EastEnders has confirmed when fans can expect to find out the identity of Cindy Beale’s attacker after the character was left fighting for her life on Christmas Day

EastEnders’ Christmas specials have become a staple in homes nationwide, and this year’s yuletide double episode was no exception, with Cindy Beale (portrayed by Michelle Collins) causing havoc within her family and fighting for her life.

The festive day in Walford was filled with drama as Lauren Branning (Jacqueline Jossa), battling addiction, got hold of the much-sought-after USB stick revealing the illicit affair between Cindy and Junior Knight (Micah Balfour). As both the Knight and Beale families congregated in The Queen Vic for Christmas dinner, Lauren couldn’t hide her satisfaction after informing Cindy that she was privy to her secret.

Cindy was fraught with anxiety, fearing that Lauren might spill the beans. She was taken aback when Cindy tried to bribe her silence with drugs, leading her to disclose that she’d passed on the USB stick to one of Cindy’s relatives.

Christmas Day ended in chaos for Cindy Beale and her family in EastEnders (Image: BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron)

Post-dinner, The Queen Vic opened its doors to the local patrons, continuing the merry Christmas festivities. However, Cindy was preoccupied, frantically trying to figure out who had discovered the recording, but to no avail.

In a twist of events, it was unsuspecting Anna Knight (Molly Rainford) who stumbled upon the device, cleverly disguised as a present for Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt). George Knight (Colin Salmon) then connected the device to his laptop and broadcasted the contents for the entire pub to hear, reports the Manchester Evening News.

In a heart-wrenching conversation between Cindy and her former flame David Wicks (Michael French), she confessed her love for George and admitted to using Junior, leaving Ian utterly crushed. In a desperate bid to salvage her family, Cindy demanded that George stop the recording.

But Ian was determined to hear the whole truth, snatching the laptop and retreating to the kitchen. Chaos ensued as Cindy refused to take the blame for her actions, declaring that Ian is the only one she truly cares about and she’d be content never to see any of them again.

EastEnders legend Cindy Beale was left for dead on Christmas Day (Image: BBC)

Elaine Peacock (Harriet Thorpe) was devastated to see George’s distress over his son sleeping with his ex-wife Cindy, leading her to suspect he still harbours feelings for his ex. She promptly kicked him out of the pub.

Back at the Beales’, a heated argument broke out before Ian shoved Cindy out of the house, causing her to tumble onto the frosty pavement. She then trudged through the snow-covered streets, only to find the tube station closed.

Cindy quickly hailed a taxi to escape Walford and made her way to the Square’s gardens to wait for her ride. But in a shocking twist, an unidentified individual struck her on the head with a snow shovel, leaving her sprawled on the ground.

But who could have done it?

EastEnders fans are set to discover the identity of Cindy’s Christmas Day attacker during the soap’s 40th anniversary week in February, as confirmed by the show on Boxing Day.

EastEnders’ Cindy Beale and the suspects after she was attacked on Christmas Day (Image: BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron)

While Cindy’s fate currently hangs in the balance, several potential suspects are set to be implicated in the crime, but viewers will have to wait for the reveal of their identity.

Discussing the plotline, the show’s executive producer, Chris Clenshaw stated: “Our 40th anniversary storylines have been in the works for some time, but even at the very start of planning, we knew that we wanted to reveal the identity of Cindy’s attacker as part of this.

“Many characters currently find themselves in the line of question, but over the coming weeks, the audience can look out for clues themselves to who may be the culprit. Cindy’s attacker reveal is just one of many stories we have planned for the anniversary as it is set to be a week of explosive drama for the audience to remember.”

EastEnders airs Monday – Thursday at 7:30pm on BBC One and iPlayer