'EastEnders' fans fear affair between Mick and Janine

EastEnders fans have an inkling that Mick Carter (Danny Dyer) and Janine Butcher (Charlie Brooks) will have an affair after seeing their chemistry in last night’s episode (Thursday Nov. 4).

Mick returned to chaos after taking Linda (Kellie Bright), Ollie and new baby Annie to Linda’s mum to get away from Rainie Highway’s (Tanya Franks) accusations, leaving his two daughters, Nancy and Frankie in charge of running the pub.

But when he walked into the pub he saw Nancy (Maddy Hill) and Frankie (Rose Ayling-Ellis) fighting and shouting at each other after Frankie threw a drink in Nancy’s face. Not only that, he discovered a new addition to the bar staff- Janine Butcher.

In last night’s episode, Mick came back to The Queen Vic pub with just his son, Ollie who “misses his friends, he misses his teachers, he misses his routine” and wanted to bring him back for some stability.

As a furious Mick gave Nancy and Frankie a good talking to, Janine was eagerly listening from behind the bar, clearly impressed by Mick’s attitude.

Once Mick ordered Frankie to “get out” he diverted his attention towards Janine, who was leaning across the bar as he poured himself a drink.

“And, erm...Who are you? And what are you doing in my pub?” he questioned, to which Janine smiled. 

“The only good thing they did while you were away was hire me,” she continued.

“Look, you seem like a diamond. I’ve just got to have a bit of bunny with the dustbin lids, you know what I mean? To find out how much work you’ve done so far, but...I’m here now,” Mick responded.

Janine joked around about his rhyming slang, but Mick was adamant that he didn’t think he needed any help in running the pub.

“Like I said, listen, I don’t think I need any help…” but Janine quickly chimed in, “Let me just stop you there all right?”

Janine then turned on her classic charm as she told Mick that she had contacts with all the local boozers.

“Once they hear that I’m Frank Butcher’s daughter, they bend over backwards to help me. They are the sort of connections you need in a bar manager,” she cheekily said.

Janine seemed to have won over Mick, who was pleased with her evident bar experience and way with words.

As they laughed with each other, Janine also gave him a bit of parenting advice. “Oh, one other thing…” she said, “Now you’ve done the shouty-dad thing, follow it up with the cuddly-dad thing. I was always a sucker for that. And you’re clearly very good at it.”

Fans spotted their clear chemistry immediately and seem to believe that a romance could be brewing between the pair…

EastEnders airs Monday Nov. 5 on BBC1 — see our TV Guide for full listings.