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EastEnders viewers “broken” after watching Abi’s tear-jerking death scenes

What a tear-jerker that was.

EastEnders fans have rushed to social media to praise the soap’s scenes which showed Abi Branning’s life support finally being switched off.

Abi – along with her sister Lauren – fell from the roof of The Vic on Christmas Day while trying to stop their distraught dad Max from jumping.

Read more: EastEnders fans baffled by character’s mysterious disappearance 

While reaching out to him, Lauren slipped and grabbed for Abi, dragging her down with her.

Both girls survived the initial fall but doctors later declared that Abi was brain-stem dead and had no chance of recovering.

Since then, Max has been unable to accept that nothing can be done to help his daughter, but it finally hit home during Thursday’s episode and he decided it was time to turn the machine off.

He asked the consultant if it could be done at 8.32pm, which was the time Abi was born, and hearts across the country just broke.

Viewers heaped praise on Jake Wood who plays Max for his understated performance as he finally stepped up and became the dad Abi and Lauren both needed.

Better late than never.

Meanwhile Lauren, who had taken on a more adult role in their relationship, broke down, wondering if the doctors had made a mistake.

Lauren and Max headed to Abi’s house where a devastated Lauren came across a photo album.

Real pictures of Abi actress Lorna Fitzgerald as a baby and small child were used, which made the scene even more poignant.

The whole Branning family, including Tanya, Cora and Rainie, made it to the hospital to say their goodbyes to Abi – Jo Joyner putting in another magnificent performance as a broken Tanya.

When the machine was finally turned off, regulars in the pub raised a glass to Abi while her family sobbed at her bedside.

And no one could cope.

Fans flocked to social media to share their sadness about the emotional episode.

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So now we’ve said goodbye to Abi, we have Lauren’s exit coming up in the next few weeks.

EastEnders continues Monday at 8pm on BBC One

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