EastEnders star Kellie Bright, known for her role as Linda Carter, is married to actor Paul Stoker, who has also appeared on the BBC soap on two separate occasions. Bright has portrayed the Carter family matriarch since 2013, enduring numerous dramatic storylines including alcohol addiction, sexual assault, a relationship with Max Branning (Jake Wood), and the presumed death of her husband Mick (Danny Dyer). In a shocking Christmas Day 2023 episode, Linda killed Keanu Taylor (Danny Walters) with a meat thermometer to save Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean).
The Murder Cover-Up and Aftermath
Linda, along with Sharon, Kathy (Gillian Taylforth), Stacey (Lacey Turner), Suki (Balvinder Sopal), and Denise (Diane Parish), conspired to cover up the murder. Nish Panesar (Navin Chowdhry) eventually took the blame after being diagnosed with a terminal illness. The Queen Vic was sold to Linda's mother Elaine Peacock (Harriet Thorpe), and they opened a bed and breakfast. Linda has not found a new partner, despite a recent fling with Grant Mitchell (Ross Kemp).
Who Is Kellie Bright Married To?
Off-screen, Bright, 50, from Brentwood, leads a different life from her character. She has three sons—Freddie, Gene, and Rudy—with husband Paul Stoker. The couple met while performing in a play together; Bright was 31 and Stoker was 24. They married in Cornwall in 2014. Bright once told OK! Magazine about their age gap: "Reality kicked in. I was 31 and wanted to have kids, and Paul was 24 and didn't at the time. I felt it wasn't fair to Paul, I worried he'd resent me." She added, "After a bit of headspace, I realised I was cutting my nose to spite my face."
Paul Stoker's Acting Career
Stoker, from Redbridge, is known for his role in the 2007 film Atonement alongside Keira Knightley and James McAvoy. He also starred in the BAFTA-winning film The Mark of Cain and has appeared in stage productions such as Two Noble Kinsmen, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, and Six Degrees of Separation. In 2016, he appeared on EastEnders as a policeman, and five years later, he returned as a robber threatening Linda at The Queen Vic. His other TV credits include Casualty and Doctors, and he recently voiced Roscoe in the podcast series Tagged.
EastEnders airs Monday to Thursday on BBC One and iPlayer.
