EastEnders icon QUITS BBC soap after 13 years as star admits she planned exit over a year ago
Kellie Bright has confirmed she will be departing EastEnders after portraying Linda Carter on the BBC soap for 13 years.
The 50-year-old actress revealed she reached the difficult decision more than a year ago but chose to remain on the show at the request of bosses.
“EastEnders has been my home for 13 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,” Ms Bright said.
She explained that after sharing her plans with Kate Oates and Ben Wadey, the pair persuaded her to extend her tenure for a storyline they had in the pipeline.
Kellie Bright has confirmed she will be leaving EastEnders after 13 years as Linda Carter
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BBC
“I happily agreed to extend my stay,” she added.
The actress expressed eagerness about what lies ahead, saying she looks forward to “spending more time with my wonderful boys,” a reference to her husband and three sons.
Ms Bright first appeared on the show in December 2013, alongside Danny Dyer’s Mick Carter as the new landlords of Walford’s iconic Queen Vic pub.
The couple became one of the soap’s most prominent families, with Linda serving as a fierce matriarch to their four children.
The actress has enjoyed a successful television career spanning several decades
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For roughly a decade, the character presided over the pub before her life in Albert Square took a different direction.
Her current storylines also feature a budding relationship with Clive Masters, a newcomer played by Jason Durr.
Throughout her time on the show, the character has been woven into some of EastEnders’ most significant plots, spanning sexual assault, murder and infidelity.
Among the most harrowing storylines was the 2014 rape of Linda by her brother-in-law Dean Wicks, an episode watched by more than seven million viewers that sparked dozens of complaints.
Ms Bright is one of Britain’s most recognisable soap stars
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The assault triggered a lengthy narrative arc exploring family conflict and trauma.
Linda also battled recurring alcoholism and endured a turbulent affair with Max Branning, played by Jake Wood, in 2021, which resulted in a daughter she attempted to keep secret from him for years.
In 2022, her husband Mick disappeared beneath the waves while attempting to rescue Janine Butcher, leaving Linda to grieve and adjust to single motherhood.
Perhaps most dramatically, the 2023 Christmas Day episode saw Linda fatally stab Keanu Taylor, played by Danny Walters, in order to protect her close friend Sharon Watts, portrayed by Letitia Dean.
The BBC star joined EastEnders alongside Danny Dyer, who played her on-screen husband Mick Carter
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Executive producer Ben Wadey paid tribute to the departing star, calling her “the beating heart of EastEnders” and praising her portrayal of Linda as “fiercely lovable, protective, and brilliant.”
He said the character had earned her place as “a classic EastEnders icon”.
Mr Wadey assured fans there is still plenty of screen time remaining before Ms Bright’s final scenes.
EastEnders boss Ben Wadey described Kellie Bright as the ‘beating heart’ of the soap
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BBC
“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,” he said.
Beyond Albert Square, Ms Bright has enjoyed a varied career.
She competed on Strictly Come Dancing in 2015 and appeared in films such as Ali G Indahouse in 2002 and Kinky Boots three years later.
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