Sharp-eyed EastEnders fans have called out a noticeable production error that aired during the BBC soap's dramatic Boxing Day episode, claiming show bosses "clearly didn't notice".
The Festive Flub Spotted by Viewers
The apparent blunder occurred in the episode broadcast on 26 December 2025, following the explosive Christmas Day special. In emotionally charged scenes, longstanding character Patrick Trueman, played by Rudolph Walker, was informed by Jack Branning about the tragic death of his son, Anthony Trueman.
As Patrick broke down, tearfully uttering the line "Oh, why?", eagle-eyed viewers noticed that actor Scott Maslen, who plays Jack Branning, seemed to be silently mouthing the same words. Fans quickly took to social media platform X to discuss the odd moment.
Fan Reaction and Speculation
One viewer posted: "Did anyone else notice? The BBC clearly didn't!" Another agreed, writing: "I noticed his mouth moving thought he was just crying not to cry now you’ve pointed it out I see what you mean."
A third fan offered a possible explanation, suggesting: "A lot of actors do it to stay on script etc majority of the time they don’t even notice they are actually mouthing them."
The festive episodes centred on the mysterious death of Anthony Trueman, who passed away after an altercation in the Queen Vic with Zoe Slater – the mother of his long-lost daughter, Jasmine. Viewers were left unsure of the exact circumstances, as Zoe was knocked unconscious and awoke to find Anthony dead.
Actor Reflects on Dramatic Exit
Nicholas Bailey, who first appeared as Anthony over 25 years ago, recently spoke about his "bittersweet" exit from the show. His final scenes aired just after he took part in the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas special.
Speaking about his return and subsequent dramatic departure, Nick said: "A Christmas storyline is a huge moment in soap, so to get that and a big Christmas Day exit was a real honour! Obviously, it was bittersweet because it meant I was leaving."
He added: "I was sad things were coming to an end, but I wanted to lean into the excitement of this story being a launch pad for some incredible stuff heading into 2026." The actor also expressed surprise at the storyline twists, including the revelation that Anthony was Jasmine's father.
EastEnders continues to air Mondays to Thursdays at 7:30pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
