EastEnders stalwart Linda Carter, portrayed by Kellie Bright, is bidding farewell to the soap after a tumultuous few months.

Linda first graced Walford in 2013 and as the matriarch of the Carter family, she quickly became a fan favourite. Over the years, she has been at the centre of numerous major storylines.

From her struggle with alcoholism to her turbulent relationship with Mick (Danny Dyer), Linda’s stint in Walford has been anything but dull. Currently, she is embroiled in the murder and subsequent cover-up of Keanu Taylor (Danny Walters).

Viewers will remember how Linda stabbed Keanu at Christmas when he tried to strangle Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean). Linda, Sharon and the rest of The Six ladies managed to pin the crime on Linda’s rapist, Dean Wicks (Matt Di Angelo), who is now behind bars.

However, life has taken a dramatic turn for Linda – an alcoholic – in recent days. As Dean’s trial plea hearing approaches, Linda has returned to drinking, reports the Daily Star.

It was also disclosed that Dean has been coercing Bernie Taylor (Clair Norris) into harassing Linda by sending her threatening letters. Tensions between Linda and Johnny (Charlie Suff) reached a climax, resulting in a massive confrontation, with Johnny expressing his wish that his mother was dead.

Devastated, Linda turned to alcohol again and ended up choking on her own vomit while asleep. Johnny found her and immediately called an ambulance, which rushed Linda to the hospital. Fortunately, she pulled through. Spoilers for the upcoming week of EastEnders reveal that Linda is preparing to depart Walford for a stint in rehab.

In Monday’s episode (August 19), Linda has a consultation with her keyworker to discuss entering rehab, thanks to Elaine’s offer to foot the bill.