EastEnders is set to bring a brand new family into the mix in Albert Square after the departure of Mick Carter and the subsequent breakdown of the relationship between his mother Shirley Carter and former daughter-in-law Linda Carter.
BBC bosses are reportedly looking to sign Strictly Come Dancing star Molly Rainford who proved to be a huge hit on the flagship show where she strutted her stuff with professional dancer Carlos Gu with the couple finishing as runners-up behind winner Hamza Yassin.
Molly, who starred as the lead role in CBBC's Nova Jones, is being lined up to join Walford as part of a brand new family that will move into the Queen Vic following the supposed death of Danny Dyer's EastEnders landlord Mick.
A TV insider said: “Molly joins a long line of former finalists who’ve gone on to bigger things than the competitors who’ve ultimately triumphed."
“But anyone who saw her on Strictly could see the entertainment world was her oyster," they told The Sun.
The Mirror have contacted a representative of EastEnders for comment.
EastEnders fans will know Linda is looking to sell the Queen Vic to a mystery buyer after receiving offers from Sharon Watts and the Panesars.
Opening up to Patrick Trueman, Linda voiced her concerns at going into business with Sharon who would have plenty of her own ideas about what to do with the place when she would like to keep things the way her ex-husband would have liked. However, she also feared she couldn't trust Suki Panesar and Nish Panesar.
The Queen Vic is at the heart of one of the biggest whodunnit mysteries to date in EastEnders as a flash forward episode showed the matriarchs of Walford - Stacey Slater, Denise Fox, Suki, Kathy Beale, Sharon and Linda standing over a dead body.
Executive producer Chris Clenshaw recently opened up on the storyline, in particular Stacey's involvement, during an appearance on Loose Women.
He said: "It's a big year for the Slaters this year, Stacey is currently trying to protect her family and she is really finding the cost-of-living crisis quite difficult, as well as coming to terms with the fact her 12-year old daughter is pregnant.
"This year, we will see Stacey do something that she has not done before and go to quite extreme lengths to protect her family. Lillia Turner, who plays Lily, is just doing a phenomenal job as well."
Got any theories or thoughts on the storyline? Let us know in the comments section below.
