EastEnders is facing another busy year of cast changes, with a string of characters already leaving Walford and more departures on the way. So, who’s leaving EastEnders in 2026?
But it’s not all goodbye. For every character heading out of Albert Square, there are old favourites returning and new faces arriving to shake things up.
Here’s our full round-up of who’s leaving, who’s returning and who’s joining the EastEnders cast this year.
Who’s leaving EastEnders in 2026?
Linda Carter
Kellie Bright is leaving EastEnders after 13 years playing Linda Carter. Her exit is still some way off, but we’ve already been promised that Linda won’t be going quietly.
Kellie explained: “EastEnders has been my home for 13 years and I have absolutely loved being part of the show, but I have decided that it is now the right time for me to say goodbye.
“I made the tough decision over a year ago, and after discussing this with Kate Oates and Ben Wadey, they asked me to stay on to be part of an exciting storyline they had planned, and I happily agreed to extend my stay.
“I will miss my friends and colleagues hugely, but I am looking forward to my next chapter and spending more time with my wonderful boys.”
Executive producer Ben Wadey has promised “that Kellie’s exit storyline will be full of unmissable drama.”
Johnny Carter is also leaving EastEnders
Hot on the heels of his on-screen mum, Johnny Carter star Charlie Suff is also leaving Walford. A spokesperson confirmed: “We can confirm Charlie Suff will be leaving EastEnders, and we wish him all the best for the future.”
It’s been reported that once Kellie decided to leave, Charlie knew his own time on the Square was up too.
What this means for his relationship with Callum Highway remains to be seen. But his departure will mark the end of an era for the Carter family as the last members leave the show.
Ravi Gulati
According to The Sun, Aaron Thiara is the latest star to quit the soap after four years playing Ravi Gulati.
EastEnders has not confirmed the news, but a source told the publication: “Aaron has been at the centre of the some of the soaps biggest storylines since his arrival as bad-boy Ravi back in 2022.
“He’s an incredibly popular member of the cast and the fans love him.
“He’s decided to focus on new projects, but will stay on set until the end of the year to see out some juicy storylines his character has in store.”
Ravi has currently proposed to Priya, while also trying to discover the identity of her secret man. He’s also rumoured to be the gunman in the New Year flashforward.
Zoe Slater – rumoured to be leaving EastEnders
According to reports, Michelle Ryan is leaving EastEnders just one year after her much-anticipated return. It has been reported that Michelle has already filmed her final scenes, with her exit set to air later this year. Even more shockingly, it’s claimed that Zoe’s departure will be permanent, with the character set to be killed off.
“We can confirm that Zoe Slater will be departing EastEnders later this year,” a BBC spokesperson told The Sun. “We wish Michelle Ryan all the best for the future. However, we never comment on future storylines as we don’t want to spoil it for the viewers.”
Exactly how Zoe will leave remains under wraps, although pictures have emerged showing a Slater funeral.
Fans are also wondering what this could mean for her long-lost twins, Jasmine and Josh. The trio were only recently reunited after Zoe gave her babies up at birth.
Who’s leaving EastEnders? This lot have already gone!
Bea Pollard – arrested by the police
In early January 2026, comedian, impressionist and actress Ronni Ancona joined the soap as Bea. Her early scenes revealed that she was an old schoolmate of Linda’s, although the pair certainly didn’t have the fondest memories of each other.
Ronni said of the role: “I am honoured to have been invited to join the iconic institution that is EastEnders, and to be on this whirlwind of a journey with such an unpredictable, nuanced and complex character as Bea. I hope audiences have as much fun watching her as I have had bringing her to life.”
Bea soon wormed her way into Honey’s family. She took out a credit card in Honey’s name, landed her in hospital after tampering with a ladder and then sabotaged her marriage.
It was announced in June 2026 that Ronni would be leaving the soap in the coming months. Bea then framed Billy for her murder by staging a crime scene before kidnapping Honey and taking her to a remote cottage. Thankfully, Honey’s quick thinking alerted her friends and family to where she was, and Nicola and Linda eventually rescued her.
That still wasn’t the end of it. Bea returned to the Square and threatened to kill Billy, just as the police finally arrived and arrested her.
Sam Mitchell – went to Portugal
Sam Mitchell returned to EastEnders last Christmas, revealing that she’d found a lump which she feared could be cancer. Since returning, Sam bravely battled breast cancer and was recently given the all-clear by doctors.
Kim, who plays Sam, said: “It’s such a joy to be asked to come back to EastEnders. I love the character of Sam. She always causes drama wherever she goes, but she also has that vulnerable side, which is great to play. It’s also lovely being back on set with the fantastic cast and to see old friends and new faces.”
