EastEnders returnee Danny Hatchard teases "explosive" Lee Carter scenes in Linda exit storyline

Danny Hatchard has discussed his return to EastEnders as Lee Carter and teased "explosive" scenes.

The BBC One soap is set to welcome back both Lee and his sister Nancy Carter (Maddy Hill) for the exit of their mother, Linda (Kellie Bright), after her 13 years on Albert Square.

Speaking to Radio Times on the red carpet of the National Television Awards 2026, Hatchard revealed it's probably his most eventful guest stint since leaving the show as a regular character back in 2017.

When asked if it was a no-brainer to return to the soap, Hatchard said: " Oh, absolutely. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I bit their hand off immediately."

He added: "I love Kellie with all my heart, so of course I was gonna come back."

Speaking further about what fans can expect of Lee's part in Linda's departure from the show, Hatchard teased: " So, there's some really exciting stuff to come. Personally, I would say it's my most explosive return yet, and there is plenty for me to stick my teeth into."

Hatchard made return visits as Lee in 2019 and 2020, along with a more recent cameo in a fantasy sequence in 2024.

When pressed further on whether we could expect some romance for Lee on the horizon, the actor remained coy.

 "Oh, well, I mean, that you'll have to tune in and find out yourself," he teased. "Come on. Well, I don't kiss and tell. Come on. Watch this space."

On the same red carpet, Bright herself addressed her decision to leave the soap behind, calling it a "natural" decision for her.

"It took a long time," she said. "It wasn't a decision I made overnight."

She continued: "I'm very, very grateful to have been part of the show for as long as I have. I feel really blessed to have been able to play Linda Carter for all these years, and I am just ready and looking forward to new exciting adventures."

Read more:

• EastEnders favourite Balvinder Sopal teases Ash return is "grenade" to the Panesar family unit this autumn
• EastEnders announces hard-hitting Amy Mitchell storyline as BBC soap works with charities
• EastEnders airs surprise twist for Zoe Slater in tragic final scenes during early BBC iPlayer release
• EastEnders legend Rob Kazinsky teases "scarier" and "premeditated" Sean Slater 20 years since debut

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Lewis is the News and Trends Editor at Radio Times and leads our approach to news, reactive content, and serving audience demands and interests. An obsessive fan of television and film, Lewis is a Nicole Kidman fanatic with a side of passion for science-fiction, art-house cinema and the latest HBO drama. Lewis has a degree in Psychology and a Masters in Film Studies. After working in advertising, Lewis worked at The Mirror for three years in community management and SEO, showbiz, film and television reporting.