EastEnders cast fear Danny Dyer quitting will spark an exodus from the soap

THE EastEnders cast fear Danny Dyer quitting will spark an exodus from the soap.

They see the loss of such a big star as a sign its fortunes have hit rock bottom, particularly after a run of bad ratings.

Danny, 44, is leaving the BBC1 show after playing pub landlord Mick Carter for nine years.

That could see the likes of Kellie Bright, who plays Mick’s wife Linda, and Lacey Turner (Stacey Slater) follow him out.

An insider said: “The feeling among the EastEnders team is his departure is seen as a very bad omen because he’s such a key part of the cast.

“Mick is such an integral and well-liked character that his removal will only make the situation deteriorate. And they don’t want to hang around to see things go from bad to worse, particularly if their roles are linked to Danny’s part. But at this stage it’s not clear exactly who’d follow suit and go.”

The past year has seen the departures of Maisie Smith, who plays Tiffany Butcher, and Adam Woodyatt (Ian Beale).

There are also fears Rose Ayling-Ellis, who plays Frankie Lewis, could quit after winning Strictly.

During 2021, EastEnders ratings reached a new low, with just 1.7m tuning in for an episode in July.

An EastEnders spokeswoman said: “To say any cast member is now considering their future on the show due to another cast member leaving is nothing but speculative nonsense.

"Danny’s decision to leave the show is purely because he wants to try different roles.”