[Smithy]

Actress Pam St Clement announced in July that she is leaving the BBC One soap after 25 years in the iconic role.

Pat will reportedly be killed off in "emotional" scenes at Christmas, coinciding with the return of Bianca (Patsy Palmer) and Ricky Butcher (Sid Owen). However, the exact cause of her death is yet to be revealed.

"Pat is one of the soap's biggest-ever characters, and after much deliberation over her exit it was decided she will be killed off," an EastEnders insider told the Daily Star Sunday. "Her exit will be one of the most emotional we've ever done.

"She'll enjoy one last Christmas with her family all around her before she goes. Everyone has been sworn to secrecy over the exact details of her death but it will be sudden and heartbreaking.

"Her family will be left devastated by their loss and we're certain it will pull at the heart strings of even the most hardened of EastEnders fans. It's going to go down in history and will be one that the soap world will never ever forget."

The insider added that Pat would never just leave in the back of a black cab, labelling the forthcoming episodes as a "must-see".

An EastEnders spokesman said: "There has been a lot of speculation about Pat's departure. However we are not going to comment as we do not want to spoil it for the viewers."

St Clement's co-stars Barbara Windsor and Patsy Palmer led tributes to the soap star after she announced her exit, with Palmer describing her as an "amazing actress".

Although, they did an xmas death a few years ago with Pauline, it's a bit too soon for another one imo

[Locke.]

Yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Kazanne]

Where IS EE today,I love my Sunday session.

[Jords]

Originally Posted by kazanne

Where IS EE today,I love my Sunday session.

Omnibus was yesterday

And this is not good news for the soap.

[Marsh.]

There's always something going on at Xmas. Although I suppose the only way to write out a huge character like Pat is to kill her off even though she and Peggy should have left together to retire in Spain or something.

I'm guessing the Branning's or Moon's will have the big dramatic Xmas episode stuff and we'll see Pat, Bianca, Ricky and the kids having a nice Xmas and then at the end she'll just pass away in the armchair or something.

[Kazanne]

Originally Posted by Jords

Omnibus was yesterday

And this is not good news for the soap.

Oh S**Tbummer(thanks anyway)

[Kazanne]

I heard Tanya dies too,but you never know with EE they may well let her recover.

[Doogle]

Death by earrings.

[Patrick]

She's a fat annoying old woman anyway, bring on the heart attack!

[Jordan.]

I hope its something stupid like an ornament falling off the bookcase and hitting her on the head

[Lewis.]

Originally Posted by Jordan.

I hope its something stupid like an ornament falling off the bookcase and hitting her on the head

.. or her earing getting caught on a twig in the square and ripping her ear off, leaving her to bleed to death on franks bench.

Jus' sayin'. [/brian]

[Firewire]

Pauline's death was 5 years ago. I was expecting a Christmas death.

[Saph]

It will most likely be something like a heart attack or stroke. She's a big character though so maybe something really dramatic Not like Archies death, that was so overrated.

Maybe her house catches fire but her favourate earings are inside and she dies in an explosion or something..

['Conor]

Pat

[MeMyselfAndI]

****ing spoiler the title

[Marsh.]

5 years since a Christmas death? Um, Archie was killed two years ago.

[joeysteele]

Crumbs, Eastenders certainly likes to give its viewers a Happy Christmas doesn't it. I think its a pity she will be killed off but Pat's greatest strylines are when she is being the battleaxe.

Think I will give that episode a miss, I like to think happy at Christmas.

[Kerry]

Edited the title



I'm shocked to hear this

[Callum]

Not personally shocked, I thought they would kill her off, I can see it being a heart attack too. Knowing EE, it'll just be after the Butchers have had their Christmas dinner, Pat goes into the living room by herself to drink a glass of sherry and next thing you know, she's gone. She's one of my favorite characters ever though so I'm really upset she's leaving, it won't be the same without Pat and her big earrings.

[Kerry]

Not sure there is much for Pat left bar babysitting duties tbh. But I'm always shocked when they kill off long running characters :/

[Locke.]

Hopefully Janine kills her

[Kerry]

Originally Posted by Locke.

Hopefully Janine kills her

Wouldn't surprise me

[Callum]

I hope she finds out that Janine has her named marked as "Fat Pat" on her mobile before she goes, can't imagine her being happy about it.

[Visage]

You can count on Eastenders to bring you more misery at Christmas.

I hope she's murdered.

[Barbie]

I always thought they'd do something lame like she moves permanently to new zealand.

Hope they send her off well, not like peggy walking up the street.