I agree. Ted looks right for the part of Johnny and we just have to wait and see how it looks on screen.

Hopefully EE writers such Daren Little who did some of Johnny's best scenes beforehand are on board. The scenes with Linda I think will be emotional when they talk about the rape. We have the Dean's trial coming up and wonder if Johnny's return is before that?

I was wondering about Dean's trial too. I was wondering when it is and whether Johnny might attend. If they're filming it at the moment or they're going to start filming it soon, with Ted just starting, then it seems like a possibility. But if they've already filmed it then presumably he won't be there for it.

It will be interesting to see how Johnny reacts to the whole thing as he was still quite friendly with Dean when he left - wasn't it Dean that helped him choose the moped or have I mis-remembered that as well?!

I'd love for Daran to write Johnny's return episode or definitely the episode with him finding out about Linda's rape which might not be immediately but will presumably be fairly early on. I think it will be heartbreaking for Johnny to find out that he wasn't there to support Linda when she most needed it, and I can imagine he might be quite hard on himself for not noticing Linda's state of mind before he left, though of course she hid it well and he isn't to blame, just as the rest of the family weren't to blame either.

Yes Dean and Johnny were very friendly when he left which of course was part of why Linda supported Johnny leaving.

I just find it difficult to believe that Johnny knows nothing about the rape and arrives completely in the dark. Linda and Mick saw him recently and would surely had said something given that Dean was in jail and they were moving on with their life.

I guess for drama purposes it is better he arrives and we see his reaction when he finds out about Linda's rape

I don't think Mick and Linda would have wanted to talk about it when they were on their honeymoon. I suppose Johnny may have asked about everyone, including Dean, but they would probably have just said something non-committal and changed the subject.

I wonder when we'll start getting advance spoilers featuring Johnny? If he does show up at the end of March then we might get something mid-March as they're usually a couple of weeks in advance. It would also be nice if we got an interview with Ted before he starts which could give us some clues as to the kind of stories Johnny will be involved in.

I feel so impatient to hear some more news!

At this stage we don't know for certain that Ted has started filming but if he has started we should know something by mid March. I am sure he will do interviews with the TV mags to out prior to his first appearence.

I am intriged as to what will be the story beind Johnny's return. There is no Carter family occassion I can think of coming up in March that might be a good reason for him to return except maybe for Dean's trial (but as this is for the attempted rape of Roxy why would Johnny return). I don't know if EE are planning anything special for Good Friday but maybe he returns just when something happens in the Vic?

I was watching the old EE episodes with Johnny and there is a scene between Johnny and Dean where Dean says Johnny is 20 (in relation to them discussing what he should do with the money Mick gave him) so he will be 21 on his return turning 22 later in the year on the basis that Nancy was born in October the year before Johnny was born.

With regards Johnny's return where is he going to live as the Vic is full. Staying at Shirley's could be awkward as he would have Dean's old room leaving only Tina/Sonia's house. I would love for the Carter kids to get their own place in the Square as it would good to see them being independent and acting like young adults hopefully we also see more of their fun side.

I think they can explain Johnny's return fairly easily by saying he broke up with Luca. That's what I'm assuming, anyway. Unless Luca is coming back with him (which I very much doubt) then it seems the obvious reason why Johnny would come back home. Also if he is going to carry on his studies (which I really hope he does) then he's deferred for way over a year now but an Easter return means he could be starting a new term at the university.

Ah, so I wasn't completely wrong about his age, then, just his birthday. However I wouldn't be surprised if they knock a year off his age so he can celebrate his 21st this year. How old are Ben and Paul meant to be? They might want to make him the same age as those two if he was to get into a relationship with one of them. Although I suppose a year or two doesn't make any real difference.

I believe there are four bedrooms at the Vic. At the moment we've got Mick and Linda in one room, Lee and Whitney in another, and then I guess Babe and Nancy have their own rooms. So either Babe and Nancy could share a room or maybe Lee and Whitney break up soon as she's apparently going to tell him that she kissed Mick. If not then it might be the sofa for Johnny for a while; he always seemed to prefer that to his own room, anyway. I think eventually, if Lee and Whitney stay together then they may get their own place. I could actually see Johnny and Nancy sharing a flat, as they get on so well together. But for now I think the writers will want to keep them all together at the Vic, and we'll just have to assume the Vic is doing its usual Tardis routine!

You forget Olly (I am assuming he is with Mick and Linda)

I would imagine that Linda won't need much of an excuse to get Babe out and maybe send her to Shirley to ensure Johnny stays at the Vic. As you say I am sure they will want the family together at the Vic for a while.

LOL, have we even seen Olly yet? He seems like the invisible child. But yes, he probably is in with Mick and Linda.

I have a feeling that the writers will want to keep Babe around at The Vic for now, specifically because Johnny is moving back. The last involvement that Johnny had with Ben, he was sending him a lovely postcard telling him to be himself. So I think he's going to be quite shocked upon returning to see that Ben is still firmly in the closet and that now he's (allegedly) going to become a father with Abi. Obviously the Babe/Abi partnership-from-hell has been great viewing but there may have been another reason they chose Babe to be the mastermind behind this. Johnny would be absolutely furious to learn that Babe has been instrumental in keeping Ben in the closet and I think that he may actually be the one to learn the truth about what's been going on, particularly if he's living with Babe. Like I said, it's just a feeling I have, but it seems the ideal way for the truth to come out (and then maybe the start of a Ben/Johnny relationship?)

