Danny Dyer looks set to leave EastEnders with a bang later this year.
Snaps of the actor shooting his final scenes as his on-screen character Mick Carter show the star talking a knee to the crotch by an angry-looking Janine Butcher during a dramatic struggle between the two lovers.
The pub landlord's estranged wife Linda, played by Kellie Bright, looks on concerned as Janine takes aim at her ex's private parts at one point as the explosive scenes filmed on Deal Beach, in Kent, were shot.
Danny's final moments as Mick look set to go down in EastEnders history - with a body-double for the actor brought in for the actor earlier this week as his on-screen character jumps off a cliff into the sea, following a car filled with crash test dummies veering over the edge.
"The scenes are action-packed with a lot of fighting and shouting," an onlooker who caught the scenes being filmed says.
"It looks to be one of the most dramatic episodes ever. The soap has certainly thrown everything at Danny’s exit and it looks like it’s going to be left open-ended," they add when speaking to The Sun.
Danny announced his upcoming EastEnders exit at the start of this year, after almost a decade playing Mick on the long-running BBC soap.
The actor initially expressed his desire for the door to be left open for a potential return to Albert Square one day in the future, but in May this year he admitted Mick "might be killed off".
After revealing how he wanted to "go out in a huge epic way," the star added: "I don’t want to be in the back of a cab. I don’t want a heart attack.
"I want to go out and I want to get people talking about it. So, yeah, it’s gonna be huge."
Shortly after revealing he had opted to not renew his lucrative contract to instead to pursue other venture, the Football Factory actor teased fans about the pub landlord's final storyline - warning EastEnders fans to expect some explosive scenes before he bids farewell to Albert Square.
"We've just been pitched my leaving storyline. It's going to be epic. It's huge," Danny told Zoe Ball on her BBC Radio 2 show in March.
His on-screen wife, Kellie, who has played Linda since 2013, echoed Danny’s claims and also assured fans that his character exit will be astonishing.
She said: "It is going to be epic. I don't know how I'm going to get through, because I'm very sad that Danny is going. But it's going to be very exciting."
Announcing his decision to quit the popular soap in January this year, Danny said in statement: "I am leaving EastEnders. I'm very lucky, I'm very grateful.
"When you're in a job like a soap your contract comes up for renewal and every time it has they've asked me to stay, and I'm very grateful for that. Because I've seen a lot of people come and go. It's very tough.”
He continued: "I always debate whether I want to sign again and I've been contemplating a while now about whether it's time to roll the dice, take the leap."
"The big news is I've decided not to renew my contract. That's all. That's not because I've fallen out with anybody, I love everybody. That job has been amazing for me. It's an important part of television.”
He added: "I'm grateful for the beautiful years I've had there. I'm going to miss the people massively. It's me taking a risk."
Danny isn't the only big name leaving the BBC soap.
Actress Charlie Brooks confirmed her exit from EastEnders last month, after returning to her iconic role as villainess Janine in 2021 after an absence of seven years.
Just 18 months on from reprising her soap role, Charlie has revealed that Janine will bow out in the New Year.
Earlier this month, it was reported how Danny is set for a new presenting role on Channel 4 following his EastEnders exit.
The London-born actor is said to preparing himself to host new reality TV show Scared of The Dark, which will celebrities like The Wanted singer Max George and Scarlett Moffatt denied light for days on end.
According to Channel 4’s website, the stars signed up to take part will be required to perform "thought-provoking" tasks while entrenched in darkness.
"Living in complete and total darkness the celebrities must endure the unique pressures of light deprivation in the lightless space that they will call home," the website added.
