EastEnders star Kellie Bright has spoken candidly about co-star Danny Dyer’s forthcoming departure from the soap.
Kellie and Danny - better known as Linda and Mick Carter - joined EastEnders in 2013, when their characters took over the reins of The Queen Vic.
Earlier this year, however, it was announced that Danny Dyer had decided to quit the soap.
He has since landed a gig presenting the new Netflix general knowledge show Cheat, with comedian Ellie Taylor.
Speaking about Dyer’s departure, and what this means for both herself and for her Walford alter-ego, Kellie says, “It’s going to be interesting, and I genuinely don’t know what’s going to happen to Linda next.
“Part of me is interested in what the future might hold, because it’s a clean slate almost. But at the same time, I feel really sad about Danny going — sad for Linda as well as for Kellie — because he is my best friend at EastEnders, and I love working with him.
“We’ve been here together since we arrived. This is the most apart we’ve ever been whilst we’ve been on the show. I don’t know how either of us are going to feel, Linda or Kellie. I’ll definitely grieve, I know that.
“I’m terrible at saying goodbye to people at the best of times so I’ll definitely be sad, and I can’t really think about it yet, I’m sort of in denial. I know it’s coming.
“I’m excited for him, going off to do something new, but the selfish bit of me is going to miss him. I’ll miss my mate.”
Once considered ‘unbreakable,’ Mick and Linda Carter are currently estranged. The couple’s marriage floundered when Linda had an affair with Max Branning in 2020, which resulted in a child.
Janine Butcher then put the nail in the coffin when she visited Linda whilst she was staying in Watford, and manipulated the recovering alcohol into falling off the wagon.
Janine has since snared Mick for herself, although the couple have yet to consummate their relationship. Linda is desperate to win Mick back, and in forthcoming episodes, fans are set to see a bitter battle between the two women.
“Linda will come out fighting,’ adds Kellie. “She was prepared to seduce Stuart (to get him to confess to framing Mick for attempted murder in 2018) so if she’ll do that, she’ll pretty much do anything.
“There’s some great stuff coming up. It feels like old-school EastEnders, with two females going head to head.
“Linda will give as good as she gets, for sure.”
EastEnders airs Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings at 7.30 pm on BBC One — see our TV Guide for full listings. You can also catch up on episodes on BBC iPlayer now.
