walford legend
Inside EastEnders actress Kellie Bright’s off-screen life – from forgotten TV roles to age-gap romance
The actress has been involved in some hard-hitting storylines recently
EASTENDERS star Kellie Bright has been a central figure in the world of Walford for over a decade, taking on one gripping storyline after another as Linda Carter.
While Linda's life on-screen is packed with drama, Kellie's real-life story is just as fascinating, if not quite as tumultuous.
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Kellie, 48, has had a long and varied career spanning both television and film.
Before becoming Linda, she was already a seasoned actress, having been in the spotlight from a young age.
Kellie started her career as a child actor attending the prestigious Sylvia Young Theatre School in London, where she rubbed shoulders with future stars like Spice Girl Emma Bunton.
Her early roles included appearances in children's TV shows like T-Bag and Maid Marian and Her Merry Men.
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But it was her role as Joanna in the sitcom The Upper Hand that really put her on the map.
Despite this early success, the transition from child star to adult actress wasn’t easy.
Kellie faced numerous rejections and financial struggles, even taking up waitressing to make ends meet when acting work dried up.
In a candid reflection, Kellie once admitted how tough this period was, saying, "I was getting rejected from one job after another, and no matter how much I tried not to take it personally, a part of me couldn't help but think, 'I was too ugly to get that part'."
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But Kellie’s determination never wavered, and she eventually found her way back to the screen with roles in Bad Girls, Ali G In Da House - and the Only Fools and Horses prequel Rock and Chips, where she portrayed Joan Trotter.
Kellie’s big break came in 2013 when she was cast as Linda Carter on EastEnders.
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As Linda, Kellie has tackled some of the soap’s most challenging storylines, from battling alcoholism to surviving a brutal assault.
Most recently, the character has been embroiled in a shocking murder plot.
Away from the cameras, Kellie leads a much quieter life.
She married actor Paul Stocker in 2014 after they met while working on a play together.
However, their romance wasn't without its challenges.
Kellie was 31 and Paul just 24 when they met, and she initially had reservations about their future together because she was ready to start a family while Paul wasn’t.
Speaking about this time, Kellie shared, "Reality kicked in. I was 31 and wanted to have kids, and Paul was 24 and didn't at the time. I felt it wasn't fair on Paul—I worried he'd resent me."
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Despite these concerns, their relationship flourished, and today, they are proud parents to three sons: Freddie (born in 2011), Gene (born in 2016), and Rudy (born in 2021).
Paul has also made appearances on EastEnders, including his memorable role as DS Howard South in 2016.
Linda Carter's biggest EastEnders storylines
Linda arrived on the Square on Boxing Day in 2013, along with her husband Mick (Danny Dyer) and has been a hit with soap fans ever since.
Her first storylines revolved around the fact that she struggled to come to terms that her son Johnny is gay
In a storyline that had long-lasting repercussions, she was then raped by Mick's brother Dean Wicks (Matt Di Angelo).
She fell pregnant shortly after and then was left devastated emotionally when she gave birth to a premature baby after falling down the stairs.
Things soon got worse for Linda after she discovered that her husband Mick kissed their daughter-in-law Whitney Dean (Shona McGarty), who was married to their veteran son Lee (Danny Hatchard).
One of her more memorable storylines was when she was accused of perverting the course of justice. This was after Stuart Highway (Ricky Champ) is shot and she was falsely accused of attempted murder.
Over the years she has suffered from a variety of illnesses and disorders which include bulimia, alcoholism, and a secret battle with cervical cancer. After she gave birth to her youngest son Ollie (Harry Farr), she also had to deal with his autism diagnosis.
Although she and Mick seemed to be the perfect couple, the pair split up for a short time after she had an affair with Max Branning (Jake Wood). This lead to another pregnancy.
However, the pair finally got divorced after Janine Butcher (Charlie Brooks) set her eyes on Mick. She wanted the landlord all to herself and she lured Linda rival back into alcoholism to drive a wedge between them.
After this led to Mick's apparent death at sea, she struggled to adjust to life without her ex-husband and the true love of her life. This was just after the pair decided to have another go at their relationship.
Recently, Linda was the person who was at the very centre during 'The Six' storyline. She tried to save her best friend Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean) when she was being strangled by Keanu Taylor (Danny Walters). When she killed him with a meat thermometer, the group framed her rapist Dead Wicks after he returned to the square. Since then, she has struggled to cope.
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