupting between Nicola Mitchell (Laura Doddington), her sister Gemma and brother-in-law Ned. Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt) and Elaine Peacock (Harriet Thorpe) share a romantic kiss, Vinny Panesar (Shiv Jalota) proposes to Penny Branning (Kitty Castledine), and Lauren Beale’s (Jacqueline Jossa) affair with Mark Fowler (Stephen Aaron-Sipple) threatens to cause further problems.

For CultureCues, Christmas in Walford was never going to be a quiet affair, but bringing Janine Butcher back into the mix is a brilliant way to add to the drama. Charlie Brooks has given us some unforgettable EastEnders moments over the years, and that little smile at the end of the trailer tells us Janine probably hasn’t changed much. Between her return, Max making enemies across half of Albert Square and the questions surrounding the New Year’s Day mystery, there’s plenty to look forward to. Although, at this rate, we’re not sure anyone in Walford is going to enjoy their Christmas dinner!

EastEnders airs Monday to Thursday at 7.30pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.