This is a fantastic idea Elly! I could totally see this happening. I could see a few doofs doofs.

In terms of Ted and Sam's resemblance, there is a picture in this article that shows them both side-by-side and you can definitely see the similarities and the differences.

http://moviepilot.com/posts/3788899

Thank you, Stephen. I guess we'll have to wait and see.

The midnight spoilers released last night suggest a lot of turmoil and division for the Carters next week, with Whitney and Lee getting engaged despite the fact that Whitney is having doubts about their relationship (Lee apparently has a secret he tells her which leads to this, I assume it will be something to do with his depression), and Nancy moving out as a result - which I guess answers the question about where Johnny will sleep! We've then also got Babe still pulling the strings with Abi and Ben.

I can see why the press statement about Johnny's return said his happy bubble will burst when he gets home, if this is all still going on. Hopefully he'll be able to talk some sense into his siblings.

I am not sure where EE are going with Lee and Whitney. I am still thinking a wedding is unlikely (if nothing else can EE put on a wedding without Bianca, Carol and the rest of Whitney's family) and they might split. On the postiive side if they do actually get married Johnny will be Lee's best man

WIth Nancy I suspect this will be a short term measure and she will move back to the Vic at some point probably before Johnny returns. I think Johnny's return is what Nancy's needs as she has had/ will be having a tough time recently and really needs her brother who she connects with more than Lee (who has his own problems). Johnny certainly will have a lot to deal with his family when the returns.

Agreed about Nancy. I know it's Lee who has depression but the way they've written Nancy this year, you could almost believe she has it as well. She's very much stuck in a rut and I think Johnny's return will hopefully give her a bit more spark again. I don't mind the strained relationship she has with Lee as I think it's quite realistic when you have three or more siblings for at least two of them not to get on as well, and then you tend to have the 'peacemaker' (which would obviously be Johnny), but I would like to see more of the fiery, humorous Nancy we used to get as a contrast to Johnny's shyness.

Danny-Boy Hatchard ‏@danboy 1h1 hour ago
Everyone follow my new onscreen Brother! .@Ted_Reilly14 currently killing it on set! #Johnny #EastEnders 👊🏻

Definite confirmation that Ted is now filming as Johnny, so the end of March first appearance date is apparently accurate. Possible confirmation of Ted's twitter, though EE cast and crew have been duped in the past by fake accounts so I'm only tentatively following for now!

Also, this is probably just of interest to me, but when Sam tweeted Finn Jones yesterday I had a look on his Twitter and sure enough he seems to have been doing Leatherface even though he isn't on the cast list on IMDB. Finn plays one of my favourite characters, Ser Loras Tyrell, in Game of Thrones, and he is completely gorgeous. So now I'm extra excited to see Leatherface.

That is good to know that filming is underway and it won't long before he is on screen hopefully for Easter.

I must admit I am not enjoying the current Abi/Ben/Lee/Whitney (and Mick) related story lines all rather unpleasant - fake pregnancy, STD's ,one night affairs and kissing your boyfriends father and fear Johnny being dragged into this mess especially if he going to be with Ben.

Aside from Mick nobody is coming out of this looking good and I just hope Johnny retains his decency when he returns.

I am kind of enjoying the storyline in a car crash sort of way but I definitely get what you mean; everyone involved is coming out of it looking a bit, well, grubby, and I wouldn't want Johnny to be associated with that. Not to mention that there may now well be friction with Lee and Johnny further along the lines when Abi inevitably gets pregnant after their one night stand and the truth about the baby's father comes out. If Johnny gets together with Ben and Lee decides to "man up" and get with Abi for the sake of the baby, there will always be fraught relationships between the two couples.

But this is a long way off, and hopefully they've got more original things for Johnny in mind. I don't mind Ben and Johnny getting together but only if we can see a positive relationship between the two of them, not just endless anger and family get-togethers descending into slanging matches.

Danny Boy Hatchard (Lee) has done a DS interview and said this of Johnny's return:


All sounds very encouraging and just can't wait to see it on screen

Watching EE tonight and there was a kitchen scene between Whitney and Nancy and I looked over at the picture and they had put a ironing board strategically placed to cover the picture of Johnny in the family portrait:

It's been like that for a couple of months at least, DTC even retweeted someone saying something along the lines of 'So that's why the picture has been covered up by an ironing board!' when he announced they were recasting Johnny.

The midnight spoilers tonight hint at the possible reason Johnny will return home, I think.

http://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/east...yoaks-bonding/

The next previews/spoilers out this week are the lead up to Easter including Good Friday. I think there is a good chance Johnny will turn up in one these episodes at the hospital.

I am hoping Johnny turns up the hospital with Linda alone watching over Olly as that would be an emotional scene when you think of Johnny's story of being born premature and he nearly died. That connection between Linda/Johnny/Olly would be a great way to bring Johnny back

As I said earlier in the thread, he'll inevitably come back Good Friday or Easter Monday as I'm in Italy that weekend. He's trying to avoid me.

That would be a good scene, I agree. I'm really dreading this storyline, though, it's going to be very sad if Ollie doesn't pull through.

So the Carter family photo was smashed in tonight's episode. End of an era. But also the beginning of a new one!

EE had drawn more attention to the picture with the less than subtle way of blocking Johnny's picture and then getting it smashed. At least Johnny remembered his Mum with call and a card on Mother's day.

You did say you were going to Rome. You do realise Johnny is coming back to Walford from Rome

I'm going to Milan, not Rome. But I still think he's trying to avoid me.