A FIRE is set to rip through Walford as EastEnders marks its 40th anniversary.

While scant details are known about the nature of the blaze at present, a show source

told The Sun: “The drama is really ramping up.” Yet it could mean the lives of a

number of EastEnders fan-favourites hang in the balance. It comes after we exclusively reported Ross Kemp’s “return” to the soap for its four-decade milestone. Ross first quit playing his EastEnders character Grant Mitchell in 1999 after nearly a decade, before brief returns in 2005 and 2016. We were first to reveal how he will now present a one-off documentary about the show that made him famous. A source said: “Ross is joining in celebrations by hosting his own EastEnders documentary. “He will interview stars past and present about why it is so good and how important it is. EastEnders will always have a special place in his heart and he’s really excited.” Asked about a return to EastEnders last week on This Morning, he said: “I can tell you nothing.”

Back in 2010, EastEnders showcased a week of episodes centred on a blaze in the pub. EastEnders legend Tracey-Ann Oberman reveals why she’ll never be killed off a Dubbed the Queen Vic Fire Week, four episodes captured the build up to a fire at the iconic boozer, at the time run by Peggy Mitchell. It was her son Phil – brother of the returning Grant – who lit the spark to set the inferno alight. The quite literally explosive scenes were penned to accommodate for a refurbishment of the drinking hole, which tied in to viewers then experiencing the episodes broadcast in high-definition for the first time. Tied into the upcoming plotlines, we can also reveal how Navin Chowdhry is leaving after two years as Nish Panesar.

MICHELLE Collins has seen her second EastEnders stint boost her bank balance. Yet what stars have quit this year? The Sun exclusively reported how Michelle, 62, was down to £20,000 in her company accounts when she agreed to a shock back-from-the-dead return to Albert Square last year. Her character, Cindy Beale, was presumed dead off-camera in 1998. Yet what about the 2024 exits? Earlier this summer, loyal soap fans appeared to note how Stevie Mitchell had “quit” the long-running series. It came after Alan Ford enjoyed just six-months on-screen. Bobby Beale actor Clay Milner Russell also left this year after five years in Walford. Fans also feared Martin Fowler actor James Bye would “quit out of boredom” over recent storylines.

Additionally, a host of stars have quit the BBC soap for Hollywood fame. One of the most successful stars to come from the BBC One soap is Rob Kazinsky. He played Stacey Slater’s brother Sean Slater from 2006 to 2009, he has starred in Hollywood blockbusters Pacific Rim and Captain Marvel. Ben Hardy, who quit EastEnders as Bobby Beale almost a decade ago, went on to break Hollywood the following year, when he starred as Archangel in X-Men: Apocalypse. Since then, he has played Roger Taylor in Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody, and he starred in Michael Bay’s Netflix movie 6 Underground.

Michelle Ryan played Zoe Slater until 2005. She starred as the lead in short-lived American series Bionic Woman from 2007 to 2008. The 53-year-old has quit his evil character role after joining in 2022. A show source said: “It’s not known if Nish will be killed off, even though his health is suffering, but expect the exit to be very impactful and dramatic. “Navin has made quite the impact on the show in the two years he has been a part of it, especially as a key part of the huge Christmas storyline with The Six. He’ll be missed by cast, crew and viewers alike.”