EastEnders has turned the screw tighter on its fans by making them wait until Thursday to find out whether the Branning sisters will survive their fall from the roof of the Queen Vic.
The Christmas Day cliffhanger - one of the most shocking in the soap's history - saw pregnant Abi (Lorna Fitzgerald) and older sister Lauren (Jacqueline Jossa) slip and fall from the roof while trying to help their deeply troubled father Max (Jake Wood).
ICYMI, or want to relive it?! Here's the Christmas day duff duff. 🎄
— BBC EastEnders (@bbceastenders) December 26, 2017
*WARNING* There's a roof involved.😩 pic.twitter.com/Zw9qjZhPjx
Fans had been expecting that they would learn the sisters' fate the following evening, but the St Stephen's Day episode did not give them the resolution they were craving.
Both Abi and Lauren were rushed to hospital with Max arrested on suspicion of grievous bodily harm.
As the action cut between Albert Square, the police station and the hospital, it was revealed that Abi and Lauren were still alive and that Abi had not lost her baby.
Max was subsequently released from custody, but as the episode neared its conclusion Lauren began to bleed heavily during surgery, while the unconscious Abi was seen undergoing an MRI.
As Max and Tanya (Jo Joyner) anxiously awaited news of their children, a member of the medical team told them that she needed to speak to them about their "daughter".
Which daughter? WHICH DAUGHTER?! 👭😣
— BBC EastEnders (@bbceastenders) December 26, 2017
That didn’t look like good news, did it? 😢
🎄#EastEnders is back on Thursday at 8PM. We know you won’t be missing it! 🎄 pic.twitter.com/mw6t23iImz
Fans must now wait until Thursday's episode on RTÉ One and BBC One at 8pm for more news on the pair.
Hate it how @bbceastenders isn’t on Wednesday night! Why can’t it be a week long special 😂 #grippingstuff #edgeofyourseat #abiandlauren #drama #soaps #eastenders
— sami (@se_jp83) December 26, 2017
Great duff duff #EastEnders ending pic.twitter.com/8LAvHW2rQf
— Melanie harling (@balfoursbaby) December 27, 2017
@jacquelineMjos We can’t have a repeat of Ronnie and Roxy 💔 #Eastenders
— Megan💛 (@Megangalbraith_) December 27, 2017
@bbceastenders and it's cliff hangers 😣 why you do this to me? Someone make it be Thursday already! #EastEnders #abiandlauren
— Jade🦄 (@JadeMarieB17) December 27, 2017
Well I don't think that I have ever gasped so much. Nobody was expecting that. I applaud you. Incredible acting and storyline. We had a 3 episode catch up session. #EastEnders
— Seri King (@SaraJKing4) December 27, 2017
What’s with sisters and endings in Eastenders?! #EastEnders
— Vera O'Mara (@veraomarahere) December 27, 2017
THURSDAY!?!?!? BLOODY THURSDAY???? 😑😑 #EastEnders
— Michelle Pryde (@michellepryde) December 26, 2017
😩 longest 48 hours ever! I need someone who can read brain scans to tell me Abi’s fate #Eastenders
— Angela MacDonald (@AngieBop84) December 26, 2017
If you have been affected by issues raised in this story, please visit samaritans.org, contact the 24-hour helpline on 116123 or email: jo@samaritans.org.
