EastEnders viewers call for Lee Carter to be removed from the show over shocking scene which showed him hitting wife Whitney

EASTENDERS fans are demanding producers cut Lee Carter from the show early following a shocking scene in tonight's episode which showed him hitting wife Whitney.

The character, played by Danny-Boy Hatchard, is due to leave this month - but viewers are calling for him to be axed now.

Viewers flocked to Twitter to express their horror over the domestic violence in tonight's show, as Lee slapped Whitney across the face during a heated argument.

Many demanded producers should remove Lee from the soap with immediate effect, declaring: "Get rid of him".

One wrote: "Im done. Lee just leave. #Eastenders."

Another added: "Omfg. How can you put violent hands on your wife?!

"Nope. Finito. It's finished. Bye. Done. Have a nice life. #eastenders."

A third stated: "Lee actually makes me feel sick" and another wrote: "I wish #eastenders would get rid of Lee."

Another tweeted: "Can we just get rid of Lee in #eastenders ? The most awful character along with Babe."

One added: "Get rid of him. Worst character EVER."

The depressed former soldier - played by Danny-Boy Hatchard - lashed out and hit Whitney, leaving her utterly terrified of him, after the pair rowed over money again.

After enjoying a night out with Lee's friend, Lee got it into his head that  Whitney was trying to get rid of him because she tried to help get him another job.

"If you call an evening being humiliated by your wife and your mate fun then yeah, I had the time of my life," Lee raged at Whitney as they left the pub.

Heading back to their flat the couple rowed over the evening with Lee not realising that Whitney was just trying to help him.
"I really don't get what the big deal is Lee," Whitney said as he attacked her for flirting with his friend, and he accused her of lying about something.

Confessing she pawned her rings instead of losing them so they could afford a night out, hypocritical Lee was fuming that she had lied to him.
"Why would you do this to me? I'm a grown man, Whit," Lee shouted at her but she hit back and told him a boatload of home truths.

"Start acting like it then," she told him. "Because seriously I can't do this anymore.  I can't, I put up with more than most women so can you imagine your mum doing what I've done tonight?"

"No, you can't, can you? Because your dad is a fighter and you know that, you know that when he gets knocked down he picks himself straight back up again.

"Do you know what I wouldn't give, what I wouldn't give for you to be a little bit more like him but you won't and you never will be because you mope around feeling sorry for yourself don't you? And you leave it all down to me, down to me to pick up the pieces.

"And yeah, your dad did speak to me tonight, he did say something, he said that you don't deserve me. And do you know what, I'm beginning to think that he's right."

And with that Lee turned around and smacked Whitney in the face, rendering her terrified and sobbing.

Feeling horrified about what he'd done, Lee wouldn't leave Whitney alone as she lay terrified in the bedroom.

"Whit, please forgive me, please forgive me, I didn't mean to," he said to her. "Whit please talk to me, please say something, please. Whit please."

Actor Danny-Boy Hatchard will soon be leaving the soap but it has yet to be revealed how or when.

• EastEnders airs Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday nights on BBC One