It's a time of great change at EastEnders. Long-standing matriarch and former landlady of The Queen Vic, Linda Carter, is set to leave the BBC soap after 13 years in 2027.
Speaking about her exit, Bright said last night (8 August): "EastEnders has been my home for thirteen years and I have absolutely loved being part of the show, but I have decided that it is now the right time for me to say goodbye.
"I made the tough decision over a year ago, and after discussing this with Kate Oates and Ben Wadey, they asked me to stay on to be part of an exciting storyline they had planned, and I happily agreed to extend my stay.
"I will miss my friends and colleagues hugely, but I am looking forward to my next chapter and spending more time with my wonderful boys."
With such a mammoth exit on the horizon, fans of the serial drama are wondering what storyline will be crafted to facilitate Linda's departure.
We know that she has a busy few months ahead in terms of her relationship with Max Branning (Jake Wood). A flash-forward episode that aired earlier this year positioned her as one of four women who could be marrying the love rat on New Year's Day.
Max is engaged to Cindy Beale (Michelle Collins) currently, though is partaking in an affair with Priya Nandra-Hart (Sophie Khan Levy) that will undoubtedly cause upheaval before the festive period.
Could Linda turn out to be his mystery bride after all?
We also know that Charlie Brooks is reprising her Janine Butcher role soon. There's a lot of bad blood between her and Linda, stemming from the love triangle they were part of with Mick Carter (Danny Dyer).
It seemed like Mick and Linda were unbreakable. The childhood sweethearts had navigated a number of obstacles throughout their marriage, but none bigger than villainous Janine.
She drove a wedge between the couple - a wedge so wide that it led to Mick's eventual 'death'. He fell into the English Channel after rescuing Janine from a cliff edge, though no body was ever found.
Now, following the news breaking of Bright's decision to leave, Radio Times readers have become convinced that Dyer's alter ego could eventually be tracked down, leading to the perfect last hurrah for Linda.
"Mick will come back for her," asserted one fan, while another said, "maybe he will, to take her away somewhere new."
Stranger things have happened in soapland. In the last 23 years, Dirty Den Watts (Leslie Grantham), Kathy Beale (Gillian Taylforth) and her daughter-in-law Cindy have all staged comebacks after extended periods of being presumed dead.
It's more the question of whether Dyer would want to reprise the part, or whether he's available. The actor is likely already pencilled in to play Freddie Jones in the third series of Disney+ drama Rivals.
He previously suggested that he considered Mick to be dead, and that the success of his subsequent projects have "cemented that [he'd] made the right decision" by leaving EastEnders and disproved doubters that he could sustain a career outside of the soap.
"People said, 'Oh he'll be back, he won't get more work'," he told Radio Times. "How wrong were they?"
In 2024, he and Rivals co-star Katherine Parkinson presented the award for Best New Drama at the National Television Awards, making a jokey comment about bringing Mick back.
"The thing about the NTAs is you don't get a script," added Dyer to RT. "I did say I missed my EastEnders lot because I've got some very close friends there, but the joke was that I go 'Bring Mick back'... and Katherine says, 'Who?'
"That was the joke. I think some people chuckled."
Dyer admitted that he "didn't think" the comment would get such a "mad reaction" from fans at the venue or watching at home, and ultimately stopped short of saying a firm 'no' to the possibility of returning to EastEnders.
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He added: "It’s not down to me, I don’t make these calls. I’ve put it out there and let’s see what happens. Walford or Rivals – maybe I can do both.
"Maybe Mick turns out with a moustache back in Walford because he’s doing Rivals – and a fringe."
Similar comments were made on The Jonathan Ross Show the year prior. "If it goes t*ts up I can go back. I can turn up in three years’ time, walk in the Queen Vic smothered in seaweed" he laughed.
While Dyer isn't opposed to the idea, could the mystery surrounding Mick's whereabouts actually pave the way for a perfect return story for them both in the years to come?
Imagine if a confused man strolls through Albert Square one day with a sense of longing, somehow feeling connected to this area of East London. Locals recognise him as Mick and, piece by piece, his story starts falling together.
Although now living under a new identity with no memory of his past, Elaine Peacock (Harriet Thorpe) - still at the helm of her B&B (sorry, boutique hotel) - invites him to stay while she nurses him back to full health. Upon seeing a picture of her daughter, his memories begin flooding back.
Eventually, Linda is drawn back to Walford, and they slowly repair what was lost.
Or perhaps that's too similar to Harold Bishop from Neighbours.
Read more:
EastEnders confirms major castings as Nicola Mitchell's family move to Walford - including Beyond Paradise and Battlestar Galactica legendEastEnders legend Charlie Brooks tipped for Janine Butcher return in "explosive" autumn storylineEastEnders confirms Zoe Slater exit as legendary character tipped to be killed offVisit our dedicated EastEnders page for all the latest news, interviews and spoilers.
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