EastEnders live vote explained amid BBC soap's 40th anniversary twist
EastEnders fans have the chance to vote in two polls that will influence the plot
BBC One is set to air a live episode of EastEnders at 7.30pm tonight, with a unique opportunity for fans to shape the storyline in honour of the special occasion.
In anticipation of the live broadcast from Albert Square, viewers are tasked with a pivotal decision: should Denise Fox (played by Diane Parish) reconcile with her estranged husband Jack Branning (Scott Maslen), or take a chance on romance with her current flame, Ravi Gulati (Aaron Thiara)?
The interactive polls launched at 8:30pm yesterday and remain open until 7:10pm this evening, giving fans just a 20-minute window before the episode goes live to cast their votes through the official EastEnders page on bbc.co.uk/eastenders, providing they have a BBC account.
Viewers will decide who Denise chooses tonight (Image: BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron)
Chris Clenshaw, who helms the show as executive producer, commented on the novel initiative: "We're all so excited to give our audience their first ever chance to decide how one of our big storylines plays out. Their votes will determine whether Denise picks Jack or Ravi, with the outcome being revealed as part of our live episode. There is a lot to come over the next few weeks for all three involved, so it'll be extremely exciting to see which way the audience choose to take the story."
So what's the process after the voting lines close?, reports the Mirror. The verdict will go through an independent verification process and only then communicated to Chris Clenshaw shortly before the episode commences. This leaves the cast and crew ready to pivot, discarding the alternate ending and performing the scene that viewers have chosen live on air.
EastEnders has announced a second interactive vote for fans. During the one-hour special on Wednesday, Sonia (played by Natalie Cassidy) was in labour and proposed two names for her newborn daughter - Toni or Julia.
Voting closes at 7.10pm for the live episode of EastEnders (Image: BBC)
These names pay tribute to the show's creators, Julia Smith and Tony Holland. Fans have the opportunity to decide which name Sonia will give her baby, with the chosen name being revealed in the live episode.
The BBC titled the vote 'What should Sonia name her baby?', leading viewers to speculate about Sonia's immediate future on the soap. Currently, Sonia is trapped in the Vic while in labour, and things are looking dire.
This is particularly concerning as Natalie Cassidy has already confirmed her departure from the series. However, the phrasing of the question has led some fans to believe that Sonia may survive the disaster, at least temporarily. "Sonia stays alive long enough to give her baby a name then! !" speculated one fan, while another optimistically stated: "Sonia has the baby and is ok!"
One viewer made a detailed prediction: "I think Sonia and Bianca will be with the baby and when the Vic is rebuilt they will both leave and rent Dot's house to Lauren to keep it in the family." They may find out if their prediction is correct later tonight.
You can catch up on EastEnders on BBC One and iPlayer
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