When is Danny Dyer leaving EastEnders? Mick Carter exit explained

All the news and theories ahead of the character’s exit.

By Laura Denby

Published: Monday, 08 August 2022 at 12:00 am

Back in January, Danny Dyer revealed he had decided to leave EastEnders after nine years playing Mick Carter. The Queen Vic landlord will be bowing out later this year after almost a decade of non-stop drama, but we’re still largely in the dark over exactly how he will be departing.

Mick split from soulmate Linda (Kellie Bright) late last year as the couple faced conflict over Linda’s baby daughter Annie, who she conceived after an affair with Max Branning (Jake Wood) that we would all rather forget! But what Mick still isn’t aware of is that his current partner Janine Butcher (Charlie Brooks) engineered their break-up by stirring the pot and encouraging alcoholic Linda to turn back to drink.

It’s been a relatively quiet time for Mick recently, with those around him facing more strife while he remains a pillar of the community behind the bar. But with the promise of an “explosive” exit on the way, how might the much-loved character leave our screens? RadioTimes.com has everything you need to know as we delve into all the possibilities right here.

When is Danny Dyer leaving EastEnders?

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Mick will be leaving his beloved Queen Victoria.

It’s long been speculated that Mick is set for a Christmas exit – and Dyer himself hinted the same in the spring, telling The Sun: “Maybe it’ll come out at Christmas. When they get it right there ain’t no better show on the television.”

Speaking at the British Soap Awards in June, the star also told Evening Standard regarding his imminent soap departure: “There’s two months left and I didn’t take this decision lightly.”

That suggests that Dyer’s final scenes could be filmed this very month. And since EastEnders, along with other serial dramas, usually shoots its episodes a few months in advance, December is certainly a possibility when it comes to an airdate.

Could Mick’s farewell cast a shadow over Walford’s festivities during the ‘most wonderful time of the year’? Watch this space!

Will Mick Carter die?

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Could Mick meet an untimely demise?
BBC

Well, according to Dyer, this is also a possibility! The actor told The Sun: “There’s been a discussion about what we’re gonna do. I might be killed off, I might not. I just want to go out in a huge, epic way. I don’t want to be in the back of a cab.

“I don’t want a heart attack because of high cholesterol. I want to go out and I want to get people talking about it. So, yeah, it’s gonna be huge.” This tells us that, if Dyer has his way, any death of Mick’s will certainly not be a quiet one.

But, of course, this speculation was inevitable and doesn’t necessarily mean that Mick will die. He has also hinted that he may still be able to come back: “Let me tell you something – Mick’s exit is going to be a very, very powerful thing.

“I would love the door to be left open, and as far as I know it is. So who knows. When I go out there and I fail miserably I can come back with my tail between my legs and go, ‘Will you take me back?’”

Mick Carter exit theories

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Will Mick make amends with Linda before he goes?
BBC

There are so many possibilities that could form Mick’s exit storyline. As the star said, he could find himself unable to ever return if the character meets a shocking demise. Following Dyer’s thought process, what kind of death could befall Mick? Could he be murdered? But who on earth would want to take out this lovable landlord?

Well, if Mick attempts to reunite with his beloved ‘L’, might Max arrive to put a stop to Mick trying to play dad to his baby daughter, Annie? Max’s brother Jack Branning (Scott Maslen) could have told him the truth about the little girl off-screen, breaking his promise to the Carters and setting the stage for an explosive showdown.

But we’re holding out hope that Mick won’t really end up ‘brown bread’, as he would put it! Co-star Bright has already confirmed that she has no plans to leave EastEnders – but we can’t imagine Linda without Mick, and soaps are known for springing surprises on us. So, might she join him for a sunset ending? This could still be “epic” and doesn’t have to result in the black cab Dyer wants to avoid…

Of course, a sadder option would see Mick exit alone – but where would he go? Might he decide to move abroad, perhaps returning to see relative Zsa Zsa after his recent visit with mum Shirley (Linda Henry)?

Whatever happens, we’ll certainly miss the reliable, charming Mick Carter!

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