EastEnders fans ‘scream’ over one detail in Linda Carter’s d.e.a.t.h episode
EastEnders aired a special episode dedicated to Linda Carter's spiralling alcoholism and her subsequent d.e.a.t.h as she was forced to choose between drinking or her family
EastEnders has broadcast a special episode centred on Linda Carter’s (Kellie Bright) escalating alcohol addiction. In the latest visit to Walford (December 16), Linda was faced with a choice between her family and alcohol, leading to a night of heavy drinking.
The episode, now available on iPlayer, features a volatile Linda grabbing a bottle of vodka, signalling her unwillingness to battle her addiction despite pleas from her distraught mother Elaine Knight (Harriet Thorpe) to go to rehab.
In a shocking scene, she violently pushes Elaine onto her bed, witnessed by her sons Johnny (Charlie Suff) and young Ollie (Harry Farr). Ollie confides in Johnny his fears about their mum leaving permanently like their dad Mick (Danny Dyer), indicating he is aware of Linda’s alcohol problem.
Manchester Evening News reports how Linda storms out of the Vic, clutching a bottle and Ollie’s drawing.
Linda quickly consumes the entire bottle of vodka before the lights flicker and she disappears into the night. In a unique format twist, Linda’s d.e.a.t.h scenes and subsequent funeral were combined into one episode.
Following a frightening encounter with a homeless man, Linda violently vomits across the war memorial before experiencing difficulty breathing. Tragically, Linda then succumbs to her drinking problem.
The police arrived at The Queen Vic to deliver the devastating news to Elaine Peacock about her daughter’s tragic passing. As the day of Linda’s funeral dawned, Lee (Danny-Boy Hatchard) and Nancy Carter (Maddy Hill) came back to pay their respects.
Johnny was seen drowning his sorrows, much like his mother had, unable to face reality.
Tensions soared within the Carter clan, culminating in Nancy’s declaration that she intended to whisk Ollie and Annie away from the square.
In a poignant moment, as Elaine stood alone in the pub, the lights began to dim around her heartache. The scene shifted, revisiting Linda on the eve of her demise as she clutched a vodka bottle outside, moments after leaving an argument with Elaine.
Overcome with emotion and staring at a drawing by Ollie, Linda made a heartfelt decision, dumping the vodka and returning inside to confront her issues with Elaine.
A tearful Linda confessed: “I don’t want to be this person anymore”. When questioned by Elaine about her change of heart, Linda disclosed: “I saw it all, Mum… what would happen if I don’t stop.”
“It’s like someone slapped me round the face and you’re right, the drink is going to k.i.l.l me, and when I die, everyone’s going to hate me.”
While the episode resonated with many EastEnders fans, earning widespread praise, there were those who couldn’t help but be amused by Ollie’s drawing.
One viewer commented on X, bursting with laughter at the sight: “The way I actually scream cackled when I saw this”, accompanied by an array of laughing emojis.
A second chimed in with disbelief: “I had to rewind it a few times because what”, and a third joined in the amusement: “I did laugh when I seen it too!”.
One viewer couldn’t contain their reaction, exclaiming: “I’m cryingggg, Olly isn’t playing about man”, while another shared the sentiment: “I d.i.e.d at this bit.”
EastEnders airs Monday – Thursday at 7:30pm on BBC One and iPlayer