EastEnders included a surprise reference to the Euros 2024 ahead of the final in Berlin on Sunday.
The soap, which is no stranger to filming special additions, aired a surprise topical reference to the game against the Netherlands following the Three Lions win earlier this week.
In the new scene, characters Martin Fowler, Alfie Moon, and Harvey Monroe, gather in the square to look back on the most exhilarating moments of the semi-final.
Discussing the match, the trio shared their hopes that it might be ‘coming home’ this time after England lost to Italy in 2021.
Harvey asks his pals in the scene: ‘You think we can go all the way?’ to which Alfie replies ‘We dare to dream, my friend. Dare to dream!’ before the trio hug it out and start chanting.
EastEnders included a surprise reference to the Euros 2024 ahead of the final in Berlin on Sunday
In the new scene, characters Martin Fowler, Alfie Moon, and Harvey Monroe, gather in the square to look back on the most exhilarating moments of the semi-final and share their hopes that it finally might be ‘coming home’
It’s the second time this month that EastEnders has borrowed from current affairs as the soap aired a General Election-themed moment between Harvey and Ian Beale on July 4.
The soap featured the scene in the second episode of a double bill, that was released on BBC iPlayer as polls opened at 7am.
In the scene, Ian told Harvey that he was heading to the polling station to cast his vote, but the latter confessed he had no idea the election was taking place.
Harvey admitted that he was so busy he’d forgotten about the election, adding: ‘And anyways, it’s only one vote. What difference does it make?’
Ian began: ‘You know what if everyone thought like that…’ before Harvey eventually agreed to head to the polling station, but added that it was unlikely that he and Ian were ‘voting for the same people.’
This is far from the first time that EastEnders has referenced major moments in the news with specially-filmed scenes, with some prior moments paying particular reference to The Royal Family.
In 2022, the soap paid tribute to the late Queen, but opening an episode with a scene where the monarch’s death was described as ‘devastating’ and like the entire country ‘losing its nan’.
In the scene, Linda Carter (Kellie Bright), adjusted a photo of The Queen on the bar of the Queen Vic, before Denise Fox said: ‘God bless her, she’s been there our whole lives. It’s like she’s everything we’ve ever known.’
It’s the second time this month that EastEnders has borrowed from current affairs as the soap aired a General Election-themed moment between Harvey and Ian Beale on July 4
In the scene, Ian Beale told Harvey Monroe that he was heading to the polling station to cast his vote, but the latter confessed he had no idea the election was taking place
Ian began: ‘You know what, if everyone thought like that…’ before Harvey eventually agreed to head to the polling station’
This is far from the first time that EastEnders has referenced major moments in the news, with a special scene paying tribute to The Queen following her death in 2022
Kathy Beale, played by Gillian Taylforth, replied: ‘Just feels so personal though, doesn’t it? Just devastating.’
‘It’s like we’ve lost our nan,’ Diane said
‘Well, we have. I mean the country’s lost… we’ve all lost our nan. She dedicated her entire life to serving us,’ Linda replied.
The long-running BBC soap has often edited in extra last-minute scenes to mark significant events over the years, including the birth of Prince George, Prince William and Kate Middleton’s wedding and the death of the Queen Mother, as well as last year’s World Cup semi-final.
