between Cindy and Junior set to be exposed, fans are predicting ‘Sharongate’

2.0.

Set in The Queen Vic, the trailer shows the Beales and the Knights settling down

for a festive meal together. However, matters are complicated by the presence of a certain USB containing audio evidence of Cindy and Junior’s affair.

And, as said USB comes into daughter Anna’s hands, Cindy is desperate to get it back. The trailer then appears to show the recording being played to a packed audience in The Vic, as a shocked and appalled Ian and George look on.

Will the truth come out on Christmas Day?

The truth will come out

EastEnders at Christmas – Sharongate 2.0?

If that all sounds familiar, that’s because it’s a familiar EastEnders trope. This came in 1992, as Phil betrayed his brother Grant by having an affair with his wife, Sharon. The truth all came out in an event dubbed ‘Sharongate,’ in which Sharon’s confession became public knowledge after a recording was played at Phil and Kathy’s engagement party.

It became one of the soap’s most defining moments – so much so, that they did it all over again in 2007, with the reveal of Stacey Slater and Max Branning’s affair, to their shocked families.

The truth came out at Phil and Kathy’s engagement party

EastEnders fans slam Christmas Sharongate ‘rehash’

Reacting on social media to the trailer’s release, fans pointed the sense of Deja vu they were all feeling.

“3rd time doing this reveal of betrayal. 1st time a tape with Sharon and Michelle, 2nd time a video of Stacey and Max now a USB. What’s next, a drone?” asked one underwhelmed fan.

“This is literally just Sharongate,” said a second.

“Why is the Vic reveal kinda giving Poundland Sharongate?” another viewer asked.

“Is this the third time they’ve done this storyline? First Grant, Phil and Sharon then Bradley, Max and Stacey….” another said.

“Cindygate revealed, this’ll never beat Sharongate though,” said a fifth.

Cindy and Junior have been at it all year

Cindygate – the story so far

Cindy began her affair with George’s son, Junior, not long after the younger man arrived in Walford. A serial cheater with bad blood toward his dad, Junior soon fell for Cindy’s charms. She, meanwhile, was happy to go along with the affair – feeling rejected by George, and bored in her marriage to Ian.

The fateful recording came as she and Junior discussed their affair, unaware that Freddie had been recording audio from his bird-watching side-hustle. This has remained hidden until now. Meanwhile, Kojo stumbled across Cindy and Junior’s affair on Halloween night, suffering a fall after Cindy attempted to silence him.

Kojo agreed to keep quiet for Junior and the family’s sake (no thanks to Cindy), but the truth can’t stay hidden for long. How will the families react when the affair is finally exposed?