This Christmas in EastEnders, Walford is set for one of its most chilling and emotional festive storylines yet, as what first appears to be a shocking medical emergency quickly spirals into a full-blown murder plot — and at the center of it all is Suki Panesar, the steely matriarch whose fainting spell at the market hides a deadly secret no one could have predicted. The drama begins on what seems like an ordinary winter morning on Bridge Street Market, with the stalls decorated in tinsel, carols playing faintly in the background, and the residents preparing for the annual Christmas charity fair. Suki, impeccably dressed as ever, is in the middle of one of her trademark confrontations — this time with Stacey Slater over a missing payment from the Minute Mart account — when she suddenly clutches her chest, staggers, and collapses to the ground, sending shoppers and stallholders into chaos. Denise, who happens to be nearby, rushes to her aid, shouting for someone to call an ambulance, while Nish Panesar pushes through the crowd in visible panic. But as paramedics arrive and rush Suki to hospital, what seems like a fainting spell quickly turns into something far more sinister. Within hours, doctors reveal that Suki didn’t collapse from stress or exhaustion — she’s been poisoned. The discovery sends shockwaves through Walford, with everyone suddenly a suspect. The first clues emerge when police find traces of a toxic substance in a flask Suki had been drinking tea from that morning — a flask only a few people knew she used daily. DS Clarke launches an immediate investigation, questioning those closest to her, and the tension around the Panesars’ household explodes. Nish, visibly shaken but furious, accuses Eve Unwin of revenge, claiming she’s never forgiven him for breaking up her and Suki’s secret romance. But Eve fires back that she had no reason to hurt Suki — she’s been trying to protect her, not destroy her. Meanwhile, Vinny and Ash start to suspect the attack may have been aimed at their father instead, given his long list of enemies, and that Suki was never meant to be the victim. Things take an even darker turn when a CCTV clip surfaces showing someone lurking around Suki’s stall the night before her collapse — wearing a hooded coat and gloves. The footage is grainy, but the figure’s height and movements immediately make viewers suspicious of one familiar resident who’s been acting strangely for weeks. As the mystery deepens, Suki remains in a coma at Walford General, and her absence begins to pull the Panesar family apart. Nish spirals into paranoia, accusing everyone from Stacey to Jack Branning, while Ravi takes matters into his own hands, launching a dangerous solo mission to find the person responsible. In one tense late-night scene, Ravi corners Eve in the alley behind the café, warning her that “if Suki dies, someone else will too.” But Eve’s terrified reaction hints that she knows more than she’s admitting — and that Suki may have discovered something dangerous just before her attack. Behind the scenes, EastEnders producers are calling this “the darkest Christmas in years,” promising that the poisoning mystery will unravel over several episodes, culminating in a jaw-dropping reveal during the New Year’s special. Insiders have teased that the culprit’s identity will “shock even the most devoted fans,” with the motive tying back to secrets buried deep in the Panesars’ past — and that the attack isn’t random at all, but a meticulously planned act of vengeance. One chilling detail that eagle-eyed viewers noticed in the latest trailer: the final shot of Suki’s Christmas ornament shattered on the floor, with a faint reflection of someone watching through the market window — a moment fans now believe could be the key to identifying the would-be killer. Social media has already exploded with theories: some believe Nish orchestrated the poisoning himself in a twisted attempt to frame Eve, others suspect Ravi’s old associate Damon, while a growing number think the real mastermind might be someone much closer to home — perhaps even Vinny, pushed too far by years of manipulation. Whatever the truth, this year’s EastEnders Christmas promises heartbreak, betrayal, and the kind of shocking twist the Square does best. And when Suki finally wakes — if she wakes — one thing’s certain: she won’t rest until she finds out who tried to end her life… and she’ll make sure they regret ever crossing her.