EastEnders viewers are convinced Janine Butcher's return to the BBC soap involves a faked death certificate for Mick Carter, which could lead to a bombshell for Linda Carter. The speculation follows a Thursday scene showing Janine paying for a mystery document in a brown envelope, which she described as "perfect". Next week, she is set to drop a bombshell on Linda.
Fan theories about Mick's fate
Fans have taken to social media to share their theories. One fan posted: "Janine seems to of faked a death certificate for Mick.. which will make Linda’s world come crashing down." Another asked: "Is Mick Carter dead or alive?"
A third viewer speculated: "So Janine has faked Mick's death certificate which will lead to Mick being back from the dead for Linda and Max’ wedding on NYD." Another fan commented: "I hope this is just a scam by Janine.. and that Mick is alive and it’s revealed on NYD." A final post said: "I feel like there’s a chance of Mick returning from the dead somehow."
Charlie Brooks on her return
Charlie Brooks, who first played Janine in 1999 aged 17, has spoken about reprising the role after four years away. She said: "I always love coming back to Janine. She’s an exciting character to play, and it’s always fun to discover what she’s been doing and what she’s been up to as an actress. Seeing everyone back at the studio, and working with Kellie [Bright] again, has been amazing."
Asked what to expect from her character's return, Brooks said: "I don’t know if anyone wants to see a reformed Janine ever, so we can rest assured that we are leaning into the true nature of who Janine is. As always, it’s about survival for her."
Janine's character and Linda's exit
Brooks added: "I always like trying to understand a little bit more about her each time I play her, and I think the ‘why’ is so important. She’s a lot of things, but she’s also a super fun character to play. She’s very camp, and I have a lot of fun with her. Janine is also deep, and she’s got a lot going on, so it’s always interesting to explore that."
The character's return will lead to a bombshell discovery for her former rival Linda Carter, ahead of actress Kellie Bright's exit from the soap after 13 years. Linda hasn't seen Janine since her arrest in 2022. EastEnders airs Mondays to Thursdays at 7:30pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
