Emma Bullimore
TV commentator

We know Natalie Cassidy is leaving EastEnders, but will it be tonight and will Sonia and her baby make it out of Walford alive?

Nearly 20 million of us watched terrified teenager Sonia giving birth in 2000, and props to Nat Cass for agreeing to do all that screaming again during a live episode.

To bring you up to speed, Sonia’s latest pregnancy hasn’t been the glowing joy that mums hope for - the heartburn always hits harder when you’re in prison for a crime you didn’t commit.

Luckily Bianca took the blame for a bit, but it was Sonia’s dastardly ex Reiss whodunit. Now she’s trapped in The Vic, next to the dead (or is he?) body of her ex, pushing out a baby with only Bianca and Lauren for company.

Forget realism, I’ll bet you a fiver that baby will be born, cleaned up and looking like a bonny six-month old by 8pm.

More than three decades after her first appearances in Walford as Sonia Fowler, Natalie Cassidy leaves Albert Square this week.

Sonia is currently pregnant with Reiss Colwell's (Jonny Freeman) baby unaware that he killed his ex-wife Debbie (Jenny Meier). Sonia was later charged with the crime, but found not guilty after a video emerged of her half-sister Bianca Butcher (Patsy Palmer) making a confession.

Cassidy made her first appearance in the soap in 1993, leaving in 2007, before returning briefly between 2010 and 2011, and later coming back to Walford in 2014.

In a statement the 41-year-old says she is "extremely sad" but also "very excited" to be moving on, adding: "After another 11 solid years back on the square, I have decided it's time to move on to pastures new.”

Patsy Palmer, who plays Sonia’s half-sister Bianca paid tribute to Cassidy on Instagram, saying: “I am truly grateful to call her my sister on-screen and off-screen.”

Read more about Sonia’s exit from Walford in our full story.

Emma Bullimore
TV commentator

Poor Jo Joyner. During the EastEnders 30th anniversary episode, the actress enquired after Adam Woodyatt, instead of his character Ian Beale.

Despite carrying on like a pro, the ‘How’s Adam?’ slip-up became the stuff of soap legend.

And we’ve had various other stumbles and errors along the way. Will anyone forget their lines tonight? Or trip over a discarded bit of wood in the carnage of The Vic?

Alongside the EastEnders fans tuning in, lots of people will be watching just for the mistakes.

Samuel Spencer
Live reporter

Whether you're Team Ravi or Team Jack, your time to vote is up.

Viewers have been having their say all day, but voting is now CLOSED.

Votes will be counted before the end of the live episode, when we will learn whether Denise will be having a Ravi romance or be back with Jack.

Voting is also closed on the additional vote for Sonia's baby name. In tribute to EastEnders creators Julia Smith and Tony Holland, we will soon be welcoming either Julia or Toni Fowler into the world.

Shola Lee
Reporting from Boxpark, Wembley

Speaking on the set ahead of tonight's episode, Adam Woodyatt - who has played Ian Beale since the show aired 40 years ago - describes filming a live episode as “a different beast”.

Smiling, Woodyatt says that he thinks people watching live will “probably be hoping that one of us is going to mess up - I hope that none of us mess up”.

Woodyatt was in the live episodes of EastEnders for the 25th and 30th anniversaries and says “the key to it is the rehearsals,” adding that being “precise and consistent” is key.

Viewers have been voting for which love interest they want Diane Parish’s character Denise Fox to end up with, with the result playing out in the live episode starting at 19:30 GMT this evening.

“I'm really excited for the fact that I can get to vote as well,” Woodyatt adds, “and, yeah, I can annoy Di Parish”.

Shola Lee
Reporting from Boxpark, Wembley

Ross Kemp, who reprised his role as Chelsea-boot-and-leather-jacket-wearing hardman Grant Mitchell during the 40th anniversary week of EastEnders, says he was “slightly nervous” when heading to the set for his return.

Speaking about his first scene back on Albert Square in almost a decade, Kemp says “it ended with me kind of collapsing in a ball of tears and snot in the corner of Bridge Street”.

In an attempt to keep things secret, and with news of his return under wraps, Kemp says the characters had code names, with his being “Graham”.

“Tough one to work out that," he laughs, “especially when ‘Graham’ says ‘hello, bruv’”.

Kemp says viewers are the “most important thing” to the soap, which “only survives because they come to the show”.

Kemp adds: “EastEnders is an emotional roller coaster, as people who watch it know. So as soon as you get in, you get your ticket and you're off.”

We're not expecting Kemp to appear in tonight's live episode, but he's made quite the comeback during the soap's 40th anniversary.

It wouldn’t be an Albert Square anniversary without a big name return, and in Walford, they don’t come much bigger than this.

Yes, Grant Mitchell is back.

He made his first appearance on the Square 35 years ago, and is one half of the iconic Mitchell brothers along with his brother Phil - the of one the Queen Vic’s many landlords, Peggy.

With Phil struggling as his ex-wife, Sharon, is now dating his long-lost cousin Teddy - it's safe to say that Grant’s return will be nothing short of explosive.

Ross Kemp, who plays Mitchell, says: “EastEnders has always meant so much to me, so to return as the show is about to celebrate such a special anniversary, is an absolute honour.”

It’s a big night in Albert Square, so we want to hear about your big nights.

Where are you watching from? Who are you watching with? Are you wearing your Kat Slater leopard print? Let us know about how you're celebrating the special 40th anniversary episode.

You can get in touch in the following ways:

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Emma Bullimore
TV commentator

This week Cindy (presumed dead in 1998) finally learned the identity of her Christmas Day attacker.

