Viewers furious after EastEnders moved from usual spot on Christmas Day in schedule shake-up

From the roast dinners and family time to the presents and bucket-loads of mulled wine - it's clear we all look forward to many things when it comes to Christmas Day.

And EastEnders fans have been promised a grisly murder to watch while scoffing their mince pies and turkey sandwiches - as is soap tradition.

You can check out the dramatic trailer for the festive episode below:

Looks pretty good, doesn't it? But some viewers are furious after the BBC bumped it off its usual spot on the Christmas Day line-up.

Before we get into all that, let's take a look at the rest of the schedule planned for Christmas Day - which is now just a matter of weeks away.

Kicking off at 3pm, we've got the King's speech with King Charles III spending a few minutes talking about the year that was, alongside some other topics.

BBC

Just a few minutes later at 3.10pm, families - and fully-grown adults alike - will be able to cosy up to Pixar classic Toy Story 4 for a heartwarming slice of nostalgia.

An hour or so later at 4.40pm will be Strictly Come Dancing where fans can get ready to see a bunch of celebrities strut their stuff on the dance floor.

This Christmas, viewers will be able to see the likes of rugby player Danny Cipriani, actor Tillie Amartey, Sugababes star Keisha Buchanan, historian Dan Snow, EastEnders star Jamie Borthwick and journalist Sally Nugent having a boogie.

BBC

Up next is Doctor Who, scheduled for 5.55pm, with Sex Education's Ncuti Gatwa starring as The Fifteenth Doctor.

If you're after some comic relief, then stick around until 6.50pm for Michael McIntyre's The Wheel while you sneak back into the kitchen to gobble down some left over roasties and chicken.

Any fans of a proper feel-good British sitcom can nestle up with a glass of Baileys at 7.45pm to catch the Ghosts Christmas special.

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Then we've got Call the Midwife on at 8.15pm which will be the show's 105th episode, with the series now renewed until 2026.

Second from last, EastEnders will grace our screens at 9.45pm with the big mystery of who's going to die on Christmas Day in Albert Square finally being revealed.

And last but by no means least, Brits can end the day of festivities with Mrs Brown's Boys at 10.45pm.

BBC

EastEnders fans were clearly beyond miffed at the late programming of the episode, which will reveal one of the biggest whodunnit TV murders of the year.

One X, formerly Twitter, user hit out: "9.45pm is just ridiculous though the biggest storyline that’s been building all year most people will have given up for the day by that time, they need to lose something in that packed schedule and put EastEnders on earlier."

"Possibly the biggest EastEnders Christmas in over a decade and the BBC shift it to almost 10pm?? Awful schedule all round to be honest," slammed a second.

A third fumed: "Seeing EastEnders shuffled off to the 9.45pm slot is quite saddening. Borrowed time."

Another echoed "9.45pm for EastEnders? Wow that’s late."

"Why’ve I got to wait until 9.45pm for EastEnders?" asked a final fan of the soap. "I’ll be full of turkey and sleepy by then!"

I'm sure we all will be.

Topics: TV And Film, Christmas, Eastenders, BBC

Rhiannon Ingle

Rhiannon Ingle is a Journalist at LADbible Group. She graduated from the University of Manchester in 2021 in English Literature. Alongside her studies, she was the Lifestyle Editor of The Mancunian, the largest student newspaper in the United Kingdom. Her favourite topics to write about include sex and relationships, bizarre lifestyle trends and all things travel.