Kellie Bright is set to depart her role as Linda Carter in EastEnders after 13 years, the BBC soap has confirmed. The actress, who first appeared as the Queen Vic landlady in 2013 alongside Danny Dyer's Mick Carter, has become one of Albert Square's most recognisable faces.
A Decade of Dramatic Storylines
Linda quickly established herself among the best pub landladies in soap, with Bright delivering powerful performances in many impactful storylines. These included Linda's rape, her battle with alcoholism, killing Keanu Taylor (Danny Walters) to save best friend Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean), and the disappearance of her true love Mick, who vanished at sea.
Following a life-changing experience that saw her life flash before her eyes, Linda decided to leave the Vic after a decade as landlady and opened a B&B with her mum Elaine Peacock (Harriet Thorpe). In recent months, the return of former flame Max Branning (Jake Wood) has left her conflicted, while newcomer Clive (Jason Durr) led to a romance with the councillor.
Bright's Decision to Leave
Discussing her exit, Bright said: 'EastEnders has been my home for thirteen years and I have absolutely loved being part of the show, but I have decided that it is now the right time for me to say goodbye.' She added: 'I made the tough decision over a year ago, and after discussing this with Kate Oates and Ben Wadey, they asked me to stay on to be part of an exciting storyline they had planned, and I happily agreed to extend my stay. I will miss my friends and colleagues hugely, but I am looking forward to my next chapter and spending more time with my wonderful boys.'
Producer's Promise of Unmissable Drama
Ben Wadey, EastEnders Executive Producer, said: 'Kellie has been at the beating heart of EastEnders for the past 13 years, and her characterisation of the fiercely lovable, protective, and brilliant Linda Carter has made her a favourite amongst the viewers and cemented her as a classic EastEnders icon.' He added: 'When Kellie told us of her decision last year to leave, we already had big plans for Linda, so we were delighted that Kellie agreed to stay on to see them through. We've still got a long way to go before we say goodbye, but I can promise that Kellie's exit storyline will be full of unmissable drama.'
EastEnders airs Mondays to Thursdays at 7:30pm on BBC One or streams from 6am on BBC iPlayer.
