Alice Pennington💙

@Debs_1982 I'm so happy you've mentioned this. RadioTimes adds alt text to the spoiler pics. I saw the "Five Eastenders spoilers" tweet last night. For the pic of Suki & Priya, it stated "A designer handbag is on the table in the foreground." I was like "That can only be Suki's handbag."

Suki’s bag in the centre of things 😁

@Debs_1982 💯 Suki & Sukeve are why I'm watching. I've loved getting to know the family & seeing everything play out, but I'm ready for them to be at the centre now. I want more adoption conversations, more of their past to be explored, & it not being a smaller story within everything else

I know I’m greedy & it’s a long arc story & I get it & I’m loving all of the family drama with the whole of the Panesar-Unwins/Panesars/Gulati’s/Nandra-Harts, my favourite family unit, but I do really want to see just Suki & Eve being central to their own story soon🫶❤️ #Sukeve

@bal_sopal_fans Was thinking the exact same thing tonight. Seeing Vicky on it I was like "Get Bal on next series please." And the showstopper has to be a cake-based challenge in which she can make all her favourite cakes in 1 go. She'd be in her element: her enthusiasm for cake is so infectious.

Need to see Bal on Great British Bake Off SO bad 🍰

@Debs_1982 Yep, + even if Penny’s killed off, from a filming perspective, that would work because she wouldn't be needed for filming around then. I know Bal did both but they reduced her schedule. My theory is any actor playing a central character in the flash forward won't be on Strictly.

@AliceP104 That’s very true and Kitty would be amazing wouldn’t she ❤️

I need Bal to go on one of George’s podcast ❤️ I’m sure she mentioned a while ago that she would love to do a podcast 🫶

@Debs_1982 So you're thinking former cast members rather than current ones. Both would be good. My thinking was Kitty. There's been conversation around Strictly having a wheelchair user for a couple of yrs yet it's still not happened. Penny's at the centre of storylines so she'd be relevant

@AliceP104 I’m thinking it maybe Nicholas Bailey (Anthony) or Shona McGarty (Whitney) maybe

@Debs_1982 Definitely. And also whoever this year's Eastenders cast member is, you just know she'll cheer them on and support them too. That's something I think about now actually when I'm watching: who will it be this year? I have people in mind I'd like to see on it but I can't call it.

@AliceP104 Oh definitely 💯 I reckon she’ll be cheering them all on, especially Julian 😁

@Debs_1982 Yes. 1 of my favourite stories is how her agent contacted the Strictly execs in 2004 to try to get her on the show while she was starring in Silver Street. I've had a thought: whatever happens she'll be in the audience of 1 of the shows this year won't she? You can just see that

@AliceP104 It really was. Definitely felt like the best year for Bal too before all these changes, especially because she’d been a fan since the start ❤️

@Debs_1982 Yes. Makes me think 2025 was the perfect series for Bal: just before all these changes are about to happen, & a cast she could connect with. I wouldn't have wanted her on any other series. So many complained about the line-up but it was the most wholesome & together cast in yrs.

@AliceP104 Yep I’m thinking the same tbh. I do wonder as well how this year will play out with so many changes

@Debs_1982 Same, it's a bit of a pipe dream I know, but the way Strictly's going, we have no clue what it's going to look & sound like. Resting it this year but having the 2025 cast tour again, I wouldn't begrudge that. I feel like the tour's when friendships really blossom & Bal missed out

@AliceP104 I would love love love that 🫶❤️

@Debs_1982 Yes. I wouldn't have been so fussed if Bal wasn't fussed , but she adored Strictly & would’ve done anything to have that extra experience of doing the tour. Her Insta post after Liverpool made me so sad. They should just repeat that tour next year but with Bal instead of Layton.

@AliceP104 I have to agree tbh. Even if just released for a few dates of the tour would have been amazing. Yep I think many of us now are hoping that we see more of Suki and Eve being central. It’s been great seeing them support the family ect, now we need them central ❤️

@Debs_1982 Also controversial take: Have I enjoyed the Suki scenes Bal filmed during when the Strictly tour was? Yes. Could they have done things differently to allow Bal to tour? Also yes. I hoped her not touring meant lots of Sukeve at the centre but most of it was wider family matters.

@Debs_1982 Absolutely. Was it a meet-up at an event or just meeting up because they could? I love how much the cast cares about each other. I know I say it every time but seeing any Strictly reunion with Bal makes me wish she'd been able to tour, especially as she genuinely wanted to do it

@Debs_1982 Also Vicky used to do a podcast called The Secret To. I wish she still did that. Bal would have been the perfect guest for that show. I realise now your tweet was most likely in the context of that little Strictly reunion: love seeing Bal, George, Vicky & Chris back together.

@Debs_1982 Yes, & Amber's too please. Amber's is a musical theatre one but if she could bend the rules so Bal can talk about acting in plays & on TV, that would be great. Also they could reflect on Strictly . They both loved the experience but equally went through a lot they didn't deserve

@bal_sopal_fans Hope we get pics of her having the best time at her bottomless cake brunch at the weekend. I'm so proud of her but she deserves to eat all the cake in the world now, & this bottomless cake brunch will be the perfect celebration of her not touching any sweet treat at all in March

Today 🧁

@Betty1933 Yep, & she calls it work as if it's a regular day job when in actual fact she's playing 1 of the most iconic soap characters. I never watched soaps until Bal did Strictly. Strictly’s how I now love Bal, & now I love Suki & Sukeve too, but yeah she’s so down-to-earth like that.

Madness but every time Bal mentions being in work on one of her posts I always feel excited even though that’s her job and must be in most days!! 🤣🤣🫣🫣 crazy weird obsessed me!! 🤣🤣 (sorry not sorry if means more Suki/Sukeve!)

@Debs_1982 This! I get we should expect nothing to go smoothly, but I love Branesar & I didn't want it ruining like this. I wanted a deeper exploration of Suki's perception of Penny without this being added into the mix, & eventually for Suki&Penny to get along, but this revelation ruins it

Vinnys getting friends finally and a great girlfriend and a baby and his own business and slowly breaking away from Suki….and it’s all going to go tits up ain’t it #EastEnders

@Debs_1982 Yep, & I watch it by sound so it's easier to keep track when it's characters' whose voices I'm familiar with, so it's easier when it's people's voices I knew anyway. I watch with audio description but the scene changes can be so quick, the dialogue is how I know what's happening.

@AliceP104 It’s such a big cast isn’t it, so sounds like a great way to remember all characters and their connections too. I’m liking some of the stories atm too and some of the dynamics. Next week should be good 😊

I need to see a scene of Honey and Suki in the shop again. I mean, are they ok again, everything settled now & back talking? I know Suki agreed to give her some money & her job back, but I need to know if their friendship is back on track🥹❤️

@Debs_1982 I've noticed that when I watch EE, I'm paying most attention to storylines featuring characters played by actors I'm familiar with as themselves. The Sukeve-Branesar scenes I love, the Honey menopause storyline. Think that familiarity helps me remember who's who character wise.

@Debs_1982 Yeah, especially as they're the 2 most recent EE people to have done Strictly, & they filmed scenes together while Bal was on Strictly didn't they? I want Honsuki scenes for their characters but equally I end up loving scenes featuring actors who I'm familiar with as themselves