Sadly, Sam’s return wasn’t permanent, despite fans calling for her to stay forever! She left the soap in May after deciding to move to Portugal with Grant.
However, Sam has a habit of returning to Walford, and with her son Ricky still living there, she always has a reason to come back.
Grant Mitchell – returned to Portugal
Ross Kemp reprised his iconic role as Grant Mitchell for a short stint, having briefly returned to Walford the previous year for the show’s 40th anniversary.
Grant came back to cover two major storylines. One saw him reunited with his estranged son, Mark Fowler Jr. The other saw him supporting family and friends as Nigel lost his battle with dementia.
“I’m truly delighted to be stepping back into Grant Mitchell’s shoes and returning to EastEnders later this year,” said Ross. Executive producer Ben Wadey added, “The Mitchells remain one of EastEnders’ defining dynasties, and we can’t wait to see them reunited again. As always when Grant is around, drama inevitably follows him…”
Sadly, Grant’s latest return was only temporary. He has now gone back to Portugal after taking the blame for crimes committed by his son, Mark. With the police on his case, it doesn’t look as though Grant will be returning any time soon, although never say never.
Eddie Knight – died
Eddie returned earlier this year to cause more trouble for George. He manipulated Nicola into allowing him to live with them during his final days. Despite pretending to regret everything he’d done, Eddie hadn’t changed and was simply trying to avoid dying in prison.
The Night That Changes Everything week put George and Eddie centre stage. George had finally had enough of his dad’s manipulation. During a bitter showdown, Eddie began choking on his painkillers.
But rather than give his dad the water he was reaching for, George calmly drank it himself, and Eddie died.
Fans had already predicted that someone in Walford might bump Eddie off before he died from cancer, but George finally getting revenge on his evil dad left viewers thrilled.
Nigel Bates – died
Soap icon Nigel Bates sadly lost his battle with dementia, leaving his wife Julie and best friend Phil devastated. Nigel first arrived in Walford in the 90s and returned to the soap last year after a 26-year absence. He revealed that he was suffering from dementia and had run out on his family because he didn’t want to be a burden.
He then moved in with Phil, who took on caring duties alongside Nigel’s wife Julie. Sadly, Nigel’s dementia continued to worsen until he died in a heartbreaking standalone episode in April. Suffice to say, there wasn’t a dry eye in Walford when Nigel took his last breath, and Albert Square won’t be the same without him.
Julie Bates – returned to Edinburgh
With Nigel gone, Julie decided to move back to Scotland, a place filled with happy memories of her life with her late husband.
It was revealed after Nigel’s funeral that Julie wouldn’t be staying in Walford, news which left Phil Mitchell and EastEnders fans devastated.
During an emotional moment, Phil told Julie that she was ‘one of them now’ and hoped she would stay in Albert Square. But Julie had other plans. After Nigel left her some money from a pension, she decided to take the trip to India that she and her late husband had always dreamed of.
This was the second time Julie had put down roots in Walford, so never say never when it comes to another return.
Who’s leaving EastEnders? Sandra Goodwin – moved to Southend
Sandra arrived in Walford with her son Josh, who is also Zoe Slater’s biological son and Jasmine Fisher’s twin.
The pair quickly caused chaos for the Slater and Trueman families, largely because Sandra was keeping a secret about their past.
It was eventually revealed that Sandra blamed Jasmine for the death of her husband, Keith. As a result, Sandra officially adopted Josh, while Jasmine went to live with a new family.
Sandra has since moved to Southend to care for her elderly mother, leaving Josh to live with the Truemans. However, some fans aren’t convinced this is the last we’ve seen of her.
Dawn Steele said: “I was thrilled to be asked to play the role of Sandra who arrives and throws a spanner or two into the Square! It was so great to go back to Elstree after the end of Holby City. Lots of the same crew (and a few cast!) are still there, so it was joyful to see them all again. Everyone was so welcoming and I really enjoyed learning new ways of filming. It really is a well-oiled machine, and everyone works so hard.”
Since leaving, Sandra has appeared on screen once, making a cameo for Josh’s birthday via video call to her adoptive son.
Chrissie Watts – moved away
Chrissie returned on Christmas Eve for a short spell after being revealed as Jasmine’s mystery boss, who had been tormenting Zoe over sins from the past.
She revealed herself and Jasmine during a dramatic Christmas Day showdown, explaining that she’d been behind Zoe’s recent misfortunes. It emerged that Jasmine had killed Anthony, although Kat and Zoe believed Chrissie was responsible for his death.
