Linda Carter (Kellie Bright) has handed over the keys to The Queen Vic – with Kat Moon (Jessie Wallace) now the landlady of the famed boozer.

It hasn’t been an easy decision for Linda to make, having stood behind the bar pretty much consistently since 2013.

There’s been some happy times, but also a multitude of bad memories that continued to loom large. As a result, she decided a fresh start was required, and in tonight’s episode, headed off for pastures new.

Having been handed tickets for a cruise from mum Elaine Peacock (Harriet Thorpe), she packed her belongings and waved goodbye to Albert Square.

But is this the last we’ve seen of her?

Has Linda left EastEnders for good?

Elaine has sorted a nifty agreement with Kat, that will see the families swap homes amid the changeover. She told her daughter that once she returned, their affairs would be in order.

This means that actress Kellie is likely taking a break from the soap.

It was an emotional affair seeing Linda wave goodbye to the pub, reflecting over an outfit she wore on her first New Year’s Eve in the establishment and gazing at late husband Mick’s (Danny Dyer) framed West Ham shirt.

She then went to collect his scarf from beside the optics, though Kat told her that she would love to keep hold of it as a way to remember Mick.

Prior to stepping into her taxi, Linda breathed a sigh of relief when Oscar Branning (Pierre Moullier) revealed that he wouldn’t be spilling to his dad Max (Jake Wood) about her daughter Annie – who Max fathered prior to his exit in 2021.

What’s next for Linda in EastEnders?

With Max’s return confirmed, there’s bound to be some high drama ahead!

Oscar promised that he’d keep shtum, but as he’s quite the troublemaker, we can’t imagine it’ll stay that way.

He told sister Lauren (Jacqueline Jossa) that he’d love to see their dad’s face drop when he realised he had another daughter. And so would we!