Soap Scoop | Inside Soap & Digital Spy

It’s the ultimate Soap Scoop end-of-year review as Chloe Timms and Johnathon Hughes look back at the biggest soap moments of 2025 across EastEnders, Coronation Street and Emmerdale.   From explosive anniversaries and jaw-dropping returns to heartbreaking deaths, unforgettable special episodes and surprise new favourites, the team revisit the storylines that shocked, moved and delighted soap fans this year. Expect deep dives into Robron’s dramatic reunion, EastEnders’ 40th anniversary, Corrie’s most powerful issue-led stories, and Emmerdale’s darkest villains yet.   The pair also reveal their favourite twists, funniest moments, standout performances, and the characters who deserve better in 2026 – plus plenty of laughs, passionate debate and soap superfan energy along the way.   👇 Join the conversation in the comments and tell us: • Your biggest shock of 2025 • Your funniest moment of 2025 • Your favourite special episode • Who became your new favourite character this year • Who you want to see shine in 2026   Don’t forget to like, subscribe and share for more Soap Scoop podcast episodes, soap spoilers, interviews and unmissable soap chat. Chapters:  00:00 Welcome to Soap Scoop: The 2025 Review 00:40 Early 2025 highlights: Suki & Eve, EastEnders’ 40th anniversary 01:20 Emmerdale’s limo crash & heartbreaking losses 02:30 Corrie shock: Mason’s stabbing and why it worked 04:50 Joe Tate’s kidney plot – bonkers or brilliant? 05:40 EastEnders anniversary chaos: live episode, deaths & drama 06:45 Lauren Branning’s standout year & Jimmy’s birth 09:00 Corrie’s powerful new dementia storyline for Debbie 12:40 Webster drama: Carl, Abi and shocking twists 13:40 Emmerdale’s huge spring: John revealed & Robron returns 16:00 New soap favourites: Oscar, Kammy and joyful energy 19:00 John Sugden: the bunker, the chase and the gorge 21:00 Weddings, returns and dead wives coming back 23:00 Carla, Lisa and the Becky reveal fallout 25:00 EastEnders’ hard-hitting Joel and Vicki storyline 27:30 Zoe Slater returns – nostalgia and impact 30:00 Late-year highlights: Kev, Robron and prison flashbacks 32:30 Charity’s chaotic pregnancy secret 33:40 Emmerdale’s darkest plot: trafficking, Ray & Celia 36:50 Favourite shock twist of 2025 38:15 Funniest soap moments of the year 39:40 Best special episode picks 41:30 Unexpected favourite characters 43:20 Characters who need a revamp in 2026 46:00 Final thoughts & goodbye to 2025 Inside Soap is Britain’s only soap magazine, bringing readers every story, every secret, every week from shows such as such as Coronation Street, EastEnders, Emmerdale, Hollyoaks, Casualty and Neighbours. Grab a copy of the mag on Tuesdays, and head to www.digitalspy.com/soaps. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Relive the most iconic Christmas moments in soap history in this festive special of the Soap Scoop podcast from Inside Soap 🎄   In this Christmas extravaganza episode, ChloeTimms and Johnathon Hughes take a nostalgic deep dive into the soaps that defined festive TV, from EastEnders’ most explosive Christmas Day reveals to Coronation Street’s cosy community moments and Emmerdale’s bold, high-concept storytelling.   From Den and Angie’s “Happy Christmas, Ange” showdown to Stacey and Max’s affair reveal, the Archie Mitchell whodunnit, Trevor and Little Mo’s harrowing Christmas, and unforgettable Emmerdale moments like Tom King’s death and Tricia Dingle’s tragic final scenes, this episode explores why Christmas is the ultimate soap showdown. We discuss: Why Christmas became soap’s biggest storytelling moment The difference between EastEnders’ grit, Corrie’s warmth and Emmerdale’s risk-taking The best soap deaths, weddings and whodunnits at Christmas How festive episodes set up the biggest storylines for the year ahead Perfect listening if you love soap nostalgia, EastEnders Christmas episodes, Coronation Street history, Emmerdale drama, or festive TV traditions.   🎧 Subscribe for weekly soap chat 🧼 Read Inside Soap every week 🎄 Happy Christmas from Soap Scoop!   