Celebrating its 25th year of airing, EastEnders, this most British of soaps, follows the sordid, interesting and often amusing lives of the residents of Albert Square in the fictional Borough of Walford, portrayed as being in the East End of London.

While providing sometimes comic entertainment, the program also attempts to address social issues, and often provides contact number at the end of an episode, which can be called for help, if a viewer is experiencing anything related to those issues being addressed.

Broadcast weekdays on BBC1, except for Wednesdays, this intriguing cocktail of disaster, heartache, births, deaths, marriages and murder, will have you on the edge of your seat, laughing and crying and coming back for more. Each episode certainly ends on a heartstopping cliffhanger.

The makers of Eastenders have this year released a "sister" show called E20 (the postal code of Walford), presenting a new spin on Eastend life, with newly introduced characters that should appeal to a more youthful audience. Catch the first episode below. Its first airing was on Jan 8 2010.http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/eastenders/2010/01/e20-settle-into-the-walford.shtml

Eastenders is famously nominated for "Most Popular Serial Drama" at the NTA (National Television Awards) in Britian, and is usually favorite to win. However this year, 2010, they failed to do so, losing to their rival British soap Coronation Street. http://www.mns.co.uk/012112253.html

Want to get the heads up and discover how the plot will continue, before it is aired?

Digitalspy.co.uk tells you the plot on all UK soaps and more. http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s2/eastenders/

"You don't wanna go upsetting the Mitchells, they have long memories."—Alan JacksonIMDb: EastEnders Quotes

"If your brains were dynamite you wouldn't have enough to blow your hats off."—Peggy MitchellIMDb: EastEnders Quotes

"The next time you touch my brother, You won't be servin' spirits, You'll BE one!"—Danny MoonIMDb: EastEnders Quotes

"You're a wave short of an ocean, aint ya?"—Frank ButcherIMDb: EastEnders Quotes

"What do ya take me for? Some kind of ice cream?"—Frank ButcherIMDb: EastEnders Quotes

"That's not Judith Bernstein, that's Janine Butcher - I should know, she's my stepdaughter... and she's about as Jewish as a bacon sandwich!" 'Pat: (Trying to prevent Janine's marriage to an elderly Jewish man using an assumed name) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088512/quotes

Beale Family

• Bobby Beale Played By Alex Francis
• Christian Clarke Played By John Partridge
• Ian Beale Played By Adam Woodyatt
• Jane Beale Played By Laurie Brett
• Lucy Beale Played By Melissa Suffield
• Peter Beale Played By Thomas Law

• Branning Family
• Abi Branning Played By Lorna Fitzgerald
• Bradley Branning Bradley Played By Charlie Clements
• Dot Branning Played By June Brown
• Jack Branning Played By Scott Maslen
• Jim Branning Played By John Bardon
• Lauren Branning Played By Madeline Duggan
• Max Branning Played By Jake Wood
• Tanya Branning Played By Jo Joyner

• Butcher Family
• Janine Butcher Played By Charlie Brooks
• Liam Butcher Played By James Forde
• Pat Evans Played By Pam St Clement
• Ricky Butcher Played By Sid Owen

• Fox Family
• Chelsea Fox Played By Tiana Benjamin
• Denise Wicks Played By Diane Parish
• Libby Fox Played By Belinda Owusu

• Jackson Family
• Bianca Jackson Played By Patsy Palmer
• Morgan Jackson-King Played By Devon Higgs
• Ryan Malloy Played By Neil McDermott
• Tiffany Dean Played By Maisie Smith
• Whitney Dean Played By Shona McGarty

• Masood Family
• Masood Ahmed Played By Nitin Ganatra
• Syed Masood Played By Marc Elliott
• Tamwar Masood Played By Himesh Patel
• Zainab Masood Played By Nina Wadia

• Mitchell Family
• Archie Mitchell Played By Larry Lamb
• Ben Mitchell Played By Charlie Jones
• Billy Mitchell Played By Perry Fenwick
• Peggy Mitchell Played By Barbara Windsor
• Phil Mitchell Played By Steve McFadden
• Ronnie Mitchell Played By Samantha Womack
• Roxy Mitchell Played By Rita Simons
• Sam Mitchell Played By Danniella Westbrook

• Slater Family
• Charlie Slater Played By Derek Martin
• Jean Slater Played By Gillian Wright
• Mo Harris Played By Laila Morse
• Stacey Slater Played By Lacey Turner

• Trueman Family
• Patrick Trueman Played By Rudolph Walker

• Others
• Adam Best Played By David Proud
• Amanda 'Manda' Best Played By Josie Lawrence
• Amira Shah Played By Preeya Kalidas
• Darren Miller Played By Charlie G Hawkins
• Dotty Cotton Played By Molly Conlin
• Dr Al Jenkins Played By Adam Croasdell
• Gumbo Played By Shamus
• Heather Trott Played By Cheryl Fergison
• Jay Brown Played By Jamie Borthwick
• Jordan Johnson Played By Michael-Joel David Stuart
• Lucas Johnson Played By Don Gilet
• Minty (Rick) Peterson Played By Cliff Parisi
• Owen Turner Played By Lee Ross
• Shirley Carter Played By Linda Henry
• Syd Chambers Played By Nina Toussaint-White
• Terrence Played By Terrence http://www.bbc.co.uk/eastenders/characters/