Cindy Beale’s (Michelle Collins) life hangs in the balance in EastEnders after she was clobbered over the back of a skull with a snow shovel on Christmas Day.

There is no shortage of suspects, with the deliciously evil matriarch having burned her bridges with just about everyone following the toe-curling exposure of her affair with Junior Knight (Micah Balfour).

Christmas in Walford was certainly eventful, with Lauren Branning (Jacqueline Jossa) having come into possession of her coveted USB stick, which contained evidence of Cindy’s sordid affair.

Lauren grinned with glee upon finding out Cindy’s big secret and took great delight in taunting her nemesis with the fact that she knew.

As Christmas dinner got underway in the Vic, Cindy struggled to quell her fears, worried Lauren would blow her secret circa 2007 when she exposed Max’s (Jake Wood) affair with Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner).

Lauren was disgusted when Cindy offered her drugs to keep shtum, prompting her to reveal that she’d gifted the USB stick to one of Cindy’s loved ones.

Cindy desperately tried to work out who, leaning on Elaine Knight (Harriet Thorpe) for assistance, unaware that Anna (Molly Rainford) had found said device and gave it to George (Colin Salmon), who played it aloud for all of the Vic’s punters to hear.

Cindy’s life crumbled before her very eyes as Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt) fought tears, learning that his wife had been carrying on with Junior behind his back, but he wasn’t alone when it came to devastation, with Junior heartbroken to learn that Cindy thinks of George when she has sex with him.

Brutal.

Utterly broken, George ordered everyone out of the Vic while Cindy pleaded with the landlord to switch off the device, desperate to salvage what she could of her family. Ian, however, wanted to hear it to the bitter end, grabbing the laptop and taking it into the kitchen.

War ensued, with Junior on the receiving end of George, Anna and Gina’s (Francesa Henry) rage. Elaine, meanwhile, was crushed to see how upset George was over the fact his son slept with Cindy, leading her to believe that he’s still holding a candle for his ex.

The Queen Vic landlady slapped George across the face for his behaviour, demanding that he leave. Cindy, meanwhile, pleaded with Ian to give her another shot and, when he refused to do so, she faced the wrath of her loved ones.

In shocking scenes, Cindy refused to take the blame for her actions and delivered a vitriolic dressing down of all her loved ones, telling them that the only person she really cares about is Ian – and she’d be happy to never see any of them again.

Harsh.

Discussing the scene in question, Michelle Collins said: ‘I think it’s the first time she’s been honest, You are never quite sure if she’s lying when she says things like: “I wanna run off a cliff, hit my self-destruct button”.

You probably learn more about Cindy in those episodes than you ever did because she opens up more. She is so desperate, this is a woman on the verge of a nervous breakdown, she’s a woman on the edge.

‘And what actor doesn’t wanna play that? When she came back it was great I was very thankful and everything, but I was like where is Cindy? We want the old Cindy back. I remember Chris [Clenshaw] last year saying, ‘don’t worry Michelle, it’s gonna be alright, she’s gonna come back’.’

Cindy made one last-ditch attempt to win over Ian. But it backfired, with the restaurateur forcefully evicting her from 45 Albert Square, ordering her never to return.

An unnerving montage followed, of all of Cindy’s victims struggling to process the sheer level of betrayal carried out by the schemer. Lauren contemplated taking drugs, Elaine fought tears, Ian had a breakdown and Gina made a quick exit.

Cindy, meanwhile, found herself with nowhere to go and, as she waited for a cab in the Square gardens, she gripped tightly onto her locket, reminiscing about her beloved Peter and Lucy – not to mention a life lost with Ian – as she was attacked with a snow shovel by a mystery perpetrator.

Is the Cindy Beale dead once more? If so, who attacked her? So many questions, some of which you’ll get answers to tomorrow.

EastEnders continues Boxing Day at 8