EastEnders fans have a huge theory about who is returning come Christmas time after a post shared on the BBC One soap’s official social media accounts teased treats in store this festive season.
The long-running serial drama is known for its epic holiday offerings and this year looks set to be no different.
‘This year, Christmas will be full of surprises,’ read a post shared on Instagram by EastEnders’ official Instagram account.
Accompanying the message is a series of photographs that demonstrate the unwrapping of a present, with each snap showing the wrapping paper opened a little bit more.
Underneath is a Christmas tree, with what appear to be a very distinctive – and very recognisable – pair of earrings hanging on the bow.
Fans were quick to speculate about what such a thing means, with a number of them having the very same theory.
‘PATS EARRINGS,’ exclaimed account eastendersnews, while theycallher_j wrote: ‘Pat butcher is returning from the dead??? I’d go with that just to see Pam st. clement back on our screens.’
Instagram user nabeela_8419 added: ‘Pat Butcher is returning?’.
Known for her signature earrings and iconic style, Pat Butcher (Pam St Clement) was undoubtedly one of EastEnders’ most recognisable faces, appearing in the show between 1986 and 2011.
Pat tragically died in 2011 though star Pam reprised her role for a special episode in 2016 when she appeared as a ghost for Peggy Mitchell’s final scenes.
It wasn’t just Pat’s name that came up amid speculation of who the earrings belong to, as Linda Carter (Kellie Bright) – who shared similarities in fashion choices with Pat – was also mentioned.
‘LINDA’s BACK!,’ exclaimed Benji while Ryan added: ‘Welcome home, Linda Carter!!!’
Linda, as viewers know, left the Square during the summer to go on a cruise after selling The Vic to the Slaters.
The character is thought to be returning before the end of the year, and she will no doubt face plenty of drama upon her comeback given that ex Max Branning (Jake Wood) is back in Walford.
Max, as fans will recall, is the biological father of her daughter Annie, though he remains in the dark about such a thing.
Christmas stories have largely remained under wraps so regardless of what this little tease means, it’s certainly exciting.
Speaking to RadioTimes.com, Ben Wadey said: ‘This Christmas, we’re looking past, present and future, so we’ve got a lot of stuff that we’re very excited to share with the audience.’
EastEnders airs Mondays to Thursdays at 7:30pm on BBC One or stream from 6am on BBC iPlayer.
If you’ve got a soap or TV story, video or pictures get in touch by emailing us soaps@metro.co.uk – we’d love to hear from you.
Join the community by leaving a comment below and stay updated on all things soaps on our homepage.