This may not be the end for Janine (Picture: BBC)
EastEnders is hurtling towards Christmas and the incredibly epic climax of the Linda (Kellie Bright)/Mick (Danny Dyer)/Janine (Charlie Brooks) love triangle.
As Janine and Mick prepare for their wedding we know one thing for sure – that both Charlie Brooks and Danny Dyer are leaving the show.
When Charlie Brooks announced her departure in September, she said she’d had ‘an amazing time’ playing Janine for the past 18 months.
And we’ve had an amazing time watching her. We’ve seen Janine scheme her way into Mick’s heart, only to have to switch her plotting up a gear when Linda arrived back on the scene and immediately posed a threat to Janine and Mick’s fairly fragile relationship.
The twists and turns of the story have seen Janine frame Linda for a car accident that was really Janine’s fault – a manoeuvre that could be Janine’s undoing if the truth ever got out.
‘I’ve had the best year and a half getting back into Janine’s shoes,’ Charlie told us. ‘She’s so fun to play, but I also love playing all the vulnerable stuff with Janine as well. I’m an actress, so I want to do everything.’
Wed or dead? (Picture: BBC)
On the subject of whether Janine’s exit this time will be absolutely permanent or whether the possibility might be left open for a return, Charlie suggested that she felt Janine’s story arc could well be over – for now anyway.
‘I feel like if she was to stay in the show, the character might not be as strong somehow. I wouldn’t want her to be diluted because she is so full-on, she’s so dramatic.’
This sounds like bad news for Janine fans – but on the other hand, Charlie isn’t quite over Janine yet.
‘I always feel like there’s more to know, which is a really good place to be with a character,’ she said.
‘If something feels quite layered, quite complex, it always stays interesting and luckily for me, Janine has remained that way.’
Added to this, it looks like there’s some unfinished business for her character. She may have got her man – for the moment, at least – but it looks like she’s about to lose something that’s equally as dear to her heart when Mick decides he wants them to leave the Queen Vic.
More: Trending
Charlie told us that Janine won’t leave the Vic easily.
‘The Vic is something she has let go of – for now,’ she explained, ‘But she could have ulterior plans to come back and buy that pub because I think it’s definitely ultimately what she wants. But it’s that thing, isn’t it?
‘You get everything you want, but it’s still not enough. Whether it’s love or The Vic, Janine’s always seeking something to fill the void.’
So could we see Janine coming back to Walford at some point, maybe to stake her claim on the pub that she called home for many years?
‘I always say, “Never say never,”’ Charlie teased. ‘EastEnders is home to me, and I’ve had a fantastic time, so I’d be open to a return for sure.’
So does this mean that Janine will survive Christmas? Or is the wool being pulled over our eyes?
MORE : EastEnders spoilers: 68 pictures reveal major heartbreak and huge returns at Dot’s funeral
MORE : EastEnders confirms special ending music dubbed Dot’s Theme for funeral episode
Charlie is speaking out about Janine’s explosive ending.
