EastEnders has announced that this New Year’s Day, the soap will air a special flashforward episode centring around Max Branning that will give a glimpse into the drama to come for the next 12 months.

Viewers will remember that back in February 2023, EastEnders aired a groundbreaking scene that flashed forward to a death on Christmas Day and kicked off the almost year-long mystery involving The Six.

But now the show is taking things one step further, and for the first time in its 40-year history, there will be an entire 30-minute flashforward episode in a unique preview of what’s ahead.

After some fleeting appearances earlier this year, Max will soon stage a full-time return to EastEnders, with some explosive Christening scenes in the pipeline for over the festive season.

The New Year’s Day episode will flash forward to 2027 and will follow Max a year on from the present day. He is set to find himself in a situation that will have huge consequences for him and his whole family.

In the eye-opening instalment, Max is in the centre of the drama and is pushed to the limit as multiple situations unfold at once.

It soon becomes clear that there are many secrets waiting to be discovered throughout 2026, as well as a lot of trouble that would be difficult for anyone to talk their way out of.

The episode will provide viewers with some major clues about what the future holds for Max and his loved ones, and what is in store over the course of the next year.

EastEnders has also released a new picture of Max, wearing a suit as well as a white flower, which is splattered with blood. Could this be an important clue?

In a statement, executive producer Ben Wadey said: “For the first time in the show’s history, we’re going to be offering our viewers an entire flashforward episode set on New Year’s Day 2027.

“2026 is going to be full of drama in Walford, especially for the Brannings, and the episode is sure to raise plenty of questions on how Max has got himself, and his family, into such predicaments, but all is not what it seems, so stay tuned for 2026 to find out how and why…”