EastEnders fans have been left with two major exits this Christmas, as Charlie Brooks' character Janine Butcher has now exited Albert Square shortly after Mick Carter’s apparent death.
The BBC One soap’s Boxing Day episode saw the emotional fallout from the Christmas Day scenes, when the Queen Vic landlord, played by Danny Dyer, appeared to drown off the coast of Dover.
Mick was last seen jumping in and diving in to save Linda, unaware she had managed to escape to the shore herself.
The last EastEnders fans saw of the favourite was his murky figure in the depths of the water to save Linda from the car wreckage – and never emerging.
While many EastEnders fans were left theorising that Mick could still be alive and set to make a return to the soap, Monday evening’s episode found his beloved ex-wife Linda distraught.
Most in Walford tragically assumed Mick had died in the freezing Channel waters, just days after Mick and Janine's (Charlie Brooks) wedding.
Janine may now have said her final goodbye to Albert Square in scenes on Boxing Day, when she returned to Albert Square after the cliff plunge and walked into the Vic for an explosive confrontation with Linda and Mick's mum Shirley, which saw them come to blows.
Linda threw Janine out the pub, telling her to leave Albert Square that evening or she would call the police and tell them the truth about the car crash.
Ricky then decided to take action at last and called the police on his sister Janine, while her daughter Scarlett refused to lie on her behalf about the events of the crash when the coppers showed up on albert Square.
The Boxing Day episode ended with infamous villain Janine being handcuffed and driven away from the Vic in the back of a police car.
Charlie Brooks has played Janine Butcher on EastEnders since 1999 and has left and returned to the Square over the years.
However, earlier this year the actress revealed that Janine was due to leave Walford again, with her scenes on Boxing Day the character’s last.
Yet she refused to rule out another return for her highly strung character, saying: “But I always say: 'Never say never'. EastEnders is home to me, and I've had a fantastic time, so I'd be open to a return for sure.”
EastEnders airs Monday to Thursday at 7.30pm on BBC One
Got any theories or thoughts on the storyline? Let us know in the comments section below.
