EASTENDERS star Kellie Bright has fuelled rumours of her character Linda Carter being killed off the soap.
Speaking on The One Show, Kellie teased the “dark” direction ahead for fan favourite Linda.
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Linda has been an Albert Square staple since 2013, arriving alongside husband Mick (Danny Dyer) – and joined later by their extended family.
Presenter Roman Kemp brought up the topic, as he said: “Kellie, your character Linda has seen a real decline recently.
“I’m guessing things aren’t necessarily going to get any better for her?”
The actress responded: “Linda’s an alcoholic, you know? She’s a mess.
“Things go very, very dark for Linda next week. And, you know, she’s losing her battle with alcoholism.
“That’s kind of a way to summarise, really. It’s not good.”
Fans have been speculating Linda’s possible demise for some time now.
Multiple cast members were spotted filming funeral scenes on location, shown in exclusive snaps.
Charlie Suff and Harriet Thorpe, who play Linda’s son Johnny and mother Elaine respectively, were both shown on set.
Maddy Hill reprised her role as Linda’s elder daughter Nancy – having last appeared in 2022.
EastEnders’ Linda Carter confesses to killing Keanu Taylor after help from an unlikely source
While oldest son Lee (Danny Hatchard), also returning, was seen helping a seemingly devastated and drunken Johnny.
Kellie, on the other hand, was noticeably absent from these scenes.
Some fans have questioned whether the scenes are merely a clever red herring.
Taking to X, formerly Twitter, they suggested theories of a Christmas Carol-esque scenario showing what happens if Linda doesn’t stop drinking.
One person wrote: “I’m convinced it’s a special episode where Linda is sent around the square A Christmas Carol style to see what she’s doing to her friends and family with her drinking.”
Linda Carter’s biggest EastEnders storylines
Linda arrived on the Square on Boxing Day in 2013, along with her husband Mick (Danny Dyer) and has been a hit with soap fans ever since.
Her first storylines revolved around the fact that she struggled to come to terms that her son Johnny is gay
In a storyline that had long-lasting repercussions, she was then raped by Mick’s brother Dean Wicks (Matt Di Angelo).
She fell pregnant shortly after and then was left devastated emotionally when she gave birth to a premature baby after falling down the stairs.
Things soon got worse for Linda after she discovered that her husband Mick kissed their daughter-in-law Whitney Dean (Shona McGarty), who was married to their veteran son Lee (Danny Hatchard).
One of her more memorable storylines was when she was accused of perverting the course of justice. This was after Stuart Highway (Ricky Champ) is shot and she was falsely accused of attempted murder.
Over the years she has suffered from a variety of illnesses and disorders which include bulimia, alcoholism, and a secret battle with cervical cancer. After she gave birth to her youngest son Ollie (Harry Farr), she also had to deal with his autism diagnosis.
Although she and Mick seemed to be the perfect couple, the pair split up for a short time after she had an affair with Max Branning (Jake Wood). This lead to another pregnancy.
However, the pair finally got divorced after Janine Butcher (Charlie Brooks) set her eyes on Mick. She wanted the landlord all to herself and she lured Linda rival back into alcoholism to drive a wedge between them.
After this led to Mick’s apparent death at sea, she struggled to adjust to life without her ex-husband and the true love of her life. This was just after the pair decided to have another go at their relationship.
Recently, Linda was the person who was at the very centre during ‘The Six’ storyline. She tried to save her best friend Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean) when she was being strangled by Keanu Taylor (Danny Walters). When she killed him with a meat thermometer, the group framed her rapist Dead Wicks after he returned to the square. Since then, she has struggled to cope.
Another commented: “I have an EastEnders theory. Christmas Eve’s episode: the funeral is the Ghost of Xmas future and there’s a Xmas Carol episode with Johnny being Scrooge.”
While a third simply stated: “… Maybe it could be a dream sequence?”
Whatever the truth is, it is clear that the Carters have a tough time ahead of them.
EastEnders airs on BBC One and iPlayer.
