The beloved soap couple divorced earlier this year with a little help from scheming Janine Butcher (Charlie Brooks) who wanted Mick all to herself.<\/p>\n
Now, Janine\u2019s schemes and crimes (including framing Linda for drunk driving following a car crash) look set to be exposed on Christmas Day<\/a> but the revelations and consequences \u2013 on a clifftop<\/a>, no less \u2013 spell the end of Mick\u2019s time in Walford.<\/p>\n Speaking to RadioTimes.com<\/a> and other press at a screening of the Christmas episode, Danny Dyer and Kellie Bright looked back on their time on the show together.<\/p> Mick and Linda Carter turned up at the Queen Vic pub at Christmas 2013 and have been staples on the show ever since.<\/p>\n The couple arrived as an extension of the family of popular character Shirley Carter (Linda Henry), who had recently been joined on screen by her sister Tina Carter (Luisa Bradshaw-White).<\/p>\n Arriving in the pub on Christmas Day to surprise Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden) as the new owners of the Vic, Mick and Linda were joined by son Johnny Carter (Sam Strike) and their bulldog Lady Di, named after Linda\u2019s beloved heroine Princess Diana.<\/p>\n The family later grew in 2014 with the addition of Mick and Linda\u2019s daughter Nancy Carter (Maddy Hill), son Lee Carter (Danny-Boy Hatchard), Shirley\u2019s father Stan Carter (Timothy West), and Shirley\u2019s aunt Babe Smith (Annette Badland).<\/p>\n When asked if he thought he would last nine years on the show, Dyer answered: \u201cNo I did not think I would last nine years. Listen, when I came into this show I was a f**king car crash. I can\u2019t believe I got given a shot. My career was on its f**king ass. It was.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve said this before, it was, I was going to nightclubs waving off of balconies to loads of people to pay my f**king mortgage. I\u2019ve made a lot of bad decisions. I was in a bad place. [Former EastEnders executive producer] Dominic Treadwell-Collins took a risk on me.\u201d<\/p>\n He added that he and Bright were \u201cobviously on trial to try a new family to take over the Vic\u201d and \u201chad so much work\u201d. \u201cWe just got our heads down, we drew on all our experience, came in with Maddy Hill, Sam Strike, and Lady Di the Bulldog \u2013 God rest her soul, she\u2019s gone now.<\/p>\n \u201cShe\u2019s been replaced by a younger sister \u2013 she\u2019s not currently on screen. So we was on trial with me and we just got our heads down. We loved it. We loved the material. We loved the characters.\u201d<\/p>\n Of the on-screen family\u2019s bond, Bright added: \u201cWe loved each other.\u201d<\/p>\n She added: \u201cYou know, me and Danny and Maddy and Sam, we were very, very close that first year. And of course, Danny-Boy Hatchard came and joined us.\u201d<\/p>\n Dyer continued: \u201cTim West. Annette Badland\u2026I\u2019m so proud of that era that we had, you know, and it\u2019s sad to think you know, that all could come to an end. Obviously, I really did appreciate all the years that we had, and we did some really strong beautiful work and the show has to change and has to, you know, move on.<\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t think I\u2019d last as long as nine years now in answer to your question. In a million years.\u201d<\/p>\n Kellie Bright also went on to reveal that she did not originally imagine Dyer as Mick Carter as he was not the person she screen-tested with.<\/p>\n \u201cNo, no, no, because I actually screen-tested with someone,\u201d revealed Bright. \u201cYes, I did. And it wasn\u2019t very good. I\u2019m not going to tell you it was [laughs]. No, no, no, that\u2019s not fair.<\/p>\n \u201cI did think: \u2018Oh no, if this is who they paired me up with, it\u2019s not going to work.\u2019 And I didn\u2019t hear anything after that meeting for about a week and I just thought it had gone. I was just like, \u2018It\u2019s never going to happen,\u2019 really. And then I got a phone call to say that they were looking at other Micks or others, I don\u2019t even know if I knew your [Dyer] name then or names.