It was her mother-in-law, Kathy (presumed dead in 2006) who whacked her over the head with a snow shovel while everyone else was watching Gavin & Stacey.

This week, Cindy shoved Ian in front of a moving car, before she and Kathy got trapped inside The Vic, but both escaped.

Remarkably, all three Beales remain very much alive - mark my words, Ian would outlive the cockroaches in an apocalypse.

Shola Lee
Reporting from Boxpark, Wembley

Harriet Thorpe, who plays Queen Vic landlady Elaine Peacock, trained as a theatre actor and says performing live “has a truth to it and an excitement to it that you cannot beat”.

Thorpe says that with a live performance there’s “an emotional intimacy that you have with your audience - whether it’s a camera or on a stage, which is unlike anything else”.

Remembering her first day on the famous Albert Square set, Thorpe says: "I felt like there would be this big moment. This is The Vic, and here we are. And they said 'right everyone, we’re going to do a line run' and I was like…'right, OK, here we go'."

"And actually, that couldn’t have been better. Because there is such an extraordinary history, and all you want to do is jump on the ride," she adds.

When asked what viewers can expect in tonight’s live episode, Thorpe nods to the iconic Bette Davis line in the 1950 film All About Eve: "Buckle up, you’re in for a bumpy ride."

Shola Lee
Reporting from Boxpark, Wembley

Things are heating up in Boxpark and fans have one question on their mind: Jack or Ravi?

We spoke to friends Kieran Brewer, Reginald Adepoju and Marcus Johnson - it's their first time at Boxpark and they have some strong views on who Denise should end up with.

Marcus says he's voting for Jack: "I think he's a family man." Reginald, also voted for Jack, adds "we need to stop playing these games with Denise now."

While Kieran is firmly team Ravi but is "excited" to see what happens in the episode.

As fans are set to choose who Denise will couple up with, though not at the Love Island fire pit, we've taken a look at her romantic history with both potential suitors.

Denise and Jack Branning’s tumultuous marriage fell apart last year following the revelation he had been having an affair with Stacey Slater.

Despite their split, the pair have succumbed to passion a few times - but Denise has also been secretly spending time with former flame Ravi Gulati.

Ravi and Denise have a complicated relationship due to Ravi’s troubled past, and the fact he used to be in a serious relationship with her daughter Chelsea.

Who Denise ends up with in tonight's episode will be decided by you.

Emma Bullimore
TV commentator

No dogs at polling stations for this one, but viewers have been voting and tonight it’s your decision who Denise ends up with: ex-husband Jack Branning or her daughter’s ex, Ravi.

Denise has a terrible track record with romance, even by Walford standards (pastor Lucas Johnson memorably held her hostage), so no wonder the choice has been taken out of her hands.

Jack’s the reliable one (how times have changed), but Ravi is the guy she’s been lusting after (they nearly had an affair, but didn’t). As we wait to see how this plays out, Actress Diane Parish has learned two scripts for tonight...

Shola Lee
Reporting from Boxpark, Wembley

I'm here at Boxpark in Wembley and people are already arriving for tonight's showing of the EastEnders 40th anniversary live episode.

Pop music is blaring in the venue and we've already spied a few cheetah print outfits - no-doubt a nod to the iconic Kat Slater.

According to organisers, tonight's event is sold out and we're expecting things to pick up quickly here.

Just when you think you've seen it all in EastEnders, a first-of-its-kind interactive twist gives fans a chance to decide the outcome of Denise Fox's romantic dilemma.

In tonight's live episode, fans will play matchmaker and choose whether Denise will end up with her estranged husband Jack, or her secret lover, Ravi.

To vote, you'll need to sign in to your BBC account, and head to this page.

But hurry, you don’t have long.

Voting opened after last night’s hour-long anniversary episode and closes tonight at 19:10 GMT - so the votes can be independently counted and verified.

Samuel Spencer
Live reporter

Who'd have thought EastEnders' big birthday would involve the iconic Queen Vic blowing up? If you missed it, here's a recap:

Reiss crashed a car into the Vic, causing an explosion - we then saw Sonia going into labour and Martin deciding he preferred Stacy over Ruby…before a steel girder landed on him.

Reiss also became the victim of falling objects - a bathtub dropped on him seconds after Bianca told him to “drop dead” as he returned to haunt Sonia - midway through childbirth.

Speaking of haunting, Angie Watts appeared to daughter Sharon in a vision – marking actress Anita Dobson's first time on EastEnders since 1988.

Over at the garage, meanwhile, Nigel told a suicidal Phil about his dementia diagnosis, and Linda persuaded Phil to get the mental health help he needs.

As for Denise, the choice between Ravi and Jack is now out of her hands...

Matt Spivey
Live page editor

I couldn't resist a Kat Slater quote to set us off, after an explosive week in Albert Square.

EastEnders has been celebrating its 40th anniversary in extraordinary style and we've been soaking up every second of it.

Tonight, fans will have their say on Denise's love life, as ex-husband Jack Branning and secret lover Ravi Gulati are battling to win her heart.

Albert Square is alive with unanswered questions, and here in the London newsroom we'll be bringing you live reactions and a glimpse inside a viewing party in London - where superfans are gathering to take in the drama.

You'll be able to tune into the episode right here by clicking Watch live at the top of this page from 19:30 GMT. We also have interviews with some iconic characters and a whistle-stop tour of the UK's Queen Vic pubs.

Buckle up, grab your leopard print coat and follow along as we get all the goss from Walford.