Who's leaving EastEnders this year? Odds reveal beloved Walford resident set for heartbreaking Christmas exit

There won't be a dry eye in the house this year
Joel Harley
By Joel Harley

Christmas is always a dramatic time on EastEnders – a period of surprise divorce announcements, affairs being revealed and tragic deaths. And this year is set to be no different, between Zoe’s stalker drama, Sam Mitchell’s return, and Nigel’s worsening dementia symptoms.

With Christmas less than a month away, speculation has already begun as to who might leave before the toll of midnight on New Year’s Eve.

Odds from an online bookmaker for EastEnders Insider have revealed who’s likeliest to go this year… and it’ll be a devastating one.

Nigel makes an announcement
Will this Christmas be Nigel’s last? (Credit: BBC)

Odds reveal who’s set to leave EastEnders this Christmas

Online bookmaker Betway has revealed its odds on departing cast members, with Nigel Bates topping the list. The bookmaker has given him odds of evens to go, as his dementia symptoms escalate over the Christmas period.

Meanwhile, they have listed Phil Mitchell as a potential surprise death with odds of 20/1 – although it’s unlikely.

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Read all the latest spoilers

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As for the rest of the list, Coronation Street’s Billy Mayhew is at odds of 1/2. Meanwhile, Emmerdale’s Aaron Dingle isn’t far behind, at 1/3. Fellow dementia sufferer Debbie Webster, of Coronation Street, also has odds of 5/1 to exit Weatherfield this Christmas.

Will fan theories regarding Nigel’s Christmas death prove to be true?

Pat and Nigel in The Vic on EastEnders

Pat’s coming back to EastEnders! (Credit: BBC)

Nigel’s ghosts of Christmas past

Fears for Nigel’s exit comes as the soap ramps up its plans for a special episode following the character’s decline. As Nigel releases his Christmas film at The Vic, his dementia symptoms take hold and he begins to think he’s back in the 1990s.

As a part of this special episode, the soap will bring back Walford icons Pat and Barry Evans.

Of her return to EastEnders, actress Pam St. Clement said: “I was both surprised and excited to be asked back to tread the streets of Walford once again and to be involved in Nigel’s touching dementia storyline. It was lovely to be welcomed back by those with whom I had worked for so long. It was just like coming home.”

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