Jessie’s thanks for festive chaos story

EASTENDERS’ Jessie Wallace has thanked the soap’s outgoing boss for making her its Christmas centrepiece.

Albert Square will become a war zone as Alfie’s baby secret is finally exposed. Tonight, as our shock pictures show, viewers will see him snog Hayley Slater, mum of their tot Cherry. Kat (Jessie) has been in the dark all year about her husband fathering another child. Viewers know Alfie (Shane Richie) had a one-night stand with Hayley in Spain after falling out with his wife.

When he discovered Hayley (Katie Jarvis) was pregnant he told her to get an abortion as he wanted to focus on his marriage.

But she kept the baby. Now he has become smitten with little Cherry, Hayley thinks Alfie will pick her over Kat.

Tonight, she makes a play for him – and shocked Stacey Fowler (Lacey Turner) catches them kissing.

Tomorrow, the truth about them will finally come out.

Actress Jessie admits she was thrilled to be in the middle of the explosive storyline, saying: “I thought, ‘This is brilliant.’

“Getting your teeth into something like this, the meaty side of it all is brilliant.

“I was in my element. I just thought, thank you! Thank you John Yorke.”

Yorke has now left EastEnders with former Corrie boss Kate Oates taking over.

Jessie added: “There’s chaos. Obviously Kat is going to find out and she reacts as only Kat can react. She goes crazy!”

EastEnders is on BBC One tonight at 8.30pm and tomorrow at 9.15pm.