EASTENDERS bosses clashed while deciding who should die in this week's explosive 35th anniversary episodes.
Head of Continuing Drama Kate Oates revealed there were arguments in the writer's room when it came to deciding who would meet their end.
Speaking to The Sun Online at the screening of the dramatic episodes, she said: "We discussed it in depth, and actually we had a lot of arguments about it as well.
"The conference room is a vibrant place and we discussed a lot of different options but we knew in our hearts that this was the story."
Kate and executive producer Jon Sen remained tight-lipped about the identity of who dies but they did reveal the show is still hiding it from none need-to-know cast and crew.
Jon told press: "We do a lot to hide and protect our storylines. In scripts and story documents this character had a code name – still in the scripts – and so if anybody happened to leave their script laying around then the truth would not be unveiled."
Kate added: "I've learned over the years that the reward that comes with a twist is just brilliant.
"I used to come from the other side of the fence and think that you want to get people watching and that you want to reveal stuff, but I think people have had enough of that now."
The Sun exclusively revealed how a major character will die on Friday night – but countless lives will be left in the balance as the week goes on.
Kate added: "We'll be picking up on the existing story strands with Callum, picking up with Keanu – are him and Sharon going to abscond? Why is Phil back? What's happening with Bobby now that he's being trolled online for his beliefs?
"There's all these things that are going to be coming to fruition in a very, very dramatic way and there will be serious consequences to those stories."
Kate also teased some hark backs to EastEnders of old with easter eggs for long-time fans.
She said: "Pete Lawson has written one of Sonia's best lines ever, I think. I love it.
"The name of the boat – Smith Holland – is after the show's creators and Fassett Dock is also a nod to the past. It was a brain child of the script editor of this amazing block."
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