Chapter list (   00:00 – Welcome to Soap Scoop’s Christmas extravaganza 00:34 – EastEnders changes soap history: Den & Angie (1986) 03:51 – Why Christmas became the ultimate soap payoff 04:17 – EastEnders Christmas misery: turkeys, fights & paper hats 05:11 – Trevor Morgan & Little Mo: a harrowing festive storyline 07:36 – Coronation Street at Christmas: warmth, humour & community 08:56 – Hilda Ogden’s iconic Christmas goodbye 09:49 – Dev & Deirdre shock Corrie moment 11:42 – Ken & Deirdre, Wendy Crozier and the impact on Tracy Barlow 13:15 – Why soaps love killing characters at Christmas 14:04 – Archie Mitchell’s murder: the ultimate whodunnit 16:50 – The Six: EastEnders’ modern Christmas blockbuster 18:16 – Emmerdale Christmas shockers: Tom King’s death 20:02 – Tricia Dingle, the storm and Emmerdale spectacle 21:50 – Emmerdale’s experimental Christmas episodes 24:15 – Soap weddings on Christmas Day – why do they keep happening? 25:50 – Chas Dingle’s revenge wedding 26:16 – Little Mo & Billy’s wedding and Jamie Mitchell’s death 29:16 – Stacey & Max affair reveal: soap Christmas perfection 32:08 – Why secrets, reveals and payoff define soap Christmases 33:44 – What’s coming next: Christmas shaping the year ahead 33:52 – Thanks for listening & festive sign-off Inside Soap is Britain’s only soap magazine, bringing readers every story, every secret, every week from shows such as such as Coronation Street, EastEnders, Emmerdale, Hollyoaks, Casualty and Neighbours. Grab a copy of the mag on Tuesdays, and head to www.digitalspy.com/soaps. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s a Daniel Brocklebank special! In this episode of Soap Scoop, Laura-Jayne is joined by Coronation Street favourite Daniel Brocklebank (Billy Mayhew) as he reflects on 11 unforgettable years on the cobbles — and reveals why he’s swapped Weatherfield for the stage.   Fresh from filming his final Corrie scenes, Daniel opens up about being thrown straight into the lead role of Young Frankenstein at the Liverpool Playhouse, with just five days of rehearsal, tap shoes, big musical numbers and barely a moment to breathe. He shares what it was really like leaving a job he loved, why the transition was so emotional, and how musical theatre has pushed him further than ever before.   Then we dive deep into Billy’s legacy… Daniel revisits the biggest twists of his time on the Street, from the shocking Susan Barlow revelation to Billy’s faith, flaws and fire. He speaks movingly about the MND storyline with Peter Ash, why it was so personal, and the impact it’s had on viewers and the wider MND community.   There’s also chat about Todd, Theo and coercive control, Billy’s instinct to protect the people he loves, the Corrie mementoes Daniel may have taken home (yes — including furniture), and why, after 32 years in the industry, he still sees himself as a jobbing actor.   Honest, funny and deeply heartfelt — this is Daniel Brocklebank reflecting on Billy Mayhew, his Corrie legacy, and what comes next.   LIKE, SUBSCRIBE and tell us in the comments: How should Billy be remembered?   ⸻   Chapters   00:00 – Intro: Daniel Brocklebank joins Soap Scoop 00:26 – Leaving Corrie and jumping straight into Young Frankenstein 01:10 – Tap shoes, five-day rehearsals & musical theatre chaos 02:07 – Opening night nerves and Corrie co-stars in the audience 03:12 – Saying goodbye to the Street without time to process it 04:20 – Driving away from Corrie for the final time 05:18 – Exhaustion, adrenaline and discovering new limits 06:44 – When it might finally hit that Billy is gone 07:56 – Corrie friends checking in and post-show recovery 08:49 – The soaps hat-trick (and why Hollyoaks is missing) 10:03 – Being a jobbing actor after 11 years on Corrie 12:16 – Corrie souvenirs Daniel took home (yes, really) 14:06 – 32 years in the industry and career highlights 15:38 – Who Billy Mayhew really was meant to be 16:47 – The Susan Barlow twist and Billy’s darker edge 18:52 – Playing a vicar with a temper 20:00 – Favourite Billy storylines 20:55 – The MND storyline: how it came about 22:14 – Why the story was deeply personal 24:11 – The impact on viewers and the MND community 24:46 – Billy and Paul: the love of his life? 26:53 – Todd, Theo and coercive control 28:19 – Would Billy save Todd if he could? 