Mick Carter departed EastEnders on Christmas Day 2022.
The beloved pub landlord, played by actor Danny Dyer, has left the show after nine years since his introduction over the festive season in 2013.
In the big Christmas Day episode, Mick learned the truth about his pregnant, new wife Janine Butcher (Charlie Brooks) and all she had done to his ex-wife Linda Carter (Kellie Bright).
In the aftermath, Mick professed his love to Linda and they reconciled before Janine tried to flee the country.
Chasing after Janine, Mick and Linda followed her to the coast and a confrontation resulted in a chain of events that saw Janine and Linda plummet over a clifftop into the sea.
Linda encouraged Mick to rescue pregnant Janine and he did before he returned to the water to save Linda, but as he vanished into the waves, Linda arrived on the shore.
So, Mick has gone, but is he dead in EastEnders?
Is Mick Carter dead in EastEnders after Christmas Day exit?
Well, Mick Carter’s fate has purposefully been left ambiguous in EastEnders.
The impact of Mick disappearing into the sea in a quest to save his true love Linda is the same as if he had been killed off, as his loved ones will assume he is dead.
However, soap fans will always be aware that you cannot rule out a character’s return unless you see their dead body (and even then, sometimes it could be written around!).
We do not see Mick Carter’s body and so the door does remain open for Danny Dyer to eventually reprise his role as Mick, but also ensured that he had the dramatic exit worthy of the character.
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EastEnders could always approach a return for Mick in the same vein as Neighbours did with its iconic character Harold Bishop.
When actor Ian Smith departed Neighbours in 1991, his character Harold was washed out to sea and was presumed dead with his true love Madge (Anne Charleston) fearing him lost forever after no body was found.
However, when Smith returned in 1996, Harold was revealed to have survived and was picked up by a trawler and suffering from amnesia. Thankfully, Harold and Madge were later reunited.
Could a future reunion be on the cards for Mick and Linda? We can live in hope.
Read more:
- EastEnders cast: Who is joining, leaving and returning to the soap?
- EastEnders’ Danny Dyer teases ‘alternative ending’ for Mick Carter
- EastEnders’ Kellie Bright teases Linda Carter’s future after Mick exit
- Danny Dyer and Kellie Bright react to Mick’s tragic EastEnders exit
- EastEnders’ Danny Dyer and Kellie Bright reflect on end of the Carters’ era
- Danny Dyer says his career was “on its f**king arse” before EastEnders
- EastEnders boss teases story “not done before” for February anniversary
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