Scarlett Butcher was left terrified by a grieving Shirley Carter in EastEnders on Wednesday.
The aftermath of Mick Carter’s tragic exit on Christmas Day and Janine Butcher’s arrest in Boxing Day’s episode continues to play out on-screen.
The Queen Vic pub remains closed after Linda Carter (Kellie Bright) left Walford to tell Mick’s children of his disappearance.
On Wednesday’s episode (28th December 2022), Janine’s daughter Scarlett overheard Martin Fowler (James Bye) and Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner) recall Janine’s history of killing her husbands, having previously murdered Barry Evans and Michael Moon, the latter being Scarlett’s father.
Scarlett later asked her uncle Ricky Butcher (Sid Owen) about what she had overheard but he did not wish to traumatise her further.
Ricky also revealed to his former sister-in-law Sonia Fowler (Natalie Cassidy) that Janine had been charged with perverting the course of justice and would be in court that day.
He denied the idea that Janine was evil despite her crimes, noting that she was still his sister.
Around Walford, news of Mick’s tragic disappearance spread like wildfire, with his friends Mitch Baker (Roger Griffiths), Harvey Monroe (Ross Boatman), and Tom “Rocky” Cotton (Brian Conley) mourning together with a helping hand from Zack Hudson (James Farrar).
Zack was also present to comfort a grieving Whitney Dean (Shona McCarty) – Mick’s former daughter-in-law and one-time flame – who is now pregnant with Zack’s child.
However, across the Square, Mick’s broken mother Shirley Carter (Linda Henry) had drunk herself into a stupor but was supported by friends Denise Fox (Diane Parish) and Jean Slater (Gillian Wright).
Unlike her previous hopes when sister Tina Carter disappeared – later confirmed to have been murdered by serial killer Gray Atkins – Shirley was adamant that Mick was dead.
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Shirley also blamed herself for not stopping Janine’s presence in the Carter family earlier before she could harm them all.
Meanwhile, Scarlett ran away from Sonia’s house and visited the Queen Vic pub and approached Shirley.
Shirley, however, reacted with anger to the young girl’s presence.
Despite Scarlett noting that she loved Mick too, Shirley screamed at her to “GET OUT!”, scaring Scarlett, who then fled.
Tomorrow’s episode will see Shirley approach Scarlett as she realises she had been targeting her anger at the wrong person, but will this help either of them find the closure they seek?
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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