Chrissie was lured back to Walford in February by Jake, her estranged boyfriend. Despite everyone believing she had Anthony’s blood on her hands, Chrissie turned out to be innocent for once.
After exposing Jasmine as the real killer, Jake and Chrissie reunited and left the soap once again in February 2026.
Jake Moon – moved away
Jake Moon returned to EastEnders in February for a short stint, determined to discover what had happened at Christmas.
He initially believed Chrissie had killed Anthony, but soon realised he was looking in the wrong direction. Chrissie may have committed plenty of crimes, but killing Dr Trueman wasn’t one of them.
After it was revealed that Jasmine had killed Anthony, Chrissie and Jake got engaged. However, they believed Kat and Jasmine had framed Chrissie for the murder. When police arrived, the pair quickly drove away into the sunset so Chrissie wouldn’t be arrested.
Anthony Trueman – dead!
Doctor Anthony Trueman became the latest EastEnders character to suffer a Christmas death last year. Anthony’s demise came after he lashed out at Zoe, knocking her unconscious during a dramatic confrontation.
When Zoe regained consciousness, Anthony was dead. Actor Nicholas Bailey said of his surprise exit: “I was sad things were coming to an end, but I wanted to lean into the excitement of this story being a launch pad for some incredible stuff heading into 2026. I love EastEnders and I love seeing the show thrive.
“So, while I’m sad to be saying goodbye to Anthony, I’m happy it means my friends are going to have some incredible stuff to play following his death.”
Who’s returning or returned to EastEnders in 2026?
Janine Butcher – rumoured to be returning
Charlie Brooks is reportedly reprising her role as Janine Carter (née Butcher) for two episodes this autumn, according to The Sun.
Charlie first played Janine in 1999 and is now reportedly set to cause chaos for Walford residents once again following a four-year break.
The character was last seen in 2022 after being arrested for framing Linda Carter for drink-driving. She was sent to prison for perverting the course of justice. While in prison, Janine gave birth to a son by her presumed-dead husband Mick Carter.
Janine’s son now lives in Germany with her brother Ricky Butcher, along with her daughter Scarlett.
Libby Fox – back after 10 years
Max Branning’s New Year flashforward was packed with surprises, including the return of Libby Fox, who appeared as Max’s mystery bride prepared for her wedding.
At first, this seemed to suggest Max could be marrying a Branning woman, perhaps Chelsea. But all may not be as it seems. Denise is currently battling for her life after being diagnosed with cancer, and Libby has returned to support her mum.
She will also help Chelsea through Jordan’s recovery after he was hit by Ian’s car, as well as Gray’s imminent return.
Fans have been thrilled to see Libby back on screen, with actress Belinda Owusu reprising the role for the first time in almost ten years.
Mark Fowler Jr
Mark Fowler returned to Walford in January 2026 after a decade away. He quickly showed he was trouble, dealing stolen cars, setting them alight and pursuing married Lauren Branning.
Mark then left the Square again in August so Lauren could focus on her marriage to Peter.
But we know he will be back. Before making his grand entrance on Albert Square, he secretly appeared in Max’s New Year’s Day flashforward.
Although we didn’t know it at the time, Mark was present in the scene where Max was arrested. He was credited at the end of the episode as ‘Man’.
Stephen Aaron-Sipple replaced actor Ned Porteus, who previously played the character.
Who’s joining or has joined EastEnders in 2026?
The Hawkins family
A new family is set to make an impact on Albert Square this summer as the Hawkins, the estranged family of Nicola Mitchell, arrive in Walford.
Viewers already know Nicola has a fractured relationship with her family and has kept them at arm’s length for several reasons. Now Gemma, her husband Ned and their son Ryder are heading to Walford alongside her mother Rose and Nicola’s youngest sister Jodie.
With old wounds and complicated family dynamics in tow, the Hawkins are set to make an explosive impact on the Square.
Holby City star Patricia Potter and Beyond Paradise’s Jamie Bamber will play Gemma Hawkins and Ned Roper, while Felix Uff (Amadeus) takes on the role of their son, Ryder. They will be joined by Marian McLoughlin (Trying) as Rose and Anna Constable (Imposter 22) as Jodie.
Ben Wadey, Executive Producer, said: “The Hawkins family are a fantastic addition to Walford. While the family share a fierce loyalty, decades of complicated history and Nicola’s estrangement from them have left fractures within the family that are far from healed.
“We’re all very excited for what we have planned for the family, and we can’t wait for the audience to meet them.
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