Breaks my heart people calling for sweet Johnny to be axed! I mean what has he done wrong!!!!!!

Can't they see how amazing the sexual chemistry is between him and Steven? this could be an epic partnership if EE got it right.

I really hope he isn't axed but I think it's going to be a strange dynamic without Lee, and Linda being off for possibly six months, possibly even longer. That's what makes me worried for him.

I wonder when Lee will be going? Going by the yearly contract rule, Lee came in at around March or April IIRC but I can't see them announcing it this early if he's going to be there for another eight months, so presumably his contract arrangements changed at some point during his time on the show or there was a mutual decision for him to leave earlier. That means we could feasibly have a situation where we only have Mick and Johnny (and Shirley if you count her) out of the main family for a good six months or so. It might be quite nice to have some focus on the two of them but at the same time it could also mean that they're put on the backburner until Ted's contract is up for renewal at which point he could go as well.

My best case scenario at this point is for Lee to commit sucide, for Linda to leave temporarily as she can't cope with the grief, and for a vulnerable Johnny to start a relationship with either Ben or Steven. We could then get Mick and Shirley going into ultra-protective mode over him and the fireworks this would cause could potentially really give a strong focus to Johnny's character.

It's hard to know what to expect, really, but I just pray they give Ted a fighting chance as Johnny because it would break my heart if they got rid of him before he was even given a decent storyline.

I see Aaron has deleted that gay porn gif! I must admit my eyes almost popped out when I first clicked on it!! Wasn't expecting it at all. Was it Johnny's head inserted onto the guy too? I couldn't really make the face out on my phone

I hope Aaron doesn't get into trouble over it.

Someone suggested with Lee and Linda gone that Steven might start work at The Vic. This could be the start of Joven so we hope!

Can't believe I missed it!

I'd be gutted if Johnny was axed; he's not been given a chance yet and it would be a terrible waste! I'm hoping that Lee being axed instead has saved Johnny and they actually plan to do something with the character, as there's masses of potential there.

Bit of a nervous time.

Agreed.It is definitely a nervous time and I am feeling worried for Johnny/Ted with more departures apparently to be announced.

Johnny's issue is he has pretty much no real relationships outside the Carter family. At the moment, I can't help thinking that a lot of the decision about Johnny's future rests on what they plan to do with Ben, as Ben is Johnny's only strong non-Carter relationship on the show.

I think that as well. Ben is now one of main characters of EE due to being Phil's son and they will be planning storylines for him including his next love interest. The new producer will decide if Ben and Johnny have a future role in new storylines and that would influence his decision on whether he keeps Ted.

Jay's future remains uncertainis and if Jay leaves that would strengthen the need for Johnny to stay be Ben's friend.

I can't relate to Ben at all. I wouldn't miss him if he was axed. I never bought into his and Paul's love story either.

Johnny is a gay guy I do identify with. I will be sad if he goes.

If SOC axes Johnny or Stacey, I'll for sure stop watching.

Two characters that I severely identify with.
But I'm not really nervous, Ted said he was excited for something involving Johnny so I'll just wait and see.

So far, I'm wondering just HOW hard the Lee exit will hit the square and how it will shake up the Carters.
I'm hoping Shirley moves into the Vic while Linda is away.

I think I'd stop watching too if Johnny went. The Carters, mainly Johnny, were the reason I started watching again in 2014 and though I held on for the year after Sam left, I came pretty close to switching off. It was only really the possibility he'd be recast that made me stick with it. I don't think I could cope with losing Johnny a second time.

There was a summer party at the studio today and Ted was there which hopefully suggests that everything is good with him and SOC who presumably was the one to arrange it. I definitely think Danny Boy and Danny Dyer going to V Festival this weekend instead of going to this shows that they're pissed off (especially Danny Boy tweeting 'f**k it I'm going to V" or something along those lines) but hopefully Ted will remain professional and not stick his head above the parapet while SOC is in firing mode.

Nice picture of Ted from today:

https://twitter.com/blondierodge/sta...04145057927169

Episode update: Johnny is in one episode this week (Tuesday) and none next week. Total dry spell at the moment! Hopefully this means we'll get him for a bigger storyline rather than just ongoing but brief appearances soon.

I will probably quit watching too if Johnny goes although if

I've only watched Eastenders since around 2007ish so don't know characters previous to that.

