EASTENDERS viewers have predicted that Janine Butcher will make a huge move as Danny Dyer’s character Mick Carter leaves Albert Square.
Fans took to Twitter to speculate that Janine would take over iconic pub The Queen Vic once the pub landlord had waved goodbye.
Actor Danny, 44, landlord Mick Carter, dramatically revealed he had quit the BBC One soap after nine years on screen over the weekend.
The star is believed to have been poached by Sky and signed for a rival drama in a six-figure deal ahead of his imminent departure.
Fans were left upset at the prospect Danny would not be given a proper send off as he was written out the script for him to start his new role as soon as possible.
Viewers also immediately began to speculate what would happen to The Vic – with character Mick no doubt passing on the mantle to another character.
Many believed it could be Janine, played by Charlie Brooks, that would take over the pub after she had grown close to Mick in recent episodes.
“Surely now Danny Dyer is leaving EastEnders it means Janine will become landlady of the Vic?” one fan said, as a second wrote: “Janine will take over!”
“I want the next landlady of the Vic to be boss woman Janine,” a third shared of their hopes, as a fourth added: “Maybe Janine will get the Vic after all.”
“Janine has to end up with the Vic sorry it can’t go any other way,” someone else speculated. “She will scam the Vic from him and he will feel he has nothing.”
“Janine is going to steal the Vic off him,” another fan suggested of the plot, as a second said: “Calling it. Mick Carter is murdered by Janine… She takes the Vic.”
Danny has previously taken leave from playing Mick to pursue other interests but always returned to the role he has held since 2013.
In 2019 he took a six-week break to appear in a series of plays paying tribute to his mentor Harold Pinter alongside Martin Freeman.
Danny is tied to a gruelling soap schedule but has taken work away from the show recently, hosting a Spotify podcast – Sorted With The Dyers.
He presents the show, where he helps solve listeners’ problems, with Love Island star daughter Dani, who he has also appeared on EastEnders with.
The star has also hosted gameshow The Wall since 2019 – a move which took his BBC salary from £400,000 to a reported £1million.
He has also appeared on the likes of Who Do You Think You Are? where he discovered he was related – albeit very distantly – to King Edward III.
Despite taking a pay cut by leaving his BBC role, he will now be free to pursue bigger opportunities outside the Corporation that could see his income rocket.
A friend of the actor explained: “Danny loves EastEnders but as an actor he feels the time is right to explore other roles.
“He’s incredibly grateful to the show and the opportunities it has given him and it wasn’t a decision he took lightly but after playing Mick for nearly nine years he feels it’s time to give the character of Mick a rest.
“He’s not sure how they are going to write him out yet but he’s hoping that they leave the door open for Mick.”
An EastEnders source added: “Danny made the decision quite some time ago that he would leave the show this year which has given bosses plenty of time to plan a huge storyline for him.
“With Kellie [Bright, who plays Linda] set to return very soon, the Carters are going to be at the heart of some big drama this year.”
But his departure is set to leave the popular soap with huge shoes to fill.
A spokesperson for the soap said tonight: “Danny will be leaving EastEnders when his contract comes to an end later this year. Danny has made Mick Carter an iconic character which we shall always be grateful for.
“However we won’t be saying goodbye just yet as there’s still quite some time – and plenty of explosive drama for Mick – to come before he departs Walford.”
