EastEnders star reveals ALL on Christmas in Walford: 'It's going to be iconic'

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EastEnders favourite Lucy Benjamin has dropped some major hints about Christmas in Albert Square this year...

Christmas is always explosive in EastEnders, and thankfully this year is no exception as we inch closer to the festive season where secrets and lies are set to unravel. And EastEnders star Lucy Benjamin has hinted that this will be Walford's best Christmas yet.

The actress, who plays legendary Lisa Fowler in the BBC One soap spilled the beans about Christmas to Zoe Ball on her Radio 2 breakfast show this morning, and it sounds like we're in for a ride!

Lisa Fowler accuses Mel Owen of buying Louise’s affections in EastEnders

Lucy was asked back to EastEnders as part of Mel's demise... (Picture: BBC)

Lucy revealed: "Christmas is iconic Eastenders this year. I wouldn't have cared if I was even in the scenes because just to watch it is going to be a real treat. Everything comes out in true EastEnders style and it is all building slowly now, it is going to be fantastic."

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But while we know that Phil Mitchell is set to discover that wife Sharon had an affair with Keanu Taylor behind his back, leading him down a dark path of revenge, Lucy has hinted what part Lisa plays in this epic storyline...

"On screen at the moment Lisa is grieving. She is on her medication, but because she knows this secret, and Sharon is covering her own tracks by accusing Lisa of being crazy.

"She is using Lisa's mental health against her despite the fact that she is actually telling the truth that the baby isn't Phil's.

Mel's funeral EastEnders

Lisa is set to reveal the truth about Sharon's baby to a packed pub at Mel's wake (Picture: BBC) (Image credit: BBC / Kieron McCarron)

"Lisa thinks the truth deserves to come out, so at Mel's wake, everything comes out and Lisa tells everyone everything in the pub. She decides it's what Mel would have done and outs what has been going on with Sharon. The only thing Lisa doesn't know yet is that the baby is Keanu's."

So with the truth on the verge of being revealed, what does this mean for Lisa's future on Albert Square? "I'm on screen for a while yet and there are more exciting things to come, but apart from that my lips are sealed, I can't tell you any more!

"I have loved being back on EastEnders. Two years ago I was asked to come back and do the mental health scripts with Lisa and that worked really well. Then I left again and put it to bed.

EastEnders lisa fowler

Lucy has revealed she is loving every minute of being back on EastEnders (Picture: BBC)

"But then in January of this year I had another call from Jon Sen and Kate Oates asking me if I wanted to come back and be involved in a massive storyline, which was the demise of Mel, and then the Sharon and Keanu stuff, and I thought it sounded great.

"Last time it was totally different, it was the 90s it was all a blur, but this time going back I'm a mum and it makes it a different job entirely and I'm loving it so much this time, and appreciating it a whole lot more."

EastEnders airs Monday and Friday at 8pm and Tuesday and Thursday at 7.30pm on BBC One.

Claire Crick
Assistant Managing Editor at What To Watch

Claire is Assistant Managing Editor at What To Watch and has been a journalist for over 15 years, writing about everything from soaps and TV to beauty, entertainment, and even the Royal Family. After starting her career at a soap magazine, she ended up staying for 13 years, and over that time she’s pulled pints in the Rovers Return, sung karaoke in the Emmerdale village hall, taken a stroll around Albert Square, and visited Summer Bay Surf Club in sunny Australia. 


After learning some tricks of the trade at websites Digital Spy, Entertainment Daily, and Woman & Home, Claire landed a role at What’s On TV and whattowatch.com writing about all things TV and film, with a particular love for Aussie soaps, Strictly Come Dancing and Bake Off


She’s interviewed everyone from June Brown — AKA Dot Cotton — to Michelle Keegan, swapped cooking tips with baking legend Mary Berry backstage at the NTAs, and danced the night away with soap stars at countless awards bashes. There’s not a lot she doesn’t know about soaps and TV and can be very handy when a soapy question comes up in a pub quiz! 


As well as all things soap-related, Claire also loves running, spa breaks, days out with her kids, and getting lost in a good book.