EastEnders airs surprise reference to another soap in early iPlayer release

The soap paid homage to another BBC favourite
Joel Harley
By Joel Harley

WARNING: This article contains spoilers for today’s episode of EastEnders, which is streaming now on BBC iPlayer but has not yet aired on BBC One – in which a surprise soap reference is revealed.

EastEnders aired a surprising reference to another soap today (Wednesday, September 17), as  Joel and Tommy travelled to the West Midlands to see misogynistic influencer and podcaster Drake Zagan live. Giving chase, Vicki and Kathy arrived at Letherbridge Arena, Birmingham.

Did you spot the reference?

Joel and Tommy on the tube in EastEnders
Tommy and Joel travelled to Birmingham (Credit: BBC)

EastEnders airs surprise soap crossover

Letherbridge is the setting of another BBC soap opera – the medical drama Doctors, which aired from 2000 – 2024 on BBC One.

After paying for tickets and train fare with Vicki’s credit card, Joel and Tommy arrived at Letherbridge Arena to see Drake Zagan’s live podcast recording. However, the boys were left publicly humiliated when Vicki and Kathy turned up to drag them home.

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The women didn’t exactly go down well with Drake’s audience of smug-looking misogynists, but they took the barbs of Joel’s fellow redpillers in their stride.

Joel shows Tommy something on his phone
The boys skipped school to attend Drake Zagan’s recording (Credit: BBC)

EastEnders fans cheer ‘cute’ Doctors reference

As the scenes aired, fans took to social media to share their appreciation. And many had took notice of the soap’s impomptu crossover.

“Letherbridge Arena is a very nice touch towards a recently departed Birmingham soap!” wrote one fan on X.

“Nice touch in EastEnders today that the event Kathy and Vicki tracked Joel to in Birmingham was being held in Letherbridge Arena… the cancelled BBC soap Doctors was set in Letherbridge, wasn’t it?” said another.

“Letherbridge Arena! Cute little nod to Doctors (RIP) in EastEnders today,” a third agreed.

A fourth wrote: “Cheeky little Doctors reference in today’s episode!”

Did you appreciate EastEnders’ Doctors reference?

Julie and Joel talk on EastEnders
Julie tries to reach out to Joel (Credit: BBC)

EastEnders Julie tries to make Joel see sense

In EastEnders spoilers for tomorrow (Thursday, September 17), Julie sits down for a conversation with Joel. With Vicki at her wits’ end, Julie tries to make Joel see the error of his misogynistic ways.

Will Joel see the light?

Read more: Who’s leaving, joining and returning to EastEnders? Complete list of cast exits, arrivals and returns.