EastEnders fans getting up early on Monday June 16 to see the soap on BBC iPlayer were in for a surprise when it was missing from its usual place.
The Beeb always puts new episodes on-demand from 6am on the day of broadcast - but that was not the case today.
This was not because of a glitch, a mistake, or – heaven forbid – the cancellation of the long-running soap, according to the broadcaster.
Instead, newly minted executive producer of the show, Ben Wadey, has explained that “something big” has sparked the change.
Why isn’t EastEnders on BBC iPlayer this morning?
Taking over from long-running executive producer Chris Clenshaw, former commissioning executive at Channel 4 Ben Wadey, who has previous experience as a story editor on EastEnders, has explained the reason for the change.
“Next week marks the start of something big in Walford that we hope will get everyone talking, and it’s only just the beginning,” he told press, as reported by News Shopper. “We’ve got twists, shocks, and plenty of drama lined up for a summer you don’t want to miss.”
That means that fans of the soap will need to wait until 7.30pm, when the show airs on BBC One.
The BBC confirmed this in a post on X, writing: “Trust us, you won't want to miss it! (There will be no 6am iPlayer drop.)”
📣Schedule Alert! #EastEnders, Monday 16th June, 7:30pm on @BBCOne and @BBCiPlayer. Trust us, you won't want to miss it!
— BBC EastEnders (@bbceastenders) June 13, 2025
(There will be no 6am iPlayer drop.) pic.twitter.com/RHt9R36pwk
However, some fans are speculating in the comments that this could be to conceal the return of a fan-favourite character, so that it doesn’t get spoiled for some on social media.
“It's Max Branning and Oscar returning this Monday 16 June 2025 at Number 14 Albert Square spoiler reveal,” wrote one X user.
That’s not confirmed and could still be disproven.