The autumn and run up to Christmas/New Year must surely include a lot of Carter storylines with Linda and Lee's departures. The wedding is supposed to take place in November as well. Hopefully the dry period is just because they need Johnny in a lot of episodes for these storylines.

Still no news of Paul's funeral and the revenge on the attackers storyline still rumbles on but no idea if it is heading for some major showdown but this could potentially involve Johnny

I think I noted earlier on this thread that Ted has been pictured outside Elstree quite regularly the last few weeks so I suspect we'll get another month of sporadic Johnny appearances before he gets involved with the Autumn stuff you've listed.

I do wonder when Lee is going. With Roxy and Ronnie's statements they said it would be next year but with Lee they didn't say anything so it could all feasibly be in the autumn around the time of the wedding and whatever leads to Linda's absence.

Obviously once again this all could mean that Johnny gets his usual spectator role and not his own storyline but theres a chance he'll feature significantly.

Paul's funeral could be next week as there was a spoiler this week about Les telling Pam they needed to plan it. Then again it isn't mentioned in the brief spoilers and the cast lists don't suggest it so maybe the week after next.

This interview with Harry Reid doesn't really make it sound like a Ben/Johnny romance is on the cards:

http://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/east...ith-the-world/

Would you like to see Ben have another boyfriend?


"With Johnny Carter, there is this tendency that we have a gay character come on the Square and people go: 'They are obviously getting together'. I think they work better as a friendship, as when Sam Strike was here playing Johnny, they had a little coming together but it didn't happen.

"Actually Johnny has helped Ben through so much, especially the coming out and being comfortable with his surroundings. They are becoming more of a friendship, almost a brotherhood. They are two guys in the same position, but it's easier for Johnny as he has a loving family behind him. I don't see them coming together, but who knows?"

Pretty much exactly the same answer as Aaron Sidwell gave when asked about Steven and Johnny. So either this means there's some bluffing going on and Johnny will get a romance with one or both of them, or (probably more likely) there's no plans for Johnny to get into a relationship anytime soon. The only other possibility could be Tom, especially as they exchanged that brief look the other day when Tom came to help Babe. But it's my least favoured option at this point because a relationship with an undeveloped recurring character isn't going to change Johnny's prominence on the show in the slightest.

It really is so frustrating that pretty much every viewer of the show can see that Johnny desperately needs a boyfriend in order to develop his character but the producers just aren't interested.

Thank god!! I would have hated Ben and Johnny together. I'm not keen on Ben tbh.

Joven please every time I see Steven I'm like why aren't you in Johnny's bedroom with him yet! lol

They're both gay and it's a soap. If Johnny is kept by the new producer they will get together at some point.

So basically we have no idea if Johnny is going to have a love interest. I would not take much notice of what the actors say as they are under instructions not to give anything away. Still think Johnny and Ben is likely to happen but that it could be long time in the making!

With the number of cast members leaving it does seem likely that SOC will bring in new characters maybe even a new family so there might be a chance one of them will be Johnny's new love interest. Could Tom be brought in with a family?

What remains unclear is what is the new producers view of LGBT storylines in EE. I assume it won't be the same as DTC who did a lot to champion LGBT characters and storylines although the quality of what was produced has been mixed.

I am hoping that the new producer might be best thing for Johnny and that he has a better vision for the character than DTC ever delivered.

My hopes for the new producer is that he approaches the underused characters like Johnny with a fresh pair of eyes, and with the express intention of shading them in to make them feel more 'whole' and not just ciphers for whatever current storyline is happening for the A-list characters. Apparently SOC is gay though of course that doesn't meant he's interested in championing LGBT storylines - and anyway, the biggest problem with DTC was that he talked the talk but a lot of the time it didn't translate to what we were seeing on screen. I'd simply like SOC to treat Johnny like the potentially interesting character he is rather than someone there to prop up Linda and Mick's parental status.

As I've said previously, I think the next few months will give us some indication of whether he's interested in Johnny's character. With Linda and Lee leaving, Johnny is well placed to have a big dramatic storyline of his own so I think the writing for him in the fallout to Lee and Linda going will be a clear indicator one way or another as to whether he's going to be used more.

Paul's funeral is on 8 September so I would imagine that Johnny will be involved in some capacity hopefully with a make up scene with Ben.

At least something to look forward to after tonight when Johnny makes his last appearance before being off screen for at least 6 episodes

6 episodes is like a lifetime

Johnny looking sexy tonight!

I thought he was looking good as well! Still not doing anything tho