EastEnders crisis as Danny Dyer’s forced exit destroys major storylines including Whitney Carter’s ‘pregnancy with Mick’s baby’
There has been speculation that Whitney will become pregnant by Mick and be left a single mother
DANNY Dyer's exit from EastEnders has plunged the show into chaos with major storylines being affected.
The actor - who plays Queen Vic landlord Mick Carter in the BBC soap - has been forced to take a break from the show and with his character featuring in major storylines, the show is in crisis.
Strong storylines about the Carter family's future are now in peril as Danny takes a break, while the claims Whitney will become pregnant by Mick after their feelings for each other bubble over.
Pictures taken of actress Shona McGarty appeared to confirm the rumours as she was spotted walking to a nightclub set hiding her stomach from the cameras.
Viewers know how Whitney cheated on her husband Lee with Mick after waking up after being being run over by a bus, and he had previously kissed her before her wedding to Lee.
Now the soap has been plunged into chaos with Danny no longer being available to film for episodes he was meant to appear in.
A Walford insider said: “Having Danny off is a total nightmare - it causes total chaos for both the writers and producers.
“The storylines are worked out months in advance and no one was expecting him to be off. A lot of scripts had to be torn up and it’s caused a lot of behind-the-scenes chaos. It’s all anyone is talking about on set.”
It comes as viewers have revolted at the news, threatening to switch off from the soap unless Danny stays.
The party animal actor has stopped filming after talks with show bosses and is expected to be off work for a number of weeks, say insiders.
They were especially concerned about his behaviour at the National Television Awards, where he fell off the wagon after an attempt to quit alcohol at the start of the year.
An insider on EastEnders said: “The producers are concerned about him for a number of reasons.
“It was clear to onlookers he appeared very drunk at the NTAs. It is best that he takes some time out to sort his life out. He appears to be exhausted.
“As a result, Danny is not filming on the show at all. There is an enforced break that is expected to last a number of weeks.
“At the end of the day, he remains the biggest star of the show — so everyone is determined to get him back to his best.”
Danny’s departure is a major concern for Enders producers as he is central to storylines on the show, filmed about six weeks in advance.
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Danny, who makes £400,000 a year and has a contract until October, admitted to The Sun he was back on booze backstage at the NTAs last month.
Carrying a glass of beer, he said: “The beginning of the year is a month ago now.
“I mean, I did try to give up drinking but — as you can see — I’m now sucking on a lager.”
Last year Danny was involved in an embarrassing public fight at the V Festival with friends of reality star Mark Wright.
The actor was kicked in the head in front of his daughter and left with a black eye after he claimed he was “jumped” by Mark’s friends at the event in Chelmsford, Essex.
Danny, who joined EastEnders in 2013, wed wife Joanne Mas, 40, last year after she proposed to him.
The couple were 19 when they had their first daughter, Dani, now 19.
They have another daughter, Sunnie, eight, and son Arty, two.
Last night an EastEnders spokeswoman declined to comment but today they said: ""Danny is on a short break from EastEnders. This was not enforced by bosses nor has he quit the show."
- EastEnders airs Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday nights on BBC One
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