"Episode 6550" of the British television soap opera EastEnders was broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 5 September 2022. The episode was directed by Toby Frow and written by Simon Ashdown. It takes the form of a flashback episode, set in both the present and in January 1979, and explores the reason for DCI Samantha Keeble's vendetta against the Mitchell family.
The episode was first announced in July 2022, when it was reported that Jaime Winstone, who had previously portrayed a young Barbara Windsor in the 2017 biopic film Babs, would appear as Peggy. The episode also featured the first on-screen appearance of Peggy's husband, Eric, as well as other members of the Mitchell family. The episode won praise among critics and viewers alike, with viewers calling for further flashback episodes to be made. Executive Producer Chris Clenshaw signalled his interest in making further flashback episodes.
Plot
DCI Samantha Keeble (Alison Newman) meets with Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden) in her car. Keeble tells Phil that she wants him to inform on his cousin Billy Mitchell (Perry Fenwick), to which Phil refuses to do so.
In January 1979, the United Kingdom is in the grip of the Winter of Discontent, and the Mitchells are living in the London district of Limehouse. As the family eat dinner, patriarch Eric Mitchell (George Russo) learns that Phil (Daniel Delaney) has found a job as a garage mechanic and is furious. He also tries to dissuade Phil's brother Grant (Teddy Jay) from his wish to join the British Armed Forces, telling them both they should do a real job and he is going to give them some "work experience". He leaves his wife Peggy (Jaime Winstone) at home with their young daughter Sam (Laila Murphy) and forces Phil and Grant to join him in an armed robbery at a warehouse alongside his cousin Stephen (Dean Roberts), and his sons Charlie (Charlie Heptinstall) and Billy (George Greenland). When Peggy objects to his actions, Eric assaults her.
While Eric and the boys are away, Peggy is visited by Eric's brother Archie (Henry Garrett), his wife Glenda (Rose Reynolds), and their two young daughters, Ronnie (Lucia De Wan) and Roxy (Elodie De Rohan Willner). Archie and Peggy have a conversation before he leaves for the evening to meet with a mistress, and it is suggested there is some mutual attraction between him and Peggy.
Peggy and Glenda then talk in the kitchen, sharing a drink and discussing their husbands, while their children play in the front room. However, Peggy furiously scolds Ronnie and Roxy after they encourage Sam to draw on the wallpaper, leading to an argument between her and Glenda, which ends with Peggy ejecting her sister-in-law.
At the warehouse, Eric and the boys steal video recorders when they are caught by a security guard (Christopher Pizzey). Billy falls from a ladder while trying to steal a VHS package before Eric orders everyone to leave and abandon him. However, Phil and Grant decide to save Billy, leading to Phil holding the security guard at gunpoint while Stephen and Charlie leave. Eric attempts to goad Phil into shooting the security guard with the words "Let him have it!", but the guard pleads with Phil, telling him he has a young daughter. When Phil cannot bring himself to pull the trigger, Eric takes the gun from him, orders the others to leave and then shoots the security guard dead.
Phil later confronts Eric about the shooting. When he, Grant, and Eric return home, Eric threatens to beat Phil with a belt for challenging him. Peggy having had enough of his abuse grabs a knife and threatens him. Eric turns his abuse on Peggy and attacks her, Enraged, Phil attacks Eric, ultimately overpowering him before threatening to kill him if he harms Peggy again.
Back in the present, Keeble reveals to Phil that the security guard that Eric killed that night was her father, Malcolm. She once again orders Phil to inform on Billy, warning him he will go back to prison if he does not do so.