WARNING: This article could contain possible EastEnders spoilers!
As EastEnders' favourite Kellie Bright prepares for her maternity leave off-screen, we decided to prepare for how we think Linda Carter's character is going to leave on-screen.
Will her exit spell disaster for The Carters or will things be all tickety-boo? Will Mick Carter (Danny Dyer) stay or go with his beloved wife?
Speaking to Inside Soap magazine, Kellie reassured fans that she will be back in Walford after six months: "I'll be on maternity leave for six months. EastEnders were really flexible and left it entirely up to me. I didn't want to be away forever but I also wanted enough time at home to enjoy my new baby."
And since there are lots of theories swirling around social media trying to predict the circumstances under which the loveable landlady will leave the show - we've come up with a few of our own...
Mick and Linda go on a ‘break’
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“WE WERE ON A BREAK!” Ok, this isn’t Friends, but in all seriousness Linda and Mick have been through their ups and downs so it wouldn’t be too much of a shock if the couple decided to call it quits.
The split would give Linda the opportunity to leave for a bit but, without something drastic happening, we can’t see Linda upping sticks so abruptly…
Would she really leave her family behind? What about her future grandchild? Doesn’t really sit right with us…
Belinda Slater seduces Mick
Belinda has already set her sights on Mick and has even questioned how happy Linda and Mick’s marriage is (shady).
We wouldn’t put it past her to try and seduce him - but would he be tempted or would her reject her? It's also possible that he rejects her at the exact moment Linda catches them together - but maybe we're getting carried away now ...
However if Belinda did interfere then Linda could flee Albert Square to gather her thoughts while – in real life - Kellie has her baby.
Nancy needs her Mum
We don’t really want our favourite Walford couple to split and Danny and Kellie have even admitted that they’re not keen on their characters separating. So maybe Kellie's daughter, Nancy, gets in some trouble off-screen and calls Linda to the rescue.
Or maybe Linda just misses her daughter and goes off to spend some quality time with her?
There are plenty of scenarios which would require a solo visit from mum, leaving Mick behind, so when Linda returns she can just pick up where she left off.
Lee Carter, played by Danny-Boy Hatchard, has also revealed that he will be leaving the square soon - so will Linda drop everything to enable her son to make a fresh start?
Elaine’s taken ill
Linda Carter would do anything for her family so if her mum, Elaine, needs her then we can imagine Linda would be on the next train to see her.
Maybe Elaine’s sick or she’s been hospitalised? Or perhaps she just misses Linda? It wouldn’t take much for Linda to go and see her mother and stay with her for a bit making this quite a plausible scenario. Could she take Lee there to try and overcome his depression? Could Lee struggle to adjust to becoming a father?
Mick and Linda go for some R&R
Running a pub is hard-work but running the Old Vic must be near impossible, what with all the drama going on.
It’s quite possible that Mick and Linda decide they need a bit of a break from the Square and pack their bags so they can leave together.
It’s seeming more and more likely that Danny might get some time off alongside Kellie’s maternity leave because, let’s face it, they’re like bread and butter.
You can’t have one without the other.
**How do you think Linda will depart Walford? Will you miss her? :( **
Let us know your thoughts over on Facebook and Twitter (@CloserOnline).
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