EastEnders viewers left ‘heartbroken’ following Ben Mitchell’s savage dumping

Not every EastEnders love story ends in disaster (yes, really!), and on Christmas Day 2005 we were all left stunned after EastEnders' answer to Romeo and Juliet - Kat and Alfie Moon - finally got their happily ever after. Known for their sizzling passion for each other, these two never shied away from a fiery row - private or public. However, all seemed doomed for the pair when Alfie took off on Christmas Day leaving heartbroken Kat shoeless and alone in The Vic. But in modern day Romeo style, Alfie was waiting outside by his Ford Capri to whisk his girl off into the sunset (well, a snowy Albert Square, but still!).

Who could that be knocking on the door on Christmas Day? Santa? Rudolph? No, it's Frank Butcher of course! Frank made his return to Albert Square on Christmas Day 1995 after over a years absence, much to the horror of Pat, who'd recently shacked up with fellow car dealer Roy Evans. Awks!

Christmas Day 2016 saw the shock return of the infamous Max Branning. After serving time in prison after being falsely accused of Lucy Beale's murder, a bitter Max returned to the square in the last 30 seconds of the Christmas special. The 'duff duff duff' left us all gawping at our screens wondering what this meant for the residents of Albert Square - especially the Beales!

We couldn't write an ultimate ranking of EastEnders' most SHOCKING Christmas Day episodes without throwing it back to the 80's when Den and Ange were the landlords of The Queen Vic (we know, nostalgia alert). Who can forget Christmas Day 1986 when Dirty Den presented Ange with a divorce-shaped Crimbo present, after finding out about her cancer lie. Only on EastEnders, eh!

Feisty Pauline Fowler was in EastEnders for an incredible 21 years, so we have to admit, we were a little disappointed that her death was so, well, low key. After a bust-up with Sonia in The Queen Vic, Pauline took a little lie down under the square's Christmas tree... and never woke up again. It may not have been dramatic, but it was certainly moving.

Villainous Archie Mitchell may have only been in EastEnders for a year and a half, but caused all sorts of trouble in that time. Things came to a head (pun intended!) on Christmas Day 2009, when Archie was whacked over the head with The Queen Vic's iconic bar statue in front of 10.9 million viewers. What a way to go.

One of EastEnders' saddest Christmas Day moments has to be when we said goodbye to the adorable Jamie Mitchell. His relationship with Sonia may have been short-lived (thanks to Martin Fowler, who accidentally knocked Jamie down in a dramatic hit and run), but it was definitely the real thing. Jamie and Sonia's love story came to a tragic end on Christmas Day 1998, when Jamie took his final breaths in hospital with Sonia by his side, as the couple declared their undying love for each other. In true EastEnders style, Jamie's heartbreaking final moments were shown alongside scenes of Mo and Billy's marriage vows to the soundtrack of 'Stand by Me'. Basically, the whole nation was left bawling into their family-sized tubs of Celebrations.

Christmas Day 2014 saw Mick Carter go full Danny Dyer when he FINALLY found out about Dean raping Linda. After months of tension, Linda finally cracked under the pressure of Mick's romantic proposal and revealed that Dean attacked her. Naturally, furious Mick went straight for Dean's throat (destroying their Christmas dinner in the process), only halting his attack when Shirley dropped yet another bombshell – that Dean and Mick are brothers! What. A. Day.

Christmas 2001 was quite possibly EastEnders' bleakest festive showing of all time, as it focused on Little Mo and her abusive husband Trevor. The nation held its collective breath as we watched evil Trevor overflow Mo's Christmas dinner with gravy, before shoving the whole lot on the floor and making his terrified wife eat the remains off the carpet. Cheery it was not.

Christmas 2007 was an absolute corker of an episode that will be forever imprinted on our memories, as it was the year Max and Stacey's torrid affair finally came out into the open. For those who have forgotten (HOW COULD YOU?), the horrible truth came out when little Lauren reluctantly gave Bradley a copy of his wedding video for Christmas… although it turned out she'd actually caught Max and Stacey snogging each other's faces off on camera, much to the horror of the extended Branning family and, in fact, the rest of the nation.