In a departure from the norm, EastEnders will be broadcast simultaneously on BBC iPlayer and BBC One at 7:30pm on Wednesday, rather than being released on iPlayer earlier in the day.
Typically, fans can catch the episode on the streaming service in the morning before it airs on television later that evening. However, to maintain suspense around some major plot twists, the decision has been made to hold back the iPlayer release so all viewers can experience the drama together.
The change was announced over the weekend, with teasers revealing that the episode would finally unveil the secrets of returning character Zoe Slater. Adding to the anticipation, Tuesday's instalment concluded with a nail-biting cliffhanger as a gunshot rang out.
Wednesday's episode promises to reveal who fell victim to the accidental discharge of the firearm during a tussle between Jack Branning and Ravi Gulati. The episode is also set to delve into what Zoe Slater, who recently returned to Walford after two decades, has been up to for the past 20 years.
Michelle Ryan reprised her role as Zoe, sharing her first scenes with on-screen mum Kat Moon, portrayed by Jessie Wallace, earlier this week, reports the Mirror.
The recent episodes have been met with praise from viewers, who are eagerly awaiting the upcoming revelations. Fans have already begun speculating about Wednesday's episode, knowing they'll have to wait a bit longer to discover the full story.
The BBC soap has confirmed that the episode will delve into Zoe's history, with her comeback set to send "shockwaves through the Slaters and Walford". EastEnders Executive Producer Ben Wadey hinted at "dramatic" scenes to come, revealing she's harbouring multiple secrets.
He explained: "As Zoe makes her dramatic return to Walford next week, more than one secret in her past will come to light as we look to explore the reasons behind her return, and what has happened in the past twenty years to make her the person she is today."
This comes as viewers have been speculating about who might fall victim to the shooting, whilst others have been theorising about Zoe's hidden truths. Many are convinced she's the mum of wayward teenager Joel Marshall, following several apparent clues dropped over recent months.
Meanwhile, other viewers reckon it'll emerge that she's wed to Max Branning, who's also making his return to the BBC drama. Regarding the shooting casualty, fans have suggested Sharon Watts, Kat, Zoe, Howie Danes and Oscar as possible targets.
In a heartbreaking twist, some supporters are also speculating that Kat's gran Mo Harris could be the one who gets shot, potentially meeting her end in a tragic turn of events. Viewers will simply have to watch on Wednesday night to discover the truth.