EastEnders fans were finally treated to a full scale view of the new Albert Square on the soap on Monday evening as the episode opened with a slick aerial shot.
The extensive revamp was unveiled with a sweeping crane shot overlooking the streets of Walford, with Lily Allen’s hit LDN playing, before the shot closed in on Sharon Watts’ flat.
The debut of the new £86.7 million set was also toasted with a few on-air jokes, as Sharon asked Martin Fowler if he liked her new coat.
“It just looks the same as the old one,” Martin admitted, in an obvious nod to the new set.
Sharon then responded: “Oi, this is quality. It will last years!”
Martin replied with another quip, saying at least Sharon's coat didn't have “that funny smell anymore”.
EastEnders fans were wowed by the new set, which has ushered in a schedule shake-up putting the BBC soap in direct competition with ITV ’s Emmerdale.
Taking to Twitter to praise the episode’s opening, one fan wrote: “The new set looks brilliant!!!!!!!” as another chimed: “The colours are really popping on the new set, I feel like am in a Pedro Almodovar film.”
A third fan posted: “The new set looks fantastic in HD!” as another weighed in: “The new set looks so good!”
A fellow social media user wrote: “It all looks familiar but shiny and new” as another posted: “Nice drone camera work and little reference there.”
A fellow fan wrote: “Excuse me EastEnders, was that I drone shot? It was pretty awesome,” as another wrote: “The EastEnders cameraman is clearly showing off they've got a new set now, with all those pans and shots. OOOOOOOOH.”
A soap viewer wrote: "THE SQUARE LOOKS GOOD!"
The new £86.7 million EastEnders set will give producers more scope to film blockbuster movie-style scenes, as the Elstree location has longer stretches of road, unlike the old set, which was marred with short streets.
Director Richard Lynn told the Radio Times in an interview ahead of the revamp debut: “Chase scenes on the old lot would inevitably have gone in one direction only, because there were so many dead ends.
“There is much more flexibility now – more places for the goodies to hide and the baddies to come together.
“I’d really like to do a foot chase in the alleys or back gardens.”
EastEnders airs on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7.30pm on BBC One.
