Ted has come on leaps and bounds, I really hope he sticks around.

Agreed. His interaction with Lee about getting a job was a bit weird and random, though. I wonder if it's going somewhere?

It was not very subtle the repeated questions from Johnny about finding a job and the mock interview in the Vic leading to more questions. Spoilers for next week show Lee getting ready for a job interview. If this takes place it makes the references last night random and a bit over the top.

I do wonder if Lee fakes having a job interview and maybe it is the early part of his exit story relating to his depression. I would not rule out Whitney losing the baby as the tipping point for Lee resulting in him leaving Walford.

I do wonder what's going to happen with Lee. Danny Boy was pictured with fans outside Elstree on Monday so he is presumably still filming, which kind of destroys my theory that Linda will temporarily leave after Lee either commits suicide or disappears from Walford the day of his wedding. I'm sure Kellie can't STILL be filming? I suppose Danny Boy could have been refilming some scenes or maybe he does disappear, appears again temporarily so the audience know he didn't kill himself, and then that's it for his character.

With Johnny, I wonder if we're starting to get an early picture of why Lee is going to leave. Basically his whole family not recognising he's entering another depressive episode, pressuring him to get a job, to support Whitney and the baby etc, and one day it all just becomes too much for him. Although I don't like the idea of Johnny not recognising his brother isn't coping, it would give him some good material to work with if he has to deal with his guilt afterwards.

I think that Kellie has finished filming and has confirmed she will off for six months which is not too long in terms of soap time It looks she be off screen late November after the wedding until maybe June. I think looking after her mum who falls ill and her pub storyline seem very likely for a relatively short exit

No idea when Lee is leaving but thinking it might be after Christmas and New Year and then he leaves? I would guess they will be filming the Xmas day episode fairly soon. The Carter family Christmas won't be much fun with no Linda, Buster, Nancy Olly (?) and maybe Lee

I was pleased we had the nice scene between Johnny and Lee after the scene in the Vic when Lee snapped at Johnny for trying to help.

We don't get many any scenes between the two of them and with Lee going there sadly won't be many more. Always enjoyed Lee and Johnny together as brothers just which EE had done more with them in the Sam Strike period and now with Ted

It was a lovely little scene. It feels like a long time since we've seen any of the Carter siblings looking out for each other so it was a nice surprise to get this tonight.

I feel very sad that Lee is going, and I really hope it's a somewhat happy ending though I doubt that will be the case.

Quite small cast lists next week and Johnny is in every day apart from Friday. Daran Little wrote Thursday and Friday episodes so it's a shame he isn't in both of them, though at least the writing for all characters feels a lot more consistent under the new producer.

Going by Whitney and Lee getting the duff duffs on Monday and Tuesday I wonder if something is going to happen to the baby?

DS Twitter has tweeted that there are big storylines coming for Johnny according to Ted who attended the Inside Soap Awards.

I really hope so. I was just thinking tonight how much Ted has come on and how much more comfortable on camera he is. I'd hate to lose Johnny!

Digitalspy asking the important questions. If you're reading, Daniel, thank you.

Ted was looking goooooddd in tonight's episode. And he looks lovely at the Inside Soap Awards. I think it's great that he's a bit experimental with his fashion.

I'm a very happy Johnny fan right now!

It has certainly been a good night

Really enjoyed tonight's episode with the Johnny/Lee storyline and the two of them work so well together. I was pleased we got to see Lee confirming Johnny as the best man as well. Ted was certainly looking hot tonight and I see it has caused a bit of stir on the main forum

Best news of all is that we may have big storylines coming up for Johnny. I can't wait to find out what they are. What is also encouraging is that EE is improving certainly in the writing and direction and whatever they have planned will I think be better executed than the last few months of DTC's reign.

Agreed, it's a very exciting time for the show and there has been a noticeable improvement in terms of writing and characterisation. Ted is doing a great job with Johnny and now is the perfect time for him to get a storyline deserving of the character. Whether or not that's part of the ongoing Carter drama, particularly Lee's exit (which may explain why we've had more scenes with Johnny and Lee recently) or a storyline in his own right, remains to be seen, but at least we've got something to look forward to!

The actual write up of Ted's comments makes it sound a bit less 'definite' that Johnny has got something coming up, and if he has it won't be for a while yet. But there are some big plans generally and hopefully that does include his character, so we'll see how it goes.

http://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/east...ter-big-plans/

He also says that Kellie is STILL filming. Her and Danny Boy's departures are going to be a lot later than I previously thought. Surely they must be filming Christmas imminently, if they haven't already started, so I wonder if Lee and Linda are going to be around for that?

