EastEnders landlady Linda Carter (Kellie Bright) recently took some time away from Walford to grieve the loss of her long-time love Mick Carter (Danny Dyer), who is presumed dead after tragically drowning at sea over Christmas.
But a shocking revelation came with her explosive return this week which has sparked concern from fans that Linda could be leaving Walford for good following Mick's devastating exit.
So, is Linda leaving EastEnders? Read below to find out...
Is Linda leaving EastEnders?
A heartbroken Linda shut the pub after the incident and left Walford behind to try and recover from the trauma.
However, Linda was clueless to the fact that Alfie Moon (Shane Richie) had decided to reopen the Vic without her permission and came home after she found out about his sneaky antics.
Linda forgave his actions and the pair had a heart-to-heart, but while Alfie was gently encouraging Her Ladyship to return to her rightful place behind the bar, Linda revealed that she was planning to sell the beloved boozer.
Now, does her life-changing decision mean she's bidding farewell to the place she's called home for ten years?
Concerned soap fans will be relieved to hear that Linda is not leaving the Square for good and will remain on our screens for the foreseeable future.
EastEnders executive producer Chris Clenshaw teased to What to Watch over Christmas that there's a huge new storyline in store for Linda and it's a story that hasn't been done before in the show.
He said: "Linda's still very much at the heart of Albert Square and it's so great to have Kellie. She's not going to get over Mick very quickly.
"She was just reunited with him then he was snatched away from her so it won't be all smiles straight away, but there are big plans for Linda. She's going to start shooting something in January that goes out in February and it's something that we as a show haven't done before and Linda's at the centre of that."
But will Linda change her mind and be back pulling pints at the Vic? We'll have to wait and see.
"There's a question mark over the future of The Vic at the moment. Kellie knows what's happening. We know what's happening with The Vic and it's very exciting. Very exciting what's going to happen," Chris hinted.
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.
