Samuel Spencer
Live reporter

And that's it for the 40th anniversary. The dramatic live episode saw Sonia say hello to baby Julia while Stacey said goodbye to Martin.

Viewers hoping for a "how's Adam" moment (or the return of any presumed dead characters) were left disappointed – the closest thing we had to a flub was a very unrealistic baby.

Fans spent the day choosing whether Denise would end up with Ravi or Jack watched as she chose to rekindle things with her ex-husband Jack – a decision met by cheers from fans watching in Wembley.

Many began posting 'RIP Martin Fowler' as the first baby born on Albert Square in 1985 met his end on the 40th anniversary. James Bye, who played the character, called the show "an honour" to work on.

Thanks for following along, see you at the 50th!

Emma Bullimore
TV commentator

As 40th birthday parties go, this week has been a blast, literally.

But what happens when the excitement dulls?

The streaming era has unsettled soap fans, and with Neighbours axed (sort of), Corrie and Emmerdale losing half an hour per week next year and viewing figures plummeting, there’s a big question mark over Albert Square’s future.

Becky Want
Presenter, The Late Show, BBC local radio

It was an adventure full of doof doofs last week as I took the iconic Queen Victoria bust - which usually takes pride of place on the bar in Walford’s Queen Vic - on a tour of the UK’s pubs, and there was one special common denominator...every pub we visited was called the Queen Vic.

On Monday in Newcastle upon Tyne, I was officially named the worst bingo caller they’d ever had.

In Barnsley on “Cheeky Tuesday” the happy hour pint I pulled in a former mining village was met with hoots of derision from the pool team.

Wednesday was Leicester where the local champion gravy wrestler and the singing plumber popped in to say hello, and on Thursday at Maldon in Essex, the pub’s darts team, Latte Lads and Whisky Club, made me very welcome until the early hours!

On my whistle-stop tour, I was entertained by local artists, colourful characters, and grateful regulars, and was told several times that their Queen Vic was the beating heart of the community.

And what do you think I heard more than anything else? “Get outta my pub!”

I learnt not to take it personally!

As part of the BBC’s 40th anniversary of EastEnders celebrations, an hour-long documentary dives into the show’s storytelling and gives viewers the chance to relive some of its most poignant, ground breaking and memorable moments.

Hosted by Ross Kemp - who, don’t forget, is back in his role as Grant Mitchell - the programme revisits the first kiss between two gay men on British television, Kat Slater’s historical abuse storyline, Mark Fowler’s diagnosis with HIV and many, many more.

There’s also interviews with some of Albert Square’s most famous residents including Adam Woodyatt (Ian Beale), Gillian Taylforth (Kathy Cotton) and Letitia Dean (Sharon Watts), who will tell us some of their favourite moments on the show from the last 40 years.

You can watch EastEnders: 40 Years on The Square on iPlayer.

There may be mixed feelings about Denise choosing Jack over Ravi, but social media users unanimously agree that the cast and crew did a great job tonight.

Here are some of comments coming through:

• "Tonight's episode was amazing. Totally knocked it out of the park."
• "You all smashed the live episode."
• "Expect you all to clean up at the award shows next year."
• "The whole episode went so well, one could have easily forgotten it was live."

Emma Bullimore
TV commentator

It's easy to be cynical about soaps, but I really did think that was great. Across the week, we've had so many Easter eggs to feast on (Anita Dobson's return being my favourite), reminding us of the glory days.

But tonight EastEnders succeeded in creating another huge moment in the here and now. I could never really get that excited about the Denise/Jack/Ravi love triangle, so it makes sense that the vote reveal was a bit of a sideshow.

Instead, Martin's death had everyone in tears, Lacey Turner proved why she's the best on the Square and we even got an over-egged labour scene from Sonia, with some genuine LOLs from Bianca. And nobody forgot their lines.

Bravo.

Shola Lee
Reporting from Boxpark, Wembley

Well, that was an eventful night - and a successful live episode for EastEnders.

As the doof doofs rang out at Wembley Boxpark, fans began filtering out from the event hall - though some stayed to dance along to the upbeat 2000s music playing.

Braving the cold Thursday night, many were left discussing the half-hour live episode they’d seen: Do you think Denise made the right choice? Where will everyone gather now the Vic’s in ruins? What's next for Stacey?

As with anything in EastEnders, you never can tell. Goodbye from Boxpark, and thanks for following along with me.

Martin's death has particular resonance for the show, as the character was the first baby born on the Square.

Born in July 1985, just months after the show began, his birth brought to an end a storyline where Pauline Fowler became pregnant at the age of 40.

The role has been played by three actors over the years: Jon Peyton Price, James Alexandriou and most recently James Bye. The character was also the father of Sonia's first child, so in cruel soap logic it makes sense that he died while Sonia gave birth to her next child.

