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Soap's Most Memorable Christmas Moments Ever

The Christmas season in Soap Land is notoriously full of high dramz. EastEnders and Coronation Street have come under fire this year for being a bit, er, dullsville compared to Yuletide’s past.

Don’t worry, there’s plenty of claat to come in the New Year eps. Just check out this Easties trailer.

But in honour of Christmas Past, here’s our look at the best ever soap Christmas moments.

  1. Mick Carter finds out the truth about Dean and Linda. And Dean and Shirley.

Mick Carter and Dean Wicks (c) BBC
Mick Carter and Dean Wicks (c) BBC

It was bombshell after bombshell for Mick Carter on Christmas Day 2014. Not only did he find out that his nephew had raped his wife, but he also discovered his sister was actually his mum. Who can forget Shirley screaming at a fewmin’ Mick: ” ‘E’s your bruvva!” Absolute classic EastEnders.

2. Max Branning and Stacey Slater’s affair is revealed on DVD

Max Branning's secret is out (c) BBC
Max Branning's secret is out (c) BBC

Another EastEnders classic Christmas was back in 2007 when Max and Stacey’s affair was revealed to the entire Branning/Slater clan. Naughty Lauren had planted a DVD of the pair talking about their illicit romps, on the day Stacey was marrying Max’s son, Bradley. This shook the very foundations of Albert Square and the aftershocks can still be felt nine years later as this week, Martin tells Stacey he’s uneasy about Max being back in Walford.

3. Den Watts hands Angie divorce papers

It's all over for Angie (c) BBC
It's all over for Angie (c) BBC

One of the most watched episodes of any programme ever in the UK was EastEnders (yep, they’ve really got this top ten nailed) way back in 1986 – just check out that perm. Legendary villain, Dirty Den Watts gave his wife, Angie, divorce papers instead of the usual nonsense like, socks or perfume. Ange had been lying about having cancer so Den wouldn’t leave her, ya see.

4. Coronation Street’s horror tram crash

The aftermath of the tram crash (c) ITV
The aftermath of the tram crash (c) ITV

There’s nothing like a huge stunt over the festive season to get everyone talking and Coronation Street got it spot on with the mega tram crash back in 2010. There were three deaths – Ashley Peacock, Molly Stubbs and Charlotte Hoyle – while Molly’s affair with Kevin Webster was revealed to Sally and Peter Barlow was left fighting for his life. And it was the beginning of the end for unlikely series killer, John Snape.

5. Richard Hillman kills Maxine Peacock – and almost bumps off Emily Bishop too

Nothing like a bit of sleighing at Christmas (c) ITV
Nothing like a bit of sleighing at Christmas (c) ITV

Richard Hillman was one of soap’s most prolific serial killers. By Christmas 2003, he’d already taken out two Coronation Street characters, tried to convince Audrey that she had Alzheimers and set fire to her house. In 2003, he attempted to bludgeon Emily Bishop to death for money, but ended up killing lovely Maxine Peacock instead.

6. Clare’s dastardly death plot in Hollyoaks

Clare Devine tries to kill Max (c) Lime Pictures/C4
Clare Devine tries to kill Max (c) Lime Pictures/C4

Clare Devine was one of Hollyoaks’ baddest baddies ever. Her most horrible moment was when she tried to murder her husband, the lovely Max, after discovering he had life insurance worth half a million quid. She threw his little brother, Tom’s, coat into an icy river – hoping that Max would dive in after him. He did – but luckily survived.

7. Jamie Mitchell dies in Sonia Jackson’s arms

Bye bye Jamie Mitchell (c) BBC
Bye bye Jamie Mitchell (c) BBC

The saddest Crimbo moment of all time has to go to EastEnders’ 25th December episode in 2002. Jamie Mitchell and Sonia Jackson were finally happy and Jamie had just popped the question to his girlfriend when he was accidentally run over by Martin Fowler. It looked like he was going to pull through but he later died in Sonia’s arms, talking about their future. SOB.

8. Emmerdale’s mega storm and Tricia’s death

Tricia Dingle's sad demise (c) ITV
Tricia Dingle's sad demise (c) ITV

More death over at the Dales. This time, poor Tricia was the victim when the festive storm of 2003 hit Emmerdale. Trish was on her way to repair her broken marriage to Marlon when she was hit by the chimney which had been blown off the Woolpack. Ouch. Later, Marlon had to make the devastating decision to switch off her life support when she was declared brain dead.

9. Emmerdale’s festive plane crash

A plane crashes in the Dales (c) ITV
A plane crashes in the Dales (c) ITV

There’s nothing worse than having a quiet Christmas at home and then a plane crash landing in your village, causing death and destruction. In 1993, Emmerdale changed forever when an aircraft exploded over Beckindale on New Year’s Eve. 250 passengers and nine villagers were killed. Chris Tate was left in a wheelchair.

10. Mick and Linda Carter finally tie the knot.

Mr and Mrs Carter (c) BBC
Mr and Mrs Carter (c) BBC

On New Year’s Day 2016, Mick and Linda Carter finally made it up the aisle and officially became husband and wife. Obviously this was after Mick had a near-fight-to-the-death with his rapist brother, Dean Wicks. In the water, hence Mick’s wedding outfit not being strictly traditional.