Episode 5408
One of the main plots revolved around the closing of the Walford launderette, which had featured since EastEnders first episodes in 1985, and the forced retirement of its worker Dot Cotton (June Brown).
Additionally, the episode also featured the debut of Jenna Russell as Michelle Fowler, an original EastEnders character who had departed in 1995.
Michelle's original portrayer, Susan Tully, had refused to return, so producer Sean O'Connor decided to recast the role.
Critics believed that viewers could be disappointed by the recast and called Dot's storyline emotional, expressing sympathy for the character.
Other plots included Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden) isolating himself from his family, the final night of the Walford Christmas play and Stacey Slater's (Lacey Turner) turkey being ruined.
Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean) is upset that Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden), who is unwell with cirrhosis, has walked out on the family.
As Dot closes the launderette for the final time, she hears the voices of people from her past, including Ethel Skinner (Gretchen Franklin), Pauline Fowler (Wendy Richard), Lou Beale (Anna Wing) and Jim Branning (John Bardon).
Backstage at the play, Linda Carter (Kellie Bright) finds out that her mother Elaine Peacock (Maria Friedman) has had a stroke and she leaves to be with her, desperate to make sure that she is okay.
[1] Spoilers released prior to the episode's broadcast revealed that the one of the plots of the episode would feature a "heart-to-heart" between Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden) and Denise Fox (Diane Parish), the former of whom wants to spend Christmas alone and also gets some tough love from Shirley Carter (Linda Henry) and "harsh words" from Denise.
[11] As Dot leaves the launderette for the final time, she hears the voices of former characters Ethel Skinner (Gretchen Franklin), Pauline Fowler (Wendy Richard), Lou Beale (Anna Wing) and Jim Branning (John Bardon).
[11] Singer George Michael died on 25 December 2016, hours after the episode's broadcast, with Fergison posting a tribute for him on her Twitter following the announcement due to the pair being a fan of each other's work.
[6][5] In the episode, Linda is "distraught" when she finds out that her mother Elaine Peacock (Maria Friedman) has had a stroke in Spain and so she leaves to be with her, desperate to make sure that she is okay.
[14] He also called Michelle one of the soap's "most celebrated characters" and that Albert Square, the fictional setting of EastEnders, had "missed" her over the past two decades.
[14] Following the broadcast of the episode, the official BBC website welcomed back Michelle to the soap opera and released more details on her return, including information from Russell and O'Connor on the recast.
[15] Following the broadcast of the episode, Nicola Agius from the Daily Mirror wrote that "Christmas Eve was an eventful day for the residents of [EastEnders setting] Albert Square".
[6] Hayley Minn of the Daily Record noted how Heather had "spookily" referenced George Michael in the episode just hours before his death, which she called an "eerie coincidence".
[11] Warner's colleague, Daniel Kilkelly, included the episode and Michelle's "shock" recast on his list of EastEnders's "biggest and best moments" of 2016, writing that "producers finally accepted there was no chance of luring back" Tully.
[19] A reporter from the Daily Record believed that it was "inevitable" that the "legendary" Michelle would return to the soap opera and speculated that viewers would be disappointed with the recast, though added that Russell would "usher in a new age for the much loved character".
[10] A writer called the closing of the launderette a "colosssal event" and wondered how the residents would cope, and how the "queen of the machines" Dot would fare without a job.
