'The end of an era': EastEnders' Ronnie and Roxie Mitchell's exit teased in dramatic new video

Ronnie (Samantha Womack) and her younger sibling Roxy (Rita Simons) are set to bow out of the long-running BBC soap together in January but their exits won't be without drama. The 30 second clip opens with Roxy's voice heard declaring: "It's the end of an era."

As the haunting tune of Grace's You Don't Own Me kicks in, the wayward blonde can then be seen stumbling around the Queen Victoria pub.

Hinting at conflict between Ronnie and husband-to-be Jack Branning (Scott Maslen), Roxy tells her: "You're lying to him. And it's because of me."

A tearful Ronnie responds: "I need you, you're my sister."

But will she still feel that way when later forced to choose between Roxy and one true love Jack?

The trailer concludes with Ronnie and Roxy all-smiles as they hop into a convertible and drive away.

Viewers are left guessing however as it is not revealed if they are heading to the church or their untimely deaths.

Womack and Simons – who confirmed their exits in August – were recently spotted filming their final scenes which appeared to hint at tragedy.

In pictures published by the Mail Online, Ronnie is expected to make it down the aisle but the boozy celebrations later are where it all starts to go wrong.

Balancing on a wall over a bridge, Ronnie leaves Roxy to get another bottle of champagne.

When she returns however, she discovers her sister laying face down in the water below.

Desperate Ronnie then leaps in to try and rescue her sister but who will save the bride?

One person who has been vocal about her displeasure over this storyline is Dame Barbara Windsor.

The soap legend who played their Aunt Peggy Mitchell said getting rid of their characters was a mistake.

The 79-year-old – whose own character was killed off earlier this year – told The Sun: "It wasn't the girls' choice. It's the new producer's decision."

Executive producer Sean O'Connor took over the reins from Dominic Treadwell-Collins in the summer.

Since then he has set about axing a number of Walford residents including Claudette Hubbard (Ellen Thomas), Kyle Slater (Riley Carter Millington), Buster Briggs (Karl Howman) and Lee Carter (Danny-Boy Hatchard), Masood Ahmed (Nitin Ganatra), Les and Pam Coker (Roger Sloman and Lin Blakley).

EastEnders continues on Thursday (December 29) at 7:30pm on BBC One.

Watch the EastEnders New Year's trailer: