EastEnders' notorious villain Janine Butcher (Charlie Brooks) made her explosive comeback to the Square in September 2021 and her long-awaited return made it very clear that she hadn't changed her scheming ways.
Her arrival saw her pose as a doctor and trick Sharon Watts' (Letitia Dean) unsuspecting brother Zack Hudson (James Farrar) and from then on, she has caused nothing but trouble for the Walford residents — especially for her love rival Linda Carter (Kellie Bright).
Since falling in love with Queen Vic landlord Mick Carter (Danny Dyer), Janine has gone to evil lengths to keep him for herself, including framing his ex-wife Linda for a car crash that nearly killed her and trying to get her to lose custody of Annie and Ollie.
Now, with her scheming ways showing no signs of stopping, is Janine leaving EastEnders?
Is Janine leaving EastEnders?
Janine is set to leave the Square just 18 months after her dramatic return, with actress Charlie confirming her soap exit on Instagram.
She posted a video of her posing in the sunshine with the caption: "The news is out that I’ll be leaving EastEnders. It has been an incredible 18 months. I have LOVED stepping back into ‘Janine’s’ shoes... so naughty but so much fun.
"The cast and crew are incredible, I will miss them a lot. I’ve had the BEST 18 months... thank you @bbceastenders for having me. Exciting things are on the horizon and I can’t wait to share them with you….💃 Let’s play"
Janine is currently pregnant with Mick's baby and the couple are set to get married, but amongst Janine's new-found happiness, devastation soon followed when she had a horrifying fall down the steps at the tube station.
Janine was terrified that she would lose her baby after being told that she may have suffered a partial placental abruption, but she was relieved to learn that her baby was doing well after a recent scan.
Although things seem to be looking up for Janine, it's only a matter of time before it all comes crashing down and Janine will be forced to face the consequences of her actions.
Earlier this year, Linda was involved in a serious car accident that left her fighting for her life. Currently, everyone thinks that Linda crashed the car while drunk, but it was actually Janine who caused the crash and moved Linda's seemingly lifeless body into the driver's seat to make it look like it was her fault, all while baby Annie was in the backseat.
Rumours have been circulating that Janine's departure will coincide with Mick's Christmas exit, who is also leaving the soap after 10 years, as part of the explosive storylines over the festive period.
Although details regarding her soap exit haven't been confirmed, location pap shots obtained by The Sun have teased what's to come for the love triangle, with the snaps showing Mick, Linda and Janine involved in a deadly stunt that sees a car plunging off a cliff and Mick also jumping off the edge.
The car is apparently carrying both Linda and Janine, but further pictures show Janine escaping the scene as she flags down a passing car — could this be how she leaves the Square for good?
With Janine's lies about her involvement in Linda's car crash set to be exposed, and if the paparazzi shots are anything to go by, it could pave her way to an ultimate Christmas showdown with the Carter family.
EastEnders airs Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings at 7.30 pm on BBC One — see our TV Guide for full listings. You can also catch up on episodes on BBC iPlayer now.
