EastEnders star Kellie Bright shares heartfelt message with fans after exit news

 Flamingos forever!

EastEnders icon Kellie Bright has shared a heartfelt message with fans, just under a month after her exit from the soap was announced. Bright, who has played Linda Carter for 13 years, will leave the soap in the coming months with the show promising her final storyline will be "full of unmissable drama".

In a video posted to Instagram this week, Bright said: "Shall we talk about the elephant in the room? Or should I say, flamingo?

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I just wanted to do a little thank you message to everyone that sent some love to Linda’s way when you heard about the announcement of me leaving. It really means so much and I just wanted to acknowledge it and say thank you for your lovely comments and messages."

The actress ended the clip by telling fans: "Linda hearts you back. Flamingos forever."

Announcing her departure last month, Bright had said it was the "right time" to leave the BBC show. She also confirmed she made the "tough" decision last year.

"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," she added.

Bright also stated that she agreed to stay on the soap longer after producers Kate Oates and Ben Wadey developed an "exciting storyline" for her character.

Wadey added: "When Kellie told us of her decision last year to leave, we already had big plans for Linda, so we were delighted that Kellie agreed to stay on to see them through.

We've still got a long way to go before we say goodbye, but I can promise that Kellie's exit storyline will be full of unmissable drama."

Bright entered the soap in 2013 alongside her on-screen husband Mick, played by Danny Dyer. They were introduced alongside children Nancy, Lee, and Johnny, with baby Ollie arriving in 2015.

Last week, the soap announced that Maddy Hill and Danny Hatchard would be back playing Nancy and Lee in preparation for Linda's exit.

Wadey teased of their return: "We'll be welcoming Lee and Nancy back into the fold for a period – in a story that I guarantee your jaws will drop when you see the first cliffhanger."

But the big question is, will Mick make his way back to Walford before Linda leaves for good? Dyer's character was last seen in December 2022 before he was lost at sea after helping rescue Linda after a car accident.