Summary[]
Mark asks Lisa to marry him on his daughter's first Christmas. However Lisa has something to tell both him and Phil.
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Charlie isn't in the festive spirit this year, and decides to spend the day alone strolling around the Square and boozing in the Vic. Phil is gifting Sharon with the silent treatment and Peggy is no stranger to the tense atmosphere. Jim has a special surprise lined up for Dot in the shape and form of a Christmas cracker holding an engagement ring inside, but when it comes to pulling them, there is a mix up when Sonia is presented with the ring and believes it's from Jamie until Jim intervenes causing her to grow a look of dismay. Anthony questions Trevor on the answering machine the previous night in the presence of Paul and Patrick, secretly requesting whether he will reveal it was Zoe or not. But when he is reassured that Trevor is retreating from admitting, Anthony informs Kat which leads to the pair going on the lookout for Zoe themselves. There is an interesting disruption at Number 23 when Mo has been acquainted with a real-life turkey from one of her dodgy dealing pals. Oblivious on what to do with the bird, Mo calls the helping hand of Billy in which she informs him to kill it at a price but Lynne takes a lustre to it. Little Mo, gently and subtly, tries suggesting that they visit the Slaters to Trevor, but his unwitting manner and his notion of her being ungrateful to the Truemans puts the lid on the bottle for her question. However, later on, with Anthony nowhere to be found and the delayed dinner, Paul suggests Little Mo goes to visit her family leaving Trevor with no option but to let her do so to avoid knocking down the barrier of his furtive malicious ways. Kat and Anthony appoint to the bedsit that Zoe was previously staying and find Kelly weakly bruised after taking a bashing from Roxy, but Kat is none too sympathetic when she finds out Kelly told Roxy where Zoe could potentially be - Charrington House. At Charrington House, Zoe is leaving the building when Roxy harmfully clutches her and appeals she comes with her and follows her charges. The challenging confrontation is in interrupted by the breakthrough of Kat who head-butts Roxy before taking Zoe back to the Square after sharing wise words with her on why she should return no matter what her expectations or fears are. Charlie is over the moon with her return and breaks into tears when Zoe locks onto him. The Evans' Christmas drink in the Vic is disrupted by an incoming phone call from Nathan to Roy. Nathan declares to Roy that Jane is hopeful of a visit from him that day, and Roy is compelled to make excuses to Pat on his removal but Natalie and Barry are no fools to his disinformation. It's all blissed amour at the Fowler household when Mark proposes to Lisa and she accepts but the severance of a phone call from Phil demanding to see his daughter puts a damper on the moment. |
Credits[]
Main cast[]
- Lisa Shaw - Lucy Benjamin
- Mark Fowler - Todd Carty
- Phil Mitchell - Steve McFadden
- Sharon Watts - Letitia Dean
- Peggy Mitchell - Barbara Windsor
- Kat Slater - Jessie Wallace
- Zoe Slater - Michelle Ryan
- Doctor Anthony Trueman - Nicholas R. Bailey (credited as "Dr. Trueman")
- Charlie Slater - Derek Martin
- Mo Harris - Laila Morse
- Lynne Hobbs - Elaine Lordan
- Garry Hobbs - Ricky Groves
- 'Little' Mo Morgan - Kacey Ainsworth
- Billy Mitchell - Perry Fenwick
- Trevor Morgan - Alex Ferns
- Jim Branning - John Bardon
- Dot Cotton - June Brown
- Robbie Jackson - Dean Gaffney
- Sonia Jackson - Natalie Cassidy
- Jamie Mitchell - Jack Ryder
- Roy Evans - Tony Caunter
- Pat Evans - Pam St. Clement
- Barry Evans - Shaun Williamson
- Natalie Evans - Lucy Speed
- Nathan Williams - Doug Allen
- Pauline Fowler - Wendy Richard
- Martin Fowler - James Alexandrou
- Patrick Trueman - Rudolph Walker
- Paul Trueman - Gary Beadle
- Kelly Taylor - Brooke Kinsella
- Louise Fowler - Rachel Cox (uncredited)
Recurring cast[]
- Jim - Glen Cooper (uncredited)
Guest cast[]
- Roxy Drake - Tracy Brabin
Locations[]
- Albert Square
- The Queen Victoria - Public and upstairs flat
- 20 Albert Square - Living/dining room
- 23 Albert Square - Living room, kitchen, hallway and backyard
- 25 Albert Square - Kitchen
- 45 Albert Square - Kitchen and backroom
- Bridge Street
- Charrington House - Exterior
- Jane Williams' house - Hallway
- Bedsit - Zoe's room
- High street alleyway
Notes[]
- This first episode of a two-part Christmas special was broadcast at the earlier time of 5.55pm.
- Irregular at the time, the end credits for this episode scrolled rather than being designated at the left-hand side of the screen with individual cuts to each set of texts.
- This episode featured several audio faults in certain scenes.
- Last appearance of Kelly Taylor until 6 August 2002.
- Lonely This Christmas by Mud is heard playing in the Queen Vic.
- Whole Again by Atomic Kitten is heard playing at the Truemans' house.
- Radio Times synopsis: It's a big day for Mark: "his" daughter's first Christmas. Mark decides to cement his happiness by asking Lisa to marry him.
- Viewing Figures: UK broadcast - 15,550,000 viewers (5th place - combined figure including repeat).
- For its 2025 upload to BBC iPlayer as "EastEnders: Christmas 1986 - 2007", this episode was entitled 2001 - Part 1.
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