In a huge twist it was Keanu Taylor who was murdered in EastEnders in dramatic scenes at the end of the Christmas episode

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EastEnders viewers were left with their jaws on the floor on Monday night as, after 10 months of waiting for a big reveal, they discovered that Keanu Taylor had been murdered at the Queen Vic. And, in an even more shocking twist, it was Linda Taylor who was the culprit, as she stabbed him to protect best friend Sharon.

It was way back in February that millions were first introduced to 'The Six,' in a flash forward episode that saw Linda, Sharon, Denise, Suki, Stacey and Cathy stood over a lifeless body in the bar, with added emphasis on the victim wearing orange cufflinks. In the weeks leading up to EastEnders' Christmas episode airing, each woman was given her own storyline and a clear motive for murder, meaning that the finger of suspicion was very much on all of them as opening titles rolled at 9.45pm.

The hour long instalment saw Sharon ditch Keanu at the alter, after finding out from his sister Bernie that he was actually responsible for son Albie's kidnap, while, elsewhere Suki was locked in her own home by husband Nish, after he was released by police for the 'faked' murder of Eve, before managing to escape with some help from Ravi. She fled to the Vic, and, after a pep talk from the other ladies, summoned him over for a showdown.

READ MORE: EastEnders murderer and victim exposed at end of Christmas episode

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That resulted in the husband and wife getting into a tussle, with Denise striking Nish with a bottle and sending him crashing to the floor. He was presumed dead but then, with just minutes of the episode left, Keanu walked into the chaos demanding to see Albie and, as Sharon stood strong and confirmed that Phil was Albie's dad and not him, he attempted to strangle her.

And it was in that moment that a panicked and desperate Linda stabbed him to save Sharon. Since February, BBC viewers had assumed that the body on the floor was the murder victim, so there was widespread shock in the dying moments when Nish, after being given the kiss of life from Suki, started breathing again as Keanu was very much dead.