Kellie Bright is leaving, huge loss

As an actress, Kellie Bright is a huge loss.

But is Linda as a character right now? I’m not sure what there is for her to do right now, they’ve thrown so much at her in the last 13 years. She spent half of last year on a cruise and then introduces us to Bea.

Possibly the right time for her really, as much as a shock it is. Linda has faded into the background after her alcoholism story; there has been some good in her time since then though such as her support towards Phil during his mental health crisis. I kind of hope it's a "happy ever after" moment with Clive and she just leaves with him rather than something crazy with Janine.

13 hours ago, Liаm said:

Kellie Bright is leaving, huge loss

Big loss. Fantastic actress and I will miss her, she has delivered some of Eastenders best scenes over the years and I wish her nothing but success and happiness for the future.

I wish Kellie Bright the best of luck after EastEnders, i can see I'm A Celebrity signing her up.

On 06/08/2026 at 20:22, Jade said:

Zaraah Abrahams take a bow 👏👏👏

I feel like the flash forward is minimising the effect of some plot points, like Mark leaving, when we know he’s back in that episode

I agree, if anything the flash forward has harmed the show rather than being a year of buildup to see what happens. Like there’s no stakes to anything when we know characters are in the show in 2027. Like Ian’s going to prison? Ok but he’s out in four months tops because he’s in the FF, same with Mark leaving. Even Denise, she obviously doesn’t die because she’s mentioned in the FF as Libby asked where she was. Now we know Linda is going, she probably isn’t Max’s bride and even if Kellie leaves after NYD, that means there would be 0 point to the wedding, although with how Max is and the fact the FF posited him as still cheating with Priya, there is 0 point anyway lol.

When Hollyoaks did a flash forward it worked as it was only bits and pieces (a murder that was the culmination of a County Lines storyline, a wedding but we didn’t know who either party was, stuff like that) not a whole episode. Even the Six, that was fine as it was just about one storyline, only about who got killed and who killed them, it didn’t reveal loads of bits around it. There’s kind of simultaneously too much revealed and not enough, like they’ve kind of been deliberately a bit ambiguous and I genuinely don’t believe they actually had decided what they’re doing with half of it at the point it aired

Kellie Bright is a huge talent but I think Linda's feeling like a spare part these days, so I think this is a good time for her to go. Please take Johnny too 😭

15 hours ago, T Boy said:

As an actress, Kellie Bright is a huge loss.

But is Linda as a character right now? I’m not sure what there is for her to do right now, they’ve thrown so much at her in the last 13 years. She spent half of last year on a cruise and then introduces us to Bea.

Glad she's gone.

"It's time to do something for LINDA FOR A CHANGE" - after she was on a never ending cruise!! It's like Sharon saying she's selling the gym to be able to see Michelle more... Silent partner, like you've been ALL YEAR, whilst seeing MICHELLE?! Or dragging Albie from Australia to UK for ONE DAY and then back again.

Linda was becoming like Zack - shoehorned into everything for no reason, and she seems to be everyone's best friend. And now she's fighting for a communiry centre becaaause? Terrible writing. Have her leave. AND!!! Take Johnny and Callum with her.

It does feel like we’re just drifting until New Years Day.

At this point you’d expect to still be guessing but the execution these last 8 months haven’t helped.

Pregnant woman in Max’s bed. Not many options and that character will probably be learning of the pregnancy any point now. Can’t really see it being anyone but Priya even if the baby isn’t Max’s.

Who is Max marrying? Linda? Doesn’t matter because she won’t stick around. Cindy? Obviously the plot seems to be heading that way. Chelsea? Aside from one scene where she said she fancied Max which aired BEFORE the flashforward, there’s nothing to support it.

We already know what Lauren’s been up to. Could be more to it but unlikely.

We know Ian won’t serve a full 8 months.

We know baby Ethan has to be Penny’s. We know why Jack is sad-his wife has cancer.

Obviously there are pieces we don’t know-the criminal activity that Max gets involved with, mystery gun person, what happens to the Vic but it’s all very not that interesting and it feels we need to get all of this out of the way before we can actually go anywhere.

Hopefully this is the last time we do any kind of flashforward.

In no world would Chelsea fancy the baked bean!!!! 🤣

The secondhand embarrassment watching the prison crap was real. Make it end.

Like surely every character should be completely sus on this Craig?

I’m tired of Gray too. I’m not sure he really was a character worth revisiting.

Sheila in tonight's episode

Omg I was already screaming at Sheila hiding behind her own Range Rover but the scenes in the community centre sent me 😂

Pearl is so tall now. Give that queen more to do. Her ‘Do me a favour’ did actually make me chuckle.

The prison scenes do appear to have completely jumped the shark now. How would Gray even be allowed near visitors if he didn’t have one?

15 hours ago, T Boy said:

Like surely every character should be completely sus on this Craig?

I’m tired of Gray too. I’m not sure he really was a character worth revisiting.

And why are they all calling him Craig IMMEDIATELY?! Christ

Quite an intense moment at the end there today with Chelsea and Gray, especially with Jordan being taken by Sheila (I will suspend my disbelief in how she managed that one). Tomorrow's ep should be interesting but I'd imagine this'll be it for the story?

Pearl is so tall for an 11 year old!

Also Lynne and her dogs klaxon.

Max getting married twice then

I admire Zaraah being given a storyline with her capabilities and Toby is also a great actor but this Gray stuff was just completely unnecessary. Again, no realism with Ian being in the same wing as him, and these prison scenes have been godawful. I wanted to believe that Shiela wasn’t on Gray’s side so it’s a shame she turned out as such, jokes on me really.

Given the stunning realism of these incredibly engaging prison scenes…. I expect Gray will try to kill Ian and then they’ll just be like oh he’s suffered enough let him out :) 💀💀💀💀

Heads would roll across the ENTIRE Walford legal system after putting Ian in with the serial killer father of the boy he clipped!!!!

Edited 11 hours ago11 hr by Summer FRUITS!!!!!