EastEnders viewers think they’ve spotted major ‘blunder’ after being left furious over ‘awful’ storyline

EastEnders viewers have claimed they spotted a glaring blunder during one of the week’s biggest scenes, and they're not happy about it.

The BBC soap has come under fire over the controversial death of a much-loved character, as well as what seems to be an editing 'blunder'.

Warning: Eastenders spoilers ahead if you're not up to date.

Heartbroken fans are fuming after the apparent editing slip came at the beginning of Wednesday’s episode.

It followed Tuesday night’s dramatic cliffhanger, in which Max Branning suffered a heart attack at the altar during his wedding to Cindy Beale.

However, when the action resumed after the opening credits, fans noticed something rather odd.

Viewers were sharing their annoyance at what should have been an emotional scene.

Fans saw Max’s family and friends appear to stand around for several seconds, instead of immediately rushing to help their stricken loved one.

The Independent reported that viewers also claimed some of the actors appeared to glance towards someone off camera before suddenly springing into action.

One fan sharing a clip on X asked: “Did the episode start before the director said action? Surely that first shot wasn’t edited properly?”

Another described the moment as 'absolutely bonkers'.

Someone else criticised the angles, saying Jack Branning’s apparent look towards the director had ruined the scene for them.

But the editing mishap was quickly overshadowed by another moment that left viewers considerably more frustrated.

Later in the episode, Zoe Slater was killed off after suffering a head injury earlier in the week.

Zoe had fallen while attempting to retrieve her father Charlie Slater’s old cab and had noticed that the injury was bleeding, but chose not to seek medical attention.

Her condition worsened, and she eventually died alone in bed.

Kat Slater discovered her daughter’s body in the early hours after being alerted by Zoe’s cat, Mini Mo.

The reaction was fierce, with many fans objecting not just to Zoe’s death, but to the way one of Walford’s best-known legacy characters was written out.

Kat’s discovery was deliberately quiet and devastating, with Zoe still fully dressed when her mother found her.

As Kat tried to wake her, she asked: “Zoe, why are you still dressed?” before realising that she was dead.

According to The Sun, one disappointed viewer wrote: “The character deserved much better, Michelle Ryan deserved much better.”

Another branded it 'an awful way for Zoe to be written out', while others complained that the character had been brought back after two decades only to receive what they regarded as an underwhelming exit.

"I just can’t believe that’s the way it’s ended for Zoe," wrote one.

“It’s a travesty and a masterclass on how NOT to treat your legacy characters," insisted another, while one called it the 'blandest' death ever for a favourite character.

Zoe’s return had been a major nostalgic move for EastEnders, after Michelle Ryan first played the character from 2000 to 2005 before returning to Albert Square last year.

Her comeback revived memories of some of the soap’s most memorable storylines, including Zoe’s famous confrontation with Kat in 2001 which launched a thousand memes.

The character was killed off just over a year after her return.

Ryan has since explained that her departure was not a surprise to her.

The star told the Radio Times that she and her agent had discussed a year-long return from the outset.

She added that Zoe’s death eventually felt like 'a natural conclusion' because having her run away again would have gone against what she had fought for, particularly for her children.

So while the suspected Max Branning editing error may prove to be nothing more than a few awkward seconds in a fast-moving episode, Zoe’s death has touched a much bigger nerve.