EastEnders is making a much awaited comeback to BBC One - here’s when to watch

Fans of the long-running TV soap, EastEnders, have had to wait longer than ever before to catch up with their favourite cockney characters, due to the coronavirus pandemic. However, the BBC have confirmed that the show will soon be making a return to the nation's screens. So when exactly can we catch up with the residents of the fictional London borough of Walford? Here is everything you need to know about EastEnders’ comeback. Why did Eastenders come off air? The BBC was forced to temporarily take EastEnders off air back in June, for the first time in 35 years, breaking its continuous run. The decision came after the show had run out of pre-recorded footage due to the coronavirus pandemic and subsequent national lockdown. For the first few months of lockdown fans were still able to enjoy two episodes per week which had been filmed before lockdown started to interfere with the show’s filming schedule back in March. When will the show return? The soap will begin airing again on Monday September 7, at 8.05pm on BBC One. It has been confirmed that the new episodes will address the coronavirus pandemic in its storylines, in order to accurately reflect London life in 2020. The news of its much awaited comeback was shared with fans across the soap’s social media pages. The Facebook post received nearly 10,000 likes, and has been shared more than 6,000 times, with 15,000 comments from excited fans. The post reads: "The moment we’ve all been waiting for... EastEnders will be back on your screens at 8pm on Monday 7 September. Will episodes return as normal? While the show will be making a comeback to BBC One, not everything will return to business as usual. Episodes of EastEnders will return four nights a week, and they’ll be shorter than usual, at roughly 20 minutes rather than the standard 30. Filming safety measures Filming for the show began back in June, and the director and producers have had to get pretty creative in order to maintain social distancing practises and other safety measures on set. One such innovative measure was the use of perspex glass between two actors sharing a scene, which would remain sneakily hidden off camera. Another interesting method was revealed last month, when Executive Producer Jon Sen explained they were using the real life partners of cast members as body doubles for other cast members during intimate scenes. This allowed for "crucial moments where two characters are kissing" to be filmed, while adhering to government guidelines. Sen, has said, “From the moment we turned the lights out in The Queen Vic our ambition was to come back with a bang and this autumn certainly does that. "As soon as Albert Square reawakens the drama returns at a pace and, although working within social distancing guidelines has certainly given us some new challenges, I am incredibly proud of what everyone has achieved. "The show is looking fantastic and we can’t wait for “series two” to begin.”