A telling comment from Oscar and the disappearance of two characters has EastEnders fans terrified that multiple deaths will rock Walford, including one for a fan favourite
19:58, 01 Jan 2026
EastEnders fans ‘work out tragic death’ as fan favourite goes missing
EastEnders fans are predicting that at least two deaths are set to happen on EastEnders as two characters, including a fan favourite, are conspicuously absent from the New Year’s Day flash forward.
During the episode, neither Penny Branning nor Louie Beale were seen or spoken about, despite both being part of the episode’s central family. Instead, Penny’s father, Jack, was suffering from depression caused by an unknown event and struggling to take care of a newborn called Ethan. Meanwhile, Lauren Branning’s other son, Jimmy Beale was mentioned multiple times.
Fans wondered if these absences meant Penny and Louie had both died, especially after both Ethan and Jimmy were spoken about in a telling comment from Jimmy’s uncle Oscar Branning. After his dad Max was arrested, Oscar urged Jack and Lauren to help him, telling them that Max had “saved Jimmy and Ethan’s lives”.
READ MORE: EastEnders 2026: Every hint at explosive year from Max Branning wedding to major deathREAD MORE: EastEnders’ Penny Branning star in family update with famous parents and brotherEastEnders star Kitty Castledine plays Penny Branning in EastEnders (Image: BBC/Jack Barns/Kieron McCarron)Louie Beale was absent from the episode despite his grandfather getting married(Image: CREDIT LINE:BBC/Jack Barns/Kieron McCarron)
Therefore, we now know that at some point in 2026 – likely a time close to the events of the flash forward, given how young Ethan is – both babies will find themselves in danger and Max will save them. But some wonder if the boys are really the only two that will face death, or if they are instead two of four Brannings to do so.
One theory suggests that Penny is Ethan’s mother, having gotten close to Vinny Panesar during the New Year’s Eve episode. One fan wrote on X: “Ethan I bet is Penny’s baby.” Another said: “Is the new baby Penny’s though?? Is she dead??” A third added: “Is Ethan the result of Vinny & Pennys one night stand????”
If Ethan were her son and Penny died during or after his birth, it would explain why Jack is looking after the child and why he is so sad in the flash forward and struggling to take care of Ethan properly.
Penny became a fan favourite recently, after delivering the quickly iconic line: “I think Santa put some ginger nuts in Cindy’s stocking.” The line was delivered in a church after clever Penny realised that Cindy and Max had slept together.
Another theory suggests that when whatever happens that means Max will save Ethan and Jimmy’s lives occurs, it may also threaten Penny and Louie. Perhaps, as Max is later forced to do with Oscar and Lauren by an unknown gunman, he is told to choose between his family members and saves the two youngest, indirectly causing the deaths of Penny and Louie.
After Oscar’s comment about Ethan and Jimmy being saved by Max, one fan wrote online: “Is Louie dead?”. Another added: “Where is Louie? No has Louie died?” A third said: “Jimmys life but not Louie? Has Louie died???” A fourth continued: “I’m guessing Louie has died then???”
Oscar Branning insists Jack and Lauren should help Max (Image: BBC)
This comes as fans predict the Branning family will grow. In the teaser from New Year’s Day’s episode, Max is seen waking up in the year 2027. As he rolls over, there’s a woman also waking up, but her identity is covered. She has a baby bump though which she is caressing, and the camera then pans to a baby scan as well as pregnancy supplements.
After a recent random scene this week on the BBC soap, fans think it was a major hint at what was ahead. The flash forward episode pans to New Year’s Day 2027, with a wedding teased. With so much more to be explained, it hasn’t stopped fans thinking Chelsea Fox is the pregnant character in Max’s bed. Just days ago she suggested she found him attractive, so fans think this was the clue that she would be the woman.
Sharing their theories on social media in reply to the preview, fans noticed the woman appeared to sigh. One fan said: “Sounds like Chelsea that does.” Another view agreed: “Sounds like Chelsea,” as a third said: “Honestly it kinda sounds like Chelsea sighing.” A further comment read: “That’s Chelsea sighing.”
The comments kept on coming too with another reading: “Gotta be Chelsea, she’s not been in a big story line for a while.” One fan said: “Priya or Chelsea definitely involved!”
Another said: “That sounded like Chelsea,” as a fan admitted: “Oh, that sounds like Chelsea!” A final comment said: “That’s got to be Chelsea in bed with Max Branning in 2027.”
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