EastEnders fans in shock as Christmas killer and victim revealed

EASTENDERS fans are in shock after the killer – and their victim – was revealed in tonight’s explosive Christmas Day episode.

The BBC soap teased tonight’s dramatic edition with a flash forward in February showing a future dead body surrounded by six Walford women.

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Keanu Taylor was stabbed by Linda Carter as she battled to save Sharon in tonight’s EastEnders

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Nish Panesar was bottled by Denise Fox but Suki saved his life

Sharon Watts, Linda Carter, Denise Fox, Suki Panesar, Stacey Slater and Kathy Beale all took centre stage in one of the biggest storylines the soap has ever done.

The potential victims were listed as Phil Mitchell, Jack Branning, Dean Wicks, Rocky Cotton, Nish Panesar and Ravi Gulati.

Now tonight viewers learned the truth about who died and how but there was a shock twist.

Keanu Taylor was brutally stabbed as he tried to kill Sharon Watts while Nish Panesar was bottled over the head.

Earlier in the episode all of The Six found themselves in various dramatic circumstances.

Sharon Watts had her wedding day interrupted by ex-Phil Mitchell.

He had been told by a betrayed Bernie Taylor about how groom Keanu was really behind the kidnapping of son Albie.

A horrified Sharon realised he was telling the truth at the altar and slapped Keanu, getting her blood all over her dress.

And in the rage she let slip that Albie was in fact not Keanu’s biological son – just in time for his actual biological father Phil to hear it all.

She was taken back to the Vic by Kathy Beale – who was fleeing from her estranged husband Rocky Cotton – and Linda Carter.

They were soon joined by Denise Fox who couldn’t stand to be around cheating husband Jack after he finally came clean about romping with Stacey Slater.

Meanwhile Stacey was desperate to protect Suki Panesar after her husband Nish was released from custody and went home to attack her.

He lured her back home using son Vinny and pretending Nugget had collapsed and needed urgent help.

But once she was there Nish was ready to hurt her.

His son Ravi stepped in to hold Nish back so Suki could escape his fury.

She went running to find Eve – who was hiding out with Jack Branning – and ran into Stacey, with the pair racing to the Vic for safety from Nish.

Nish knocked his son Ravi out and went hunting for Suki – determined to take revenge.

Meanwhile at the Vic Sharon was confronted by Phil – who surprisingly didn’t want a shouting match.

Instead he asked her to let him get to know his son – with Sharon horrified at the thought after the loss of son Denny.

But she agreed and Phil left the Vic but there was another threat lurking upstairs.

Viewers watched as Dean Wicks snuck into the Vic while George was distracted locking up.

He later emerged upstairs as Linda went into her kitchen to secretly down some vodka having fallen off the wagon earlier this year.

He stood menacingly over her in the doorway watching her as she drank.

Dean stalked her through the pub as Linda panicked, running downstairs and finding the back door open.

She made it downstairs where Suki discovered Nish was looking for her – but the women convinced her to summon Nish to the pub so they could all confront him.

“If you really want to talk, I’m in the Vic, let’s talk,” she said.

Nish turned up to be faced with The Six where Suki assumed she was safe.

“Merry Christmas ladies,” he said. “What a pleasant surprise.”

She told him: “I’m leaving you Nish. Our marriage is over and I want you out of our house. I’m not leaving, you are.”

Nish refused to listen and the other women backed him up with Nish outnumbered and outgunned.

His threats and insults failed to work and they ended up laughing at him, and then he tried begging – but that failed too.

“I can’t bare to look at you,” said Nish as he grabbed her and turned violent.

A struggle ensued and he tried to kidnap Suki but the women protected her, with Denise smashing him over the head with a bottle.

But as Suki tried to save Nish’s life, Keanu turned up and caught them.

He tried demanded Albie – but Sharon faced him down and was backed up by the other women.

As Sharon gave him some home truths, Keanu began to strangle Sharon and Linda was forced to pick up a knife and she stabbed Keanu in the back.

He collapsed in a pool of blood while back in the pub Nish began breathing again.

Fans were in shock after the huge episode and could barely cope.

One wrote: “What a Christmas Day episode of Eastenders that was I’m shook.”

A second said: “Quality British TV. Eastenders, you have done it once again! Raising the bar to where the others cannot reach!”

Another added: “#EastEnders I HAVE NO WORDS 😧 I SCREAMED. I GASPED. I YELLED. Best Christmas episode in YEARS.”

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Keanu was strangling Sharon before Linda stepped in to save her

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Linda stabbed him with a handily-placed kebab skewer

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Keanu has become the EastEnders Christmas murder victim