Fire to mark last orders for Eastenders’ Queen Vic

ONE of soapland’s most famous pubs will go up in flames as EastEnders’ Queen Vic is destroyed by fire later this year, TV bosses confirmed yesterday.

The Albert Square landmark – the scene of so many celebrations, rows and recriminations – will be burned to the ground after being the BBC1 drama’s hub for a quarter of a century.

Walford chiefs have not revealed whether anyone will die in the blaze, although several characters are set to leave the soap.

Veteran Barbara Windsor is bowing out of the show after 16 years playing former Vic landlady Peggy Mitchell.

In April, it was announced that six characters are being written out, including mechanic Minty Peterson, played by Cliff Parisi, taxi driver Charlie Slater (Derek Martin) and student Libby Fox (Belinda Owusu).

The dramatic scenes will spell the end of the current pub set ahead of the soap’s move to high definition in the autumn.

The storyline comes in a big year for British soaps. EastEnders bosses marked 25 years of the programme with a live episode in February.

And Coronation Street is preparing to celebrate its own 50th anniversary milestone in December.