EastEnders star Danny Dyer has revealed why he won’t be returning to the show.

Danny’s final scenes as Mick Carter aired in 2022, when Linda Carter (Kellie Bright) and Janine Butcher (Charlie Brooks) came to the horrifying realisation he had been swept out to sea.

Since then, Linda’s life has fallen apart. She killed Keanu Taylor (Danny Walters) a year on from Mick’s apparent death and yesterday, reached absolute rock bottom as she became aware of what her family’s life would be like if her addiction to alcohol killed her.

Amid the trauma, Linda has been utterly desperate to have her beloved Mick back by her side. Sadly, that doesn’t look set to happen any time soon.

In a recent interview, star Danny Dyer admitted the reason why he won’t reprise his EastEnders role in the near future is down to a storyline he tried to pitch.

Danny wanted a narrative for Mick that focused on mental health and highlighted ‘what’s really going on’ with the character.

‘Because usually the people that commit suicide, they’re the funniest f****** in the pub before they go home and do it. No one really lies about being depressed, they lie about being happy’, he told GQ Hype.

‘I’ve known a few people that have committed suicide – men who I knew well and I didn’t have a f****** clue. ‘I wanted to go out on something that really f****** shakes the whole soap world and makes people go, “wow, that s*** happens – this isn’t even far-fetched. And to do it on Christmas Day, which a lot of people do.’

Despite the fact Mick had previously experienced anxiety and panic attacks, bosses never went through with Danny’s idea.

‘I think it’s f****** important and they didn’t do it’, he said.

‘That’s why I’m not going back to EastEnders, that [plot] would have been the right thing to do, just to maybe get men talking more.’.

He starred alongside the likes of David Tennant, Katherine Parkinson and Alex Hassell in a drama that has already been commissioned for a second series.

Danny portrayed a businessman called Freddie, who began a secret fling with Katherine’s character Lizzie.