29:13 – Who replaces Billy as the Street’s moral compass? 30:33 – Young Frankenstein: where and how to book tickets 31:22 – What Daniel wants to do next 33:43 – Dogs, downtime and life beyond Corrie 34:15 – Billy Mayhew’s legacy 35:10 – Outro & Christmas wishes Inside Soap is Britain’s only soap magazine, bringing readers every story, every secret, every week from shows such as such as Coronation Street, EastEnders, Emmerdale, Hollyoaks, Casualty and Neighbours. Grab a copy of the mag on Tuesdays, and head to www.digitalspy.com/soaps. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s a Bradley Riches takeover! In this latest episode of Soap Scoop, Laura-Jayne is joined by Emmerdale star Bradley Riches (Lewis) for an exclusive deep-dive into The Big Quiz: Corrie vs Emmerdale, his whirlwind first year in the Dales, and what’s coming next for Lewis in 2026. Bradley spills everything from mayhem on the The Big Quiz to how he nearly brought the team down with one (very confident) wrong answer, what Mark Charnock (Marlon) and Shebz Miah (Kammy) are really like as teammates, and Emmerdale’s strategy to keep their winning streak alive. He also teases the exclusive Corriedale preview, describing it as “epic… like a thriller.” Then we get into Emmerdale… How Lewis has changed his life, the fan reaction from autistic and neurodivergent viewers, his dream storylines (yes — Emma Barton flashbacks, Lewis discovering Kev is his dad, and a FULL CAFÉ MAKEOVER). Also, what kind of father-son dynamic he wants with Kev, why Lewis and Vinnie might be the next romance fans fall in love with, why Robert Sugden and Joe Tate might be on Lewis’ “enemy list” Plus: Lewis in overalls?! His new farming era begins, working with real animals (and a flying sheep), behind-the-scenes on his gorgeous Inside Soap Christmas photoshoot with Mike Parr and his favourite memories from Heartstopper This is one of Bradley’s funniest and most heartfelt interviews yet — a must-watch for Emmerdale fans. YouTube chapters 00:00 – Intro: Bradley Riches joins Soap Scoop 00:36 – Inside Soap Christmas photoshoot with Bradley & Mike Parr 00:52 – Bradley on joining The Big Quiz: Corrie vs Emmerdale 01:21 – Saying yes to everything: Mastermind, Big Quiz & chaos 01:58 – “I hit the buzzer… and it was wrong.” Bradley’s quiz disaster 02:28 – Team Emmerdale revealed: Lucy, Mark, Shebz & Bradley 02:52 – How the newbies stacked up against the veterans 03:29 – Emmerdale’s winning streak on the line 03:53 – Captains Mark Charnock vs Jack P. Shephard: Battle of the big brains 04:27 – How the teams prepared (Shebz did RESEARCH?!) 05:17 – Corrie’s weak link (in the nicest way possible) 06:16 – What the Big Quiz atmosphere was really like 06:29 – Corriedale exclusive teaser: Bradley’s first reaction 07:23 – Bradley on his whirlwind year in Emmerdale 08:26 – How Lewis and Nicola became the ultimate Café duo 09:44 – The fan response to Lewis’s arrival 10:14 – Autistic & neurodivergent viewers: Bradley on representation 11:02 – What it means to fans seeing Lewis on screen 12:01 – How Bradley builds Lewis compared to past roles 13:04 – If Kev returns… how should the Lewis/Kev storyline unfold? 14:30 – Bradley’s dream: A chaotic Kev–Ross–Nick–Lewis family dynamic 15:26 – The karaoke question: What would Kev & Lewis duet? 17:08 – Inside Soap’s fake Kev albums for Christmas No.1 (Feliz Lewis Dad!) 17:36 – Lewis’s iconic knitwear & costume secrets 18:46 – Lewis in overalls?! A new farming storyline begins 19:25 – Working with real animals (and the bouncing sheep) 20:36 – Why Emmerdale needs more fun farming 20:55 – Who would be Lewis’s perfect soap enemy? 21:26 – Robert Sugden sass & stolen weed grudges 22:10 – Why Joe Tate might also make the enemy list 22:22 – Fan request: Should Emma Barton return for Lewis? 23:33 – Bradley wants flashbacks, Kevin/Emma, and adoptive parents to appear 24:15 – Lewis & Vinny: budding romance or best friends? 26:02 – Kammy the third wheel… or fourth wheel? 26:34 – Bradley’s hopes for Lewis in 2026 27:26 – A chaotic Ross–Lewis storyline? 