Everything you need to know about EastEnders 40th anniversary
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On 19 February 1985, 13 million viewers tuned into the first episode of EastEnders, which saw Arthur Fowler (Bill Treacher), Ali Osman (Nejdet Salih) and Den Watts (Leslie Grantham) force their way into Reg Cox’s (Marc Tufano) flat to find him near death.
![[Denise stands between Jack and Ravi in EastEnders]](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/505190-0963.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646)
Fast-forward to now and the residents of Walford are still bringing the drama, and next month sees the show reach a milestone few TV shows can dream of – its 40th anniversary. As it celebrates the big Four-Oh, the BBC soap is marking the occasion in seriously spectacular fashion.
![[Grant Mitchell outside the Walford East Tube station in EastEnders]](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/SEC_234756174-8a25.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=600)
From a viewer vote, to big returns and a live episode, here is everything we know so far…. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video. Up Next. EastEnders’ official 40th birthday falls on Wednesday 19 February 2025.
![[EastEnders promo for Who attacked Cindy, featuring all the suspects stood behind her]](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Cindy-bd7b.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646)
However, rather than contain the celebrations to just one episode, soap bosses have a week of special instalments planned. ‘Whilst we’re still keeping the finite details of the 40th close to our chest, I can promise that it will be an unmissable week full of shocking twists that will change Albert Square, and the lives of those who live in it, forever,’ executive producer Chris Clenshaw says.
It wouldn’t be a true EastEnders milestone anniversary without a live episode, would it?. Having previously gone live for the 25th and 30th anniversaries in 2010 and 2015, the soap will be beaming live to the nation once again during the 40th week. The episode that will also mark a huge EastEnders first as bosses are giving the audience the power to have their say and vote on the outcome of one storyline, with the actors then having to react to the result live on air – speaking of which….