Edit: Having read the article again I think I'm reading it a bit wrong. When he says "I'm told there are some big plans and I'm excited to see them - but they're keeping a lot under wraps!" - I guess he is talking specifically about Johnny's character and not just big plans generally. So I'm still excited.

Another article here from last night:

http://www.ok.co.uk/tv/eastenders/61...astenders-exit

It does sound like at the moment there is no possibility of Johnny/Ben, as both actors have now very clearly said the two are just friends. On the subject of Steven it sounds a tiny bit more possible but Ted says he can't see it happening due to Lauren and Steven going strong, so unless he's bluffing, again there doesn't seem to be anything happening for the forseeable.

I guess with the other news that Ted doesn't know what's coming up for Johnny, he's going to be single for the next few months at least which is disappointing IMO.

Ted does say here that he'll be working very closely with Danny Dyer in the next few months so I guess there's some stuff coming up with how Johnny and Mick cope once Linda and maybe Lee have gone.

Oh Ted, why did you say that about J&S! (i hope he is bluffing)

J&S must be the most anticipated couple that never happened!

It's so frustrating isn't it? But at least he doesn't completely close down the possibility like he does with Johnny and Ben. He does acknowledge there was 'a moment', and it's only Lauren and Steven's relationship that makes him doubt it would happen.

I think we can be cautiously optimistic following Ted's comments.

Ted seemed to be in a positive mood looking forward to new storylines and had high praise for new producer. It sounds like he is staying

It is understandable that for the rest of the year and early New Year that the focus is on Lee/Linda exits and the Christmas stuff. Johnny will be part of it but there is too much going to be giving him a big storyline. It makes sense in the New year with a slimmed down Carter family that Johnny can take centre stage and writers seem to be working up ideas now. Who knows that could include a romance with Ben/Steven even if Ted does not think so

Interesting that Kellie is still working which would suggest she might be around for Christmas Day. They should be filming the scenes for the Xmas day episode now or in the next week at the latest.

I'd love a Johnny/Ben romance.

As I suspected Bonded by Blood 2 starting Sam Strike was not released last week and is now scheduled to be released 2 January 2017

Another interview with Ted here, this one with Radio Times. It's good to see so many media outlets were interested in talking to him at the Soap Awards, especially considering he's a relatively low profile figure on EE at the moment.

http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2016-...or-the-carters

A couple of interesting remarks from him - first of all that Danny Boy is still filming (which we do know) but that he isn't sure what Lee's exit will be. That must mean that the Carter actors won't have received the scripts yet for Lee's exit, though presumably Danny Boy has been told how Lee will be going as Ted says that he's teased them with it. I think it's looking increasingly likely that Lee leaves either Christmas or New Year and that it's still possible Lee and Linda leave around the same time, just later than I first thought.

Ted also says that he's staying, which hopefully means beyond the end of his contract and not just for the next few months. I don't really understand what he means by saying he has unfinished business - whether that means Johnny has an ongoing storyline that is starting soon or if he's just used the expression a bit incorrectly.

I'm excited to see where Johnny and Mick are taken when they are left to their own devices.

Sam Strike appears to have totally gone off the radar. He's a young guy in his 20s so there is absolutely nothing wrong with him just living his life and doing what he wants to do, but I did think that we might see a bit more of him in the almost-two-years that he has been a jobbing actor. It's a shame, especially because Maddy Hill seems to have really hit the ground running since her departure.

Johnny continues his tour of scenes with Walford's hottest men. Kush tonight. Thought they made a nice little double act.

Hard to believe it is two years since Sam left EE and it is true he does not seem to be doing anything at the moment acting wise. He is based in LA with his girlfriend which I guess means doing UK stuff like TV or plays is difficult. Who knows maybe that big part will come

Back to Johnny and I am enjoying his continued interactions with the residents of Albert Square with the new EE writing and direction. We have had conversation with Vincent/Kim on driving, Lee/Johnny/Lauren with the dress and now helping Carmel /Kush with the bed.

Nothing much storyline wise but just nice to see him out and about mingling with everyone and there is a nice feel to EE at the moment. Big change from when he arrived and barely left the Vic in the first five months and spoke to nobody apart from his family

He's had more interactions outside of the Vic since SOC took over than he ever did with DTC. SOC actually gives me hope for Johnny, and if he does have big stories coming, I'm really excited. I also noticed that his acting has definitely improved - I really hope he's one who'll stick around (as in, for years to come) as he's come on leaps and bounds, and it'll be nice to actually have a few characters from this era still stick around. Plus, Johnny is probably the character that best reflects me on television.

I haven't really followed Sam Strike in recent months but I just had a quick glance of his twitter. I noticed that he's trying to stop smoking (October 1st marked his first week without a cigarette for seven years), so I'm really happy for him. Hopefully, come 2017, we'll see Sam Strike and Ted Reilly a lot more