Lance Kneeshaw directed all four episodes, whilst Bryan Kirkwood, Simon Ashdown, Kevin Rundle and Lauren Klee were appointed as writers.
In a first for the show, it will contain interactivity with viewers, who will vote to decide the outcome of a storyline, being which male suitor Denise Fox (Diane Parish) chooses out of Jack Branning (Scott Maslen) and Ravi Gulati (Aaron Thiara).
Alongside his return as Grant, Kemp is set to present a documentary titled EastEnders: 40 Years on The Square, following the show's forty-year history.
"[1] In an interview with Digital Spy in October 2023, EastEnders' executive producer Chris Clenshaw confirmed that production for a 40th anniversary celebration for the soap was underway.
[6] Upon the episode's announcement, Clenshaw noted that the show had begun bringing characters back for stints and promised more to build up to the week of the anniversary.
[3] Shortly before, it was reported that actress Louisa Lytton would be returning to her role as Ruby Allen after three years absence,[7] with it being rumored that she would be an important character in the anniversary celebration.
[14] At the 29th National Television Awards, cast members Diane Parish and Scott Maslen were asked about the upcoming episode.
[17] On 6 January 2025, it was announced that the previously teased interactive element would give the viewers the choice of who the character Denise Fox would decide to pursue a romantic relationship with.
The choice was between Denise's estranged ex-husband Jack Branning and her "secret lover" Ravi Gulati, with the outcome set to be revealed during the live episode.
[23] It was confirmed that former EastEnders actor Ross Kemp would host a special one-off documentary for the celebration, including interviews with both former and current stars.
[26] Guests ranged from long-running present actors such as Adam Woodyatt, Gillian Taylforth and Letitia Dean to "iconic" former stars Anita Dobson and Pam St Clement, who portrayed characters Angie Watts and Pat Butcher, respectively.
[26] Kemp called it a "privilege" to present the documentary, and noted that while filming he was "constantly reminded of the impact EastEnders has" on the cast, crew members, and audiences alike.
[27] The documentary's executive producer Joe Ingham, explained that as EastEnders had a "transformative effect on television audiences for forty years", it had been a "privilege" to explore the show's history.
As Phil considers making a second attempt on his life, Lexi Pearce (Brown) interrupts and persuades him to listen to her speech for Honey and Billy's wedding.
Grant is reunited with Bianca Jackson (Palmer), where she confronts him about abusing his wife, Tiffany Mitchell (Martine McCutcheon), until she died in 1999.