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EastEnders Sets New Year’s Day 2026 Flashforward to 2027, Centering on Max Branning

The 30-minute one-off previews 2026 storylines with clue-packed scenes led by returning actor Jake Wood.

Overview

  • BBC One will air the full flashforward episode on New Year’s Day, marking the show’s first entire instalment set in the future.
  • The special is set on New Year’s Day 2027 and follows Max Branning a year on as he faces repercussions with major implications for his family.
  • Producers say multiple situations unfold at once, offering tantalising hints about arcs that will play out across 2026 in Walford.
  • A promotional image shows Max in a suit with a blood-stained white rose, released as a visual tease rather than a revealed plot detail.
  • Executive producer Ben Wadey framed the move as a format first, building on a 2023 flashforward precedent and Max’s on-screen return earlier in 2025.