<\/p>\n \u201cBut it hadn\u2019t gone away and I would probably have to go back in and read with someone else. And then literally within a couple of days, I got a phone call to say \u2018You don\u2019t have to come back in and read. We\u2019re offering you the job. We\u2019ve offered someone else,\u2019 but they wouldn\u2019t tell me who. And it wasn\u2019t until we went for a sort of secret photo shoot [that we met].<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019d never come across each other in our careers or anything. The first time we ever, ever put Mick and Linda on was when we filmed our first scene. That was it, but there was no screen test. There was no like, \u2018If this is going to work between them.’\u201d<\/p>\n Dyer added: \u201cCredit to Dominic Treadwell-Collins again for being brave enough to put us together and rolling the dice. You know, we\u2019re basically playing his mum and dad is what we were doing because his mum and dad, it was a perception. So you know, he got it right, he pulled it out of the bag, he trusted us and we\u2019ve absolutely rolled with it.\u201d<\/p>\n The characters have been through many hard hitting and emotional storylines, including Johnny coming out as gay to Mick, Linda being raped by Mick\u2019s brother Dean Wicks (Matt Di Angelo), and the revelation that Shirley was Mick\u2019s mother.<\/p>\n They also tackled Mick\u2019s fear of water, Linda\u2019s bulimia and later battle with alcoholism, their son Ollie\u2019s autism diagnosis, son Lee\u2019s battle with depression, Linda having cervical cancer, Mick\u2019s history of being sexually abused as a child, further dramas with their children, and their enduring love story.<\/p>\n Dyer and Bright did recall one of their favourite moments on set when Bright\u2019s \u201cchicken fillet\u201d fell out while filming an early scene for Nancy Carter\u2019s wedding to boyfriend Wayne in early 2014.<\/p>\n Bright explained: \u201cI came into the show, I can remember having a very early conversation with a producer. They had this story about Linda being an ex-Page Three girl. I\u2019d love to do it [but] this is not going to be a good story because [gestured to her own breasts], so I adopted \u2013 for Linda \u2013 a little extra bosom to try and sell the fact that I could have been a Page Three girl.<\/p>\n \u201cSo right from the beginning, I\u2019ve always worn chicken fillets in my bra. I call them chicken fillets, they\u2019re not chicken fillets.\u201d<\/p>\n Bright then revealed: \u201cEarly on we were absconding from a wedding with Maddy. He [Mick] had Maddy over his shoulder, we were running down the road to jump in the car, and as I ran along, one of mine fell out of my bra under my top and fell on the floor in front of everyone for everyone to see. Well, needless to say, I was in hysterical laughter because I was sort of mortified but it was also just the funniest.\u201d<\/p>\n Dyer noted: \u201cI just find that really funny, we were really bonded by that point. Just it was where our relationship was at. We really did rely on each other really intensely. We know everything about each other.\u201d<\/p>\n A thoughtful Bright continued: \u201cIt\u2019s a life shared, you know, that\u2019s the thing. It\u2019s nine years playing husband and wife, [and] it\u2019s almost like nine years being husband and wife on a show like EastEnders, just because you do see this person daily and they go through all your real-life events with you.<\/p>\n \u201cYou know, Danny was at my wedding. He\u2019s gone through IVF with me, there\u2019s stuff that we\u2019ve shared that, you know, it makes saying goodbye very hard. I didn\u2019t\u2026 I didn\u2019t do well \u2013 I cried basically from, sort of, July.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd you eventually left and in the end, I was sort of relieved. I\u2019ve got no tears left. He\u2019s got to go (laughs).\u201d<\/p>\n An emotional leaving do was had for Dyer ahead of his exit, where he was awarded the Albert Square sign board from the show \u2013 a traditional gift for departing cast members.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n However, Bright and other cast members also awarded him with his very own tailored neon sign.<\/p>\n \u201cThey bought me a solid gold neon sign, so I\u2019m obviously known for swearing in a bad way\u2026,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Bright added: \u201cDanny\u2019s got a little saying that you probably say almost daily.