December 22, 2021 – The Soap Dish

So, with Doctors, Home and Away and Neighbours done for the year, it’s left to Eastenders, Corrie, Emmerdale and Hollyoaks to entertain us over the festive period.

Eastenders

I am so excited for Eastenders this Christmas! This week, Whitney is desperately tying to get to the truth about Gray and to protect Chelsea from him and things look set to get far more intense at Christmas. I will be on the edge of my seat. I love Eastenders for putting Whitney in the hero/rescuer role instead of the victim role. I cannot applaud them enough.

Then we are due the big reveal about Rocky actually being Tom Cotton (although I like him so much that I want everything to be forgiven anyway! If we can forgive Stuart for everything he did…)

I am also very interested to see the first Mitchell/Slater Christmas… I love Kat and Phil together; I just hope that Sharon pining for the granddaughter she completely mishandled the custody of doesn’t mess up the relationship. I am also hoping for lots of Eve!

The only downside to Christmas on the Square is the rumour that Janine and Mick are going to get together/closer. For starters, this is a tired story. The last time Linda disappeared, he went off with Whitney. Plus we’ve already had an affair between Linda and Max. Obviously, they’ve had to create a reason for Linda to leave, as Kellie Bright is on maternity leave but can’t Mick just behave himself while she’s gone instead of this cliché every time? It’s so boring. These two arrived on the Square as the most solid, in love couple who had never been with anyone else and never loved another; I wish Eastenders would just keep them intact. I am really hoping that they have something up their sleeve with this one.

And from reading my beloved Inside Soap, I gather that Eastenders are not letting up after Christmas and the Square will also be bringing in an explosive New Year as well. I cannot wait!

Emmerdale

I am equally gripped by Emmerdale’s plots this Christmas, particularly Meena’s psychotic rampaging through the Village! This week, she has discovered that Billy, her newest obsession just isn’t that into her either! He is still in love with Dawn. And she is not happy about it. She has also fallen out with Manpreet, who is well on her way to discovering some truths about her past that Meena would rather she didn’t.

So I am pretty sure that not everyone is going to come through Christmas alive… Well, I hope not anyway! Honestly, I have never enjoyed a soap serial killer storyline so much – I think there might be something wrong with me…

Whoever created the character of Meena and the people who write for her deserve awards. She is incredible. And I can’t seem to stop saying how wonderful and talented Paige Sandhu is.

The Woolpack will also be left very vulnerable on Christmas Day, with Al’s scheming coming to a head. I called it ages ago that when Chas was being all compliant with him that she was playing him at his own game. She is far too clever to let him come and take her precious pub away from her. And I loved Nicola standing up publicly for the pub and the Village this week as well.

Coronation Street

I confess I am not quite as enthralled by the Corrie Christmas stories as I am for what Eastenders and Emmerdale have to offer this year but I am looking forward to them proving me wrong. You just never know with the soaps; they are full of surprises.

I adore Emma and I have been following her and Curtis’s story very closely. I felt so sorry for her this week when Curtis was arrested on their wedding day. I felt less sorry for him. Then there’s little Sam, who will apparently speak for the first time in weeks over Christmas. I also believe with are due some emotional scenes from Abi, not to mention some shocks! Sally Carmen has been stealing so many scenes recently. She’s just wonderful, as is Mollie Gallagher, who plays Nina.

Hollyoaks

Now, I don’t know about you but I have already blitzed Hollyoaks on All4, taking me right up to the episodes due to air on 30^th December. I’m not even sorry. I couldn’t wait!

However, I can report that it is definitely worth watching and there are some really amazing moments. The bit that really got me was Cindy’s desperation to have a positive Christmas with/for Luke and the almost impossibility of it and of the situation. It was utterly heartbreaking.