EastEnders’ Pat Butcher will be confronted by her gangster nephew Derek Branning on her deathbed.
The Albert Square legend, played by Pam St. Clement, will bow out of the show at Christmas, but while the cause of her death – rumoured to be either in a fire, a heart attack or cancer – is unknown as of yet, during her final few minutes she will have one last blazing row with the Walford bad boy.
Ashen-faced Pat will be lying in bed as Derek (Jamie Foreman) confronts her, with the argument then spilling over as the hardman has another slanging match with Pat’s son, David (Michael French).
In other scenes previewed from the festive episodes, Pat’s granddaughter Bianca (Patsy Palmer) and David are seen searching through her belongings for her funeral details, while a huge fire will sweep through Walford’s Bed and Breakfast.
The dramatic storylines are part of the traditional battle for ratings between the BBC One soap and its ITV1 rival, Coronation Street, although they this year face more competition in the form of the Downton Abbey Christmas special.
An insider told the Daily Mirror newspaper: “The whole Christmas schedule is packed full of high-octane drama in Albert Square. Pam St Clement’s decision to leave has been common knowledge, but nobody will be prepared for the drama about to unfold.
“There are dozens of twists and surprises, and fans will be glued to their seats.”
From:Set The Video: NASA: Triumph and Tragedy, BBC Two, Wednesday, 24 June, 9pm