\u201d<\/p>\n Dyer interjected: \u201c\u2018So, shall we shoot the c**t?\u2019 May be a little unpalatable but it\u2019s something that I would say and it\u2019s something that anyway, I\u2019ve had some issues with my wife trying to put this sign up in the house.\u201d<\/p>\n Bright said: \u201cA neon sign basically saying\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Dyer answered: \u201cIt said \u2018shoot the c**t.’\u201d<\/p>\n Despite the laughs, Dyer noted that it was \u201ca beautiful evening actually\u201d. \u201cEveryone turned out for me. Very, very emotional speech. Yes. I did. A lot of tears, both crying. We were both crying.\u201d<\/p>\n Bright noted that a trailer of Dyer\u2019s best bits was what prompted the most emotional reaction from those present.<\/p>\n \u201cThat was really I think that\u2019s what sort of sent us over the edge,\u201d she explained. \u201cWatching our journey back, history. There\u2019s a lot of meaning.\u201d<\/p>\n So, while Mick Carter is set to depart EastEnders on Christmas Day, only a handful of Carters remain on Albert Square.<\/p>\n Earlier this year, the family had it confirmed that Tina had been murdered by serial killer Gray Atkins<\/a>, while Nancy departed Walford once more<\/a> before Mick\u2019s daughter Frankie Lewis (Rose Ayling-Ellis) also quit<\/a>.<\/p>\n Linda, of course, has been confirmed to be remaining on the show<\/a>, while her former mother-in-law Shirley is also set to remain in the show.<\/p>\n What will the future hold for the remaining Carters now?<\/p>\n Read more:<\/strong><\/p>\n Visit our dedicated\u00a0EastEnders<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>page for all the latest news, interviews and spoilers.\u00a0<\/strong>If you\u2019re looking for more to watch, check out our\u00a0TV Guide<\/a>\u00a0or\u00a0Streaming Guide<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n The Christmas double issue of Radio Times magazine is on sale now<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0<\/strong>subscribe now<\/strong><\/a>. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to the\u00a0<\/strong>Radio Times View From My Sofa podcast<\/strong><\/a>.<\/strong><\/p> <\/body><\/html>\n By Lewis Knight Published: Thursday, 22 December 2022 at 12:00 am The end is nigh for Mick Carter. Actor Danny Dyer is bowing out from his iconic EastEnders role as Mick on Christmas Day after nine years on the show opposite on-screen \u2018other half\u2019 Kellie Bright, who plays Mick\u2019s ex-wife Linda Carter. The beloved soap […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":27664,"template":"","categories":[1,2,5],"acf":[],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2022\/12\/eastenders-danny-dyer-and-kellie-bright-reflect-on-end-of-the-carters-era.png",1250,936,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2022\/12\/eastenders-danny-dyer-and-kellie-bright-reflect-on-end-of-the-carters-era-150x150.png",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2022\/12\/eastenders-danny-dyer-and-kellie-bright-reflect-on-end-of-the-carters-era-300x225.png",300,225,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2022\/12\/eastenders-danny-dyer-and-kellie-bright-reflect-on-end-of-the-carters-era-768x575.png",768,575,true],"large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2022\/12\/eastenders-danny-dyer-and-kellie-bright-reflect-on-end-of-the-carters-era-1024x767.png",800,599,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2022\/12\/eastenders-danny-dyer-and-kellie-bright-reflect-on-end-of-the-carters-era.png",1250,936,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/56\/2022\/12\/eastenders-danny-dyer-and-kellie-bright-reflect-on-end-of-the-carters-era.png",1250,936,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"By Lewis Knight Published: Thursday, 22 December 2022 at 12:00 am The end is nigh for Mick Carter. Actor Danny Dyer is bowing out from his iconic EastEnders role as Mick on Christmas Day after nine years on the show opposite on-screen \u2018other half\u2019 Kellie Bright, who plays Mick\u2019s ex-wife Linda Carter. 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