28:32 – Bradley’s BIG wish: A full café refurbishment 29:15 – Heartstopper memories: Paris, friendships & filming at 4am 30:12 – Outro: Celebrating Bradley’s year in Emmerdale Inside Soap is Britain’s only soap magazine, bringing readers every story, every secret, every week from shows such as such as Coronation Street, EastEnders, Emmerdale, Hollyoaks, Casualty and Neighbours. Grab a copy of the mag on Tuesdays, and head to www.digitalspy.com/soaps. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s a huge festive edition of Soap Scoop, as Laura-Jayne and Chloe dive into all the exclusive Christmas spoilers from the brand-new Inside Soap magazine! We break down the festive plots across Coronation Street, Emmerdale, EastEnders, and Hollyoaks, including: Corrie: Becky’s balaclava chaos — bin fires, fake threats, and a desperate dash to Spain Kit’s investigation heats up as Carla vanishes Theories on Becky’s fate — will Corrie’s biggest villain survive Corriedale Huge Driscoll family drama & mystery attack on Christmas Day Debbie’s dazzling wedding + Carl’s secrets surface Emmerdale: Robron under attack — who is tormenting them? The return of John and Kev? Or both? Ray and Celia’s sinister storyline escalates — can Ray be redeemed Charity’s pregnancy secret ready to explode Why Corriedale will change everything EastEnders Pat and Barry are back! Ghosts of Christmas past return in Nigel’s special Zoe’s stalker storyline continues — but is the Max Branning flash-forward the big one? Who is Max marrying in 2027? Early theories fly! Like, subscribe and comment your theories — especially your predictions for Corriedale, Swarla, Robron and Max Branning’s mysterious future bride! Chapters 00:00 – Welcome to Christmas edition 00:57 – Coronation Street: Let’s talk Swarla 01:08 – Becky’s balaclava plan & fleeing to Spain 01:57 – Carla missing… is she really in Lanzarote? 02:30 – Becky starts a bin fire (literally!) 03:03 – Should Becky stay on the cobbles? 03:41 – Is Becky targeting Costello again? 04:14 – Is Lisa starting to twig? 05:30 – Fan rumours: Is Becky going to die in Corridale? 06:33 – Should Becky be killed off or imprisoned? 07:20 – Swarla fan dreams & the future of Carla & Lisa 08:03 – Inside the Vicky & Sydney Christmas photoshoot 08:55 – Corrie continues: The Driscolls’ dramatic Christmas 09:12 – Mystery Christmas Day attack 09:59 – Adam Barlow’s hat and mistaken-identity theories 10:42 – Defending Adam Barlow (again!) 11:01 – Who should Adam be paired with? 11:38 – Debbie’s wedding chaos 12:34 – Debbie’s dementia storyline & future 13:03 – Will Abi expose Carl & James? 14:16 – Corrie’s messy love triangles 15:04 – Emmerdale: Robron tormented by mystery attacker 15:29 – Is the stalker Ross, Kev, John… or all of them? 16:57 – Robert goes missing — Christmas in peril 17:46 – Why both Kev and John might return 18:40 – Corriedale speculation: Everyone will collide 19:39 – Celia & Ray: Christmas villains 20:37 – Ray threatens Rona — is he beyond redemption? 21:58 – Is Ray heading for a sacrificial death? 23:01 – Emmerdale’s gripping Christmas storytelling 23:22 – Corrie vs Emmerdale fandom crossover 24:01 – Charity’s baby bombshell — will Vanessa spill? 25:07 – How the secret could destroy Charity’s world 26:58 – Why Sarah/Jacob aren’t the point of the story 27:23 – Exclusive Ross & Lewis festive photoshoot 27:58 – EastEnders: Christmas chaos begins 28:09 – Pat & Barry return from beyond the grave 29:07 – The 90s Vic recreated in perfect detail 30:17 – Zoe’s stalker plot — time for the reveal? 30:33 – Max Branning returns: The 2027 flash-forward 31:31 – Who is Max marrying? Theories galore 32:40 – Flash-forwards done right (Hollyoaks throwback) 33:51 – BTS of EastEnders’ festive photoshoot 35:07 – Amy, Penny & Chelsea: 2025’s rising trio 36:21 – The Swarla shoot: Chaos, heart, and stolen moments 38:17 – What it takes to arrange Christmas soap shoots 38:52 – Why Corriedale will be event television 39:45 – Hollyoaks photoshoot with Pearl & Jack 41:24 – Memories of Jimmy McKenna singing Sinatra 41:35 – Outro: Like, subscribe & send us your Christmas soap theories! Inside Soap is Britain’s only soap magazine, bringing readers every story, every secret, every week. Grab a copy of the mag on Tuesdays, and head to www.digitalspy.com/soaps. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices