I think the door being left open is great but some characters do need to come back to finish their story and there is always a danger of that happening.

Ive never thought of this good topic

Phil Mitchel how could he leave id be so sad, maybe in a huge gun fight he is shot with grant by his side after a heist goes wrong.

You know what, I wouldn't mind the years of alcoholism and drugs finally catching up with Old Mr Mitchell and gets Liver Failure and dies. That would be karma for keeping Ben's secret and for allowing Dennis to go in and beat up Johnnie

Yes as Phil fan this would be horrible to watch though but its a good one.

ohhh, interesting, I do think if Phil leaves it needs to be BIG something very high pace or something like the liver failure and in his final action towards Ben he could tell Shirley (but she is going to find out soon anyway)

phill mitchell has to go out with a bang maybe a 1hour post watershed episode when his past catches up with him and we see phils final stand

I just don't think he should just go with being shot. Something long and drawn out, so we get to see Steve's great acting, but also facing all the pain and everything that hasn't turned out great in his life. In the end he dies alone in a hospital bed without any family around him.

Don't get me wrong, I like Phil, he's one of my favourite characters, just i think being shot etc would just be too easy.

Carla needs a proper explosive ending, yet still be able to come back otherwise I'd sob. Or she should just never leave

Aha yes! I hope she stays long term as she is/ could easily be an truly iconic character!

Sorry people but I dug up this thread again as I have new favourite characters.

Moira Dingle: basically not death but something where she can always come back if she wanted. Boring, I know.

Subnote: How wrong was I about Zainab & Masoods exit

Cain Dingle - it would have to be something absolutely amazing if he ever left. Taking a bullet or going on the run to save or protect his family. I can't even think about Emmerdale without him.

Surprised this hasn't been done yet:

... I don't.

Alicia Metcalfe - I would be devastated if this happened as she has been my favourite character since she arrived in Emmerdale. If she did go it would have to be in a big disaster or being murdered. I would prefer her to have an open return but those exits don't stand out very much.

Robbie Lawson - I can see his exit being a prison sentence or, after being ignored by Megan who is too interested in worming her way into the chocolate factory to realise her son is homeless, to just leave the village.

I actually don't have one anymore...

All villains seemed to be time, especially as all are so desperate for bad actions to be accounted for.

I no longer have a favourite character... Is that a reflection on the soaps?

Emmerdale needs to step up their villains and stop relying on Cain Dingle and Charity Macey (great characters though) and so do Eastenders and stop relying on everyone being scared of Phil Mitchell (again a great actor.)

I wouldn't want them too, they have to stay until the bitter end.

Megan:

I'd like Megan to die tragically whilst still on bad terms with Declan. Declan finds out, is devastated, murders Charity in a fit of rage, then kills himself out of sadness at what he did to his sister. He will be immortalised as the sex god he is forever.

...I like tragic endings.

Your post gave me a vision of Shirley, Sharon and Phil stuck in a nursing home. Shirley attacking Phil with a commode screaming at him "I'M YOUR TRUE LOVE, ADMIT IT!!!"

"You always did like it rough... and wrinkled"

Great thread! I'll be keeping an eye on this one.

My favourite character is Nancy Carter and when she finally does I would like to see her leave the way we first met her - at a wedding. She rides off into the sunset after meeting the Freddy Eynsford-Hill to her Eliza Doolittle.

Hahahahahahahahahaha! With the boots still on....! Haa!

Shirley Carter. I like to her disappear up her own arse.

Meanwhile Sharon is contemplating stabbing him with a knitting needle but decides not to as he always buys her Werther's Originals.

But, the real question is: Who would Phil give his last Werther's too?

He'd promise it to both of em, then get the biddy mafia to batter them and steal it back.