Danny Dyer's final scenes in BBC soap EastEnders have aired. The actor, who plays Mick Carter, announced that he'd be leaving the show earlier this year and if you read on, just a warning, there are spoilers about the Albert Square resident's exit.
Fans of the soap were both fuming that Mick had left, but others also questioned was he really gone for good. In powerful scenes airing on Sunday, December 25, Mick and Linda (Kellie Bright) reunited after discovering that new wife Janine Butcher (Charlie Brooks) was not all that she seems.
An action-packed car chase concluded with Janine's car plummeting into the sea with her and Linda inside. Naturally, Mick jumped in to save the day. With the pair's life in danger, Mick battled with his fear of water to pull Janine to safety on the shore. Mick then went back into the sea to rescue Linda – unaware that she had managed to pull herself from the submerged car alone and was fine.
Read more: When are the soaps on over Christmas? Coronation Street, EastEnders and Emmerdale schedules
As the episode came to a close, however, Mick was nowhere to be seen and his fate has been left up in the air. Viewers reacted to the high-stakes episode on social media. The scenes were a brilliant callback for EastEnders diehards who will know that Mick was taught to swim by Ian Beale after a lifelong fear of water after almost drowning as a child.
On Mick’s exit, Dyer told Radio Times: “It’s very emotional for me... I'm very attached to the show. But 20 years I've been knocking about in our industry, for nearly 10 I've been in the show, and to make the decision I made – I didn't make it lightly, you know, because it's a huge job to walk away from and I thought long and hard about it."
Fans were quick to react to their favourite 'Enders character bowing out.
"I hope Mick Carter hasn't drowned. It took me a second, but then I remembered Mick learnt to swim all those years ago," wrote one person before adding: "I wanna say he'll come back in a few years after thinking Linda died, had a spot of amnesia, and comes back when he remembers."
A second said: "NO NO NO NO THAT'S SO WRONG KILLING MICK CARTER OFF GUTTED HEARTBROKE JUST NO NO NO I CAN'T WATCH EASTENDERES ANYMORE WON'T BE THE SAME WEOUT THAT GEEZER," angry at the character's exit. A third agreed, writing: "eastenders killing off mick carter has ruined my chirstmas :( crying and throwing up".
A fourth suggested: "I'm sorry but Mick Carter is not dead. I'm certain of that. He'll come back in like 5 years or so." And a fifth commented: "who is also thinking Mick Carter is not actually dead?" Would you like to see Danny Dyer return in future? Let us know in the comments. EastEnders continues on BBC One on Boxing Day at 7.30pm.
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