Shola Lee
Reporting from Boxpark, Wembley

Fan Emir McGee came dressed to the live episode event at Wembley's Boxpark as the "iconic" Pat Butcher, explaining "honestly, her style is just impeccable."

Emir says she started watching EastEnders as a child and today's eventful live episode left her "on tenterhooks the whole time".

The fan says she was crying as Martin was trapped under the beam in the episode and is "so upset" about the character's death. The actor who plays him, James Bye, confirmed he will be leaving the show after more than a decade.

McGee adds that the acting in the episode is "absolutely incredible".

"They should all be so proud of themselves".

Emma Bullimore
TV commentator

Why didn't I see this coming? Of course Lacey Turner was going to outsparkle everyone else tonight.

She has played a huge role in EastEnders live episodes before - with Stacey being revealed as Archie's killer and watching her beloved Bradley die - and she seems to thrive off the pressure.

Her performance tonight was perfectly pitched - from Stacey's romantic exchanges with Martin to the slow horror of realising she was about to lose the man she loved.

Lacey has long been Britain's favourite soap actress, and it's not difficult to see why.

We heard a paramedic warn Stacey that Martin is likely to be suffering crush syndrome, moments before he was freed from the rubble. Sadly for many fans, he did not survive.

Crush syndrome is a real, life-threatening condition that, as the paramedic on the show explains, occurs when muscle tissue is compressed for a prolonged period of time.

Toxins that have built up during that time are released when the patient is freed, which can lead to kidney failure and cardiac arrest.

Martin Fowler has spoken. Speaking of his exit from the show after 11 years, actor James Bye says: "Saying goodbye is not easy, but after 10 years at EastEnders and on the night of the shows epic 40th anniversary – the time felt right.

"It's an honour to leave on a story of this magnitude. A huge thank you to all the fans of the show – EastEnders wouldn't be what it is without you – and to the BBC and EastEnders team for trusting me with this role for so many years.

"This fruit and veg man will always hold a special place in my heart. It's time to look forward, and I'm incredibly excited for what the future holds. RIP Martin Fowler."

Samuel Spencer
Live reporter

The 40th anniversary has just come to an end. In classic EastEnders form, no good thing can happen without a tragedy to balance things out.

Here are the key moments of drama:

• Denise decides: Fox by name, foxy by nature. Following the fan vote, Denise chooses stability over danger and picks Jack to be her happy ever after…or, at least, happy until the next big plot twist
• Martin dies: Poor Stacey – after losing husband Bradley on the 25th live episode, she had to say a tearful goodbye to ex Martin, who seemed to succumb to his injuries just minutes after the pair decided to get remarried
• Sonia gives birth: 25 years after giving birth to baby Chloe on the sofa, her new baby was born amid the rubble of the Vic. Sadly, she called it Julia rather than paying tribute to the most iconic EastEnders character and name it Baby Wellard…
• Birthing troubles: It wouldn’t be EastEnders if things were happy for too long. No sooner had the (not quite realistic) baby been born than it was going blue. However, Sonia eventually got her baby to cry and Albert Square welcomed its latest resident

Shola Lee
Reporting from Boxpark, Wembley

Fans at Boxpark were fixed on the screen as paramedics lifted the beam crushing character Martin.

"Come on Martin!" could be heard around the venue as they waited to see if the character would survive.

As things took a turn for the worse and the character had to undergo CPR, fans screamed.

The end credits rolled with Stacey cradling her ex-husband as we can only assume the worst for Martin.

Social media is devastated about Martin's death.

Many are sharing images of him with captions reading "RIP Martin Fowler".

"Goodbye Martin Fowler, hello Julia," one user writes in reference to Sonia's new-born baby.

Others praise Stacey and Martin's "superb" acting.

Emma Bullimore
TV commentator

A round of applause to the cast - and whoever was writing Bianca's comedy gold - that was a slick, well-delivered episode with nothing for the meme-makers to delight over.

Everyone deserves a glass of unspecified white wine in celebration.

The episode concludes with Sonia sitting in an ambulance speaking to her new-born baby, Julia.

She tells her it's "bonkers round here" as the scene switches to show images of Martin, Denise and Jack and others.

She continues to say that she'll be there for here "through all the darkness".

"Even when you think life has ground to a halt... there's always something magic around the corner."

Emma Bullimore
TV commentator

Nobody wants to see a real baby in distress, but that doll Sonia is rubbing is quite possibly the least convincing child I have ever seen in a labour scene.

Never mind, they'll be replaced with a nearly-toddler soon.

Fans have been voting for the name of Sonia's baby, who was born amid the rubble of the Old Vic.

We learn that she has been called Julia - after EastEnders creator Julia Smith.

The episode has now ended, but stay with us for the latest analysis and reaction.

The suspense continues. Here are some social media comments we're seeing as people get emotional:

"I can't cope. I'm just glad it was her (Stacey) by him in the end."

"Okay, who's cutting the onions?"

"I am sobbing."