Lee (Danny Hatchard) and Nancy Carter (Maddy Hill) are returning to EastEnders for their mum Linda’s (Kellie Bright) exit storyline.
Fans of the BBC soap were left devastated earlier this month when Bright announced her departure after 13 years in Albert Square.
However, Linda will now get to enjoy all of her children being together again ahead of her final days in Walford, with Hatchard and Hill having already begun filming their return scenes.
Both Lee and Nancy will be back for short stints and will reunite with Linda and their younger siblings Johnny (Charlie Suff), Ollie (Harry Farr) and Annie (Lois Hawkins). The reason for their return, however, will remain a mystery…
Executive producer Ben Wadey told the BBC: “We are absolutely thrilled to have Maddy and Danny back in Walford, bringing two much-loved pieces of the Carter family back together. And whilst Linda is delighted to have her children all together again, she’s got a lot to catch up on…”
Speaking with Radio Times and other media earlier this week, Wadey also spoke about Linda’s exit and what to expect from the Carter family.
“You may have read that Kellie Bright is very sadly leaving us after so many brilliant years in the programme,” he began.
“I’m quite close to Kellie, and she’s such a phenomenal actor. And Linda Carter is one of the all-time great EastEnders characters, so losing her is such a big moment for the show, and we wanted to make sure we see Linda at her best in her final few months.
“So we’ll be welcoming Lee and Nancy back into the fold for a period.”
On the plot, Wadey revealed that we’re about to see one of the show’s finest ‘doof doof’ moments.
“It’s a story that I guarantee your jaws will drop when you see the first cliffhanger,” he teased.
Oldest Carter sibling Lee was introduced in 2014 and last seen as a regular character back in 2017 when he left following the crumbling of his marriage to Whitney Dean (Shona McGarty), but has since visited in guest appearances.
Meanwhile, Nancy was a regular character from 2014 to 2016 before leaving the show with Tamwar Masood (Himesh Patel).
However, Nancy made a return in 2021 following the end of her off-screen marriage to Tamwar and made a comeback as a central cast member before departing once again the following year after the end of her romance with Zack Hudson (James Farrar).
Viewers will then undoubtedly remember that Lee and Nancy were seen during a funeral dream sequence in 2024 when Linda imagined circumstances surrounding her own untimely demise.
Speaking about his return, Hatchard said: “I’m absolutely over the moon to be returning to EastEnders as Lee Carter. Albert Square has always felt like a home away from home, so I’m proper buzzing to be back grafting with the Enders family.”
Meanwhile, Hill added: “I am SO excited to be returning to Enders for a short stint and stepping back into Nancy’s shoes (or basketball shorts!). I’ve missed her!
“I’m especially looking forward to seeing lots of familiar faces and acting alongside my incredible on-screen family.”
Exactly how Linda will leave the show after these returns remains to be seen, though viewers are convinced that her husband Mick (Danny Dyer) – who went missing at sea, presumed dead – could rise from the ashes. Or rather, from the English Channel covered in seaweed.
The soap has also confirmed that Charlie Suff will be leaving his Johnny Carter role and is expected to leave the show at a similar time to Linda.
However, fans are also aware that Linda’s arch-nemesis and Mick’s wife at the time of his ‘death’, Janine Carter (Charlie Brooks), is also set to make a return to the soap…
Will the Carter clan get their happy ending?
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