Bumper soap special

Ever since over 30 million of us watched EastEnders’ Den Watts (Leslie Grantham) give wife Angie (Anita Dobson) her divorce papers on Christmas Day 1986, the festive season has become prime soap real estate. The season of goodwill offers no relief from the carousel of murder, mayhem and matrimonial discord for the residents of Walford, Weatherfield, Emmerdale and Hollyoaks. And we love it!

Whether you’re a devoted fan or you only dip in occasionally, you can’t miss this pivotal time of year – so we’ve put together a little sneak-peek guide to the season. But first we’ve selected our heroes, villains, and biggest dramatic moments of the big four soaps, where the citizens continue to be hatched, matched and dispatched at an alarming rate.

Beware, there may be spoilers ahead!

Emmerdale

Weeknights, 7pm, ITV (CH 103) and ITV HD (CH 113). Also available after broadcast in ITV On Demand in Catch Up TV

Hero of the year: Ashley Thomas (John Middleton)

The village’s vicar has strayed from the righteous path at times, but was crucial this year in forcing ex-wife Laurel (Charlotte Bellamy) to finally admit she had a problem. Ashley’s recent diagnosis of early-onset dementia, and the announcement that John Middleton is leaving at the end of this storyline, spells heartbreak ahead.

Villain of the year: Robert Sugden (Ryan Hawley)

When prodigal son Robert returned, engaged to the daughter of Home Farm’s new owner – and played by a new actor – nobody could predict the ensuing mayhem. Cue a murder cover-up, a secret gay affair and an attack where half the village had a motive. We hope this charismatic bad boy causes ructions for years to come!

Moment of the year: Val’s exit

Busybody Val Pollard (Charlie Hardwick) was already planning to fake her own death to avoid fraud charges. The helicopter crash trapped her in a hall of mirrors (yes, really) and the village’s most vain character was killed by her own reflection – a gory exit worthy of Final Destination.

Coming up at Christmas

Val’s grieving widower Eric Pollard (Chris Chittell) has alienated everybody in recent months, including his own son, David, with his cantankerous outbursts. Eric takes centre stage this Christmas, receiving special visits from his past, present and future. Watch out for a very special soap cameo. Charles Dickens would be proud…

Coronation Street

Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, from 7.30pm, ITV (CH 103) and ITV HD (CH 113). Also available after broadcast in ITV On Demand in Catch Up TV

After four decades, it was the year that the Street said goodbye to Deirdre Barlow, both on screen and off, as the legendary Anne Kirkbride passed away in January, aged 60.

Hero of the year: Bethany Platt (Lucy Fallon)

Returning after years of living in Milan, but still with a broad Manchester accent, wisecracking teenager Bethany brightens up the cobbles no end with her sassy one-liners.

Villain of the year: Jenny Bradley (Sally Ann Matthews)

When Kevin Webster (Michael Le Vell) started dating former Weatherfield resident and ne’er-do-well Jenny Bradley, the locals were unimpressed. They were proved right when the grieving mum kidnapped Kevin’s toddler son. We can’t wait for Jenny to return in 2016.

Moment of the year: Curtains for Callum

Corrie’s live episode – which tied in with ITV’s 60th anniversary – saw local bad boy Callum Logan (Sean Ward) meet his maker and end up buried under Gail Platt’s extension. When will the truth be dug up? Well, Brookside managed to keep a body under the patio buried for two whole years…

Coming up at Christmas

Prepare for the return of killer Rob Donovan (Marc Baylis). He’ll be doing his best Grinch impression and making waves for his ex Tracy (Kate Ford) and his sister Carla (Alison King) – and all from behind bars. Impressive.

EastEnders

Mondays and Fridays, 8pm, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 7.30pm, BBC One (CH 101) and BBC One HD (CH 108). Also available after broadcast in BBC iPlayer in Catch Up TV

This Christmas, the residents of Albert Square should gather round the old joanna and try to forget about 2015’s murder trials, comas and imprisoned pensioners.

Hero of the year: Christine (Roger Sloman)

Viewers spent months convinced that Walford undertaker Les Coker (Roger Sloman) was cheating on his lovely wife Pam (Lin Blakley). But Les’s true secret – that he liked to dress up in women’s clothes and call himself Christine – was very unexpected and beautifully revealed.

Honourable mention: A shout out to showbiz legend and ‘Enders newcomer Bonnie Langford, who has been a breath of fresh air as Essex divorcee Carmel.

Villain of the year: Bobby Beale (Eliot Carrington)

“Whatever she says, she started it. She made everyone unhappy.” The flashback reveal that 11-year-old Bobby had accidentally killed his half-sister Lucy (Hetti Bywater) was a goosebump-inducing moment. Heaven help any character who refuses to help this baby-faced monster with his maths homework. Dennis watch out!

Moment of the year: Kathy’s alive!

EastEnders Live Week, celebrating the show’s 30th anniversary, had it all. But the big reveal of who killed Lucy was topped by a scene where Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden) awaited the arrival of a black cab. The passenger? His supposedly long-dead ex-wife Kathy (Gillian Taylforth). Her nervous greeting – “Hello, Phil” – saw the nation’s jaws hit the floor.

Coming up at Christmas

Scratchcard millionaires Kat (Jessie Wallace) and Alfie (Shane Richie) will make a brief return to the Square, to pave the way for an upcoming six-part spin-off series set in Ireland. But has Alfie told his wife about his brain tumour yet? Ho ho ho!

Hollyoaks

Weekdays, 6.30pm, Channel 4 (CH 104) and Channel 4 HD (CH 142). Also available after broadcast in All 4 in Catch Up TV

The Hollyoaks hotties had a lot to contend with this year, whether they were returning from the dead, surviving a wedding day murder or pretending to be a stranger’s long lost daughter…

Hero of the year: Tom Cunningham (Ellis Hollins)

Viewers have literally watched Tom grow up on screen, as actor Ellis Hollins has played him since the character’s birth on Millennium Eve. This year, Tom became a teenage dad and, in a mature move, took on the care of daughter Steph after his girlfriend Peri (Ruby O’Donnell) admitted she didn’t want to be a mum.

Villain of the year: Pete Buchanan (Kai Owen)

Hollyoaks Village is home to gangsters, ex-cons and a serial killer (they should call John Luther). But the most heinous individual in 2015 was a handyman who seemed like your average bloke next door. Paedophile Pete Buchanan wormed his way into the McQueen family led by Reenie (Zoe Lucker) and abused her teenage daughter, Cleo (Nadine Mulkerrin), having already done the same with older sister Porsche (Twinnie Lee Moore). Chilling, plausible and heartbreaking stuff.

Moment of the year: Lindsey is the gloved-hand killer!

Dee Valley University Hospital had been plagued by a medicine-savvy serial killer since January, with viewers kept in the dark about who was administering lethal injections. Junior doctor Lindsey Butterfield (Sophie Austin) was revealed as the culprit in October, as she “killed” her eighth victim, husband Freddie (Charlie Clapham). Lindsey is still flying under the radar – but Freddie was last seen twitching…

Coming up at Christmas

Time is running out for Reenie as the police close in, and her daughters have some tough choices to make. Meanwhile, Sonia (Kiza Deen) – aka Fake Lisa – has some shocks in store for her “brother” Zack (Duayne Boachie).

Don’t miss your soaps this Christmas

Make sure you don’t miss a minute of this show by setting Series Link on your V+ or Virgin Media: TiVo® Service box. Here’s how.