There were some intense scenes in EastEnders on Tuesday’s episode (24 August) as pregnant Linda Carter (Kellie Bright) was left terrified when she was grabbed as two thieves attempted to rob the charity bucket after Whitney Dean’s (Shona McGarty) singing performance at the Queen Vic.
After noticing Linda’s husband, Mick Carter (Danny Dyer) leave to go to the café, the thieves took the opportunity to barge into the pub and threaten Linda, which left her fearing for her and her unborn baby’s life.
Luckily, Zack Hudson (James Farrar) managed to swoop in and save the day by chasing the thieves off after hearing the commotion while sneaking around upstairs with Nancy (Maddy Hill).
However, fans spotted a familiar face as one of the robbers clamped his hand over the landlady’s mouth.
Viewers discovered that the thug was in fact Kellie Bright’s real life husband, Paul Stocker, after his name came up when the credits rolled, confirming their thoughts…
I thought I recognised the name of the thug who threatened Linda. It’s Paul Stocker, her real life husband! #EastEndersAugust 24, 2021
Fans on YouTube had noticed too, with one writing: "That's Kellie Bright's husband playing the robber who grabbed her"
Kellie Bright is expecting her third child with Paul Stocker, who has previously appeared in a small part on EastEnders as DS Howard South in 2016, who questioned Bobby Beale (Clay Milner Russell) after attacking his adoptive mother Jane (Laurie Brett).
Paul has appeared in Atonement and in the BAFTA award winning drama Mark of Cain. He has also starred in Casualty and Doctors, as well as many theatre productions such as, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time and A Midsummer Night's Dream.
Kellie and Paul currently have two children together, nine-year-old Freddie and four-year-old Gene.
Kellie, whose character is also pregnant in EastEnders, was ecstatic when she fell pregnant with her third child with husband Paul, through a frozen embryo transfer.
She told OK! Magazine about the moment she discovered that she had a positive pregnancy test: “I was so shocked and thrilled, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. I ran downstairs to Paul. I just stood crying – really crying – and he couldn’t understand a word I was saying! It took my breath away.
I knew it was my last chance, so the fact it was a positive was so unbelievably wonderful. A truly wonderful, crazy life moment.”
