EastEnders set for major rescheduling shake-up amid huge Zoe Slater bombshell

It's set to be one of the most dramatic weeks since the 40th anniversary in Albert Square next week, as a secret that's set to send shockwaves through Walford. In fact, it's so big that EastEnders has made a major schedule change for the reveal.

Zoe Slater (Michelle Ryan) will be making her permanent return to Albert Sqaure next week, after making a shock early return to the soap on Thursday night.

At the end of the episode, fans saw siblings Tommy and Zoe come face to face for the first time - and next week she's set to have the mother of all reunions with Kat.

READ MORE: EastEnders star Lorraine Stanley gets married in very quirky wedding dress

READ MORE: EastEnders fans 'work out' Zoe Slater's new love interest as actor 'lets slip' huge clue

The character is set to return to Albert Square on Monday - but Wednesday's episode it set to be the big one - as her shock secret will send shockwaves through Walford. To avoid any spoilers, EastEnders have announced the episode will simulcast on BBC iPlayer and BBC One at 1930 - with no early release available. So those hoping to watch at 6am will unfortunately have to wait over 12 hours to see what Zoe is hiding.

Teasing the drama - the soap said: "secrets of Zoe’s past come to the fore during her explosive return to Walford, which sends shockwaves through the Slaters and Walford."

When Zoe fled Stacey's flat shortly after appearing back in June, she revealed that everyone, including her mother, Kat, would hate her if they found out her big secret. Ever since, fans have been speculating what it could be - with many believing she's Joel Marshall's real mother.

The BBC soap aren't giving anything away until the big reveal on Wednesday, but Executive Producer Ben Wadey teased: “As Zoe makes her dramatic return to Walford next week, more than one secret in her past will come to light as we look to explore the reasons behind her return, and what has happened in the past twenty years to make her the person she is today.”

The fact EastEnders are holding the episode back from iPlayer means fans can expect a huge reveal. The last time the soap did this was in June, when Zoe made her brief return to the show after two decades.

However, Zoe's secret isn't the only huge event set to rock Albert Square on Wednesday. Spoilers have also revealed tragedy on the Square with a shocking shooting. It comes during Patrick and Yolande's wedding reception.

With many of them holed up in the Vic celebrating, things go from bad to worse when they learn who has been shot and a life hangs in the balance…

But who is it, and will they survive?

EastEnders airs Mondays to Thursdays at 7:30pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

* Follow Mirror Celebs and TV on TikTok, Snapchat,Instagram,Twitter,Facebook, and Threads.