Amidst growing speculation about his potential return to EastEnders for the show's 40th anniversary, Dyer's appearance has fans buzzing. (Image: Prixpics / Alamy)

Danny Dyer was arguably best known for his documentaries and football hardman roles until he took on the part of loveable EastEnders pub owner Mick Carter on Christmas Day 2013.

The star portrayed Mick for nearly a decade until bowing out exactly nine years later, when the poor Queen Vic landlord got lost at sea in a dramatic Christmas Day episode in 2022.

Since then, Mick's alcohol wife, Linda Carter (Kellie Bright), has longed for his return, all the while knowing he has probably met his maker.

Many EastEnders fans have refused to believe Mick has passed on, but Danny recently confirmed once and for all that his alter-ego is in fact brown bread (dead), as Mick would say.

Dyer told Heat magazine: "Everyone is asking when I’m going back to EastEnders, which is very interesting to me. But he’s dead!"

While this could've put an end to speculation that Danny might return to Albert Square one day, this is of course Soapland, and anything can happen.

Related Reads:

• Land-Based Casinos - Find Your Next Destination!
• Odds on Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum’s Worldwide Gross and Oscars Chances

Danny's Dreamy Return

Danny is clearly on board with the sometimes over-the-top nature of a serial drama, as despite confirming Mick is dead, the Football Factory star has even hinted he could return to Walford next year as part of the show's 40th anniversary celebrations.

And he has an idea about how it could look.

Danny added to the publication: "Look, I take it as a compliment that people want me to go back. Who knows? If there’s no closure there, then maybe I would come back for a dream sequence. I don’t think Mick could just rock up covered in seaweed!"

"I think if they did it right, with the 40th anniversary coming up, if they came up with an idea of maybe Linda drunk or hallucinating, then I would come back and do some scenes with her."

EastEnders celebrates its 40th anniversary in February, and following Danny's recent comments, it is just 4/6 that he makes a show comeback as part of the celebrations, and 8/11 he returns at some point in 2025.

Danny's 2024 Comeback?

Further fuel has been added to the fire this week after EastEnders boss Chris Clenshaw hinted at some big character returns.

He told The Sun newspaper: "As we head towards our 40th year, I think the nostalgic element means a lot.

"Into the autumn and the end of the year, we’ve got quite a few treats coming up."

Quizzed about whether long-departed EastEnders characters could return to the BBC One soap, he said: "Maybe. It all depends on the story and where the characters are.

"But it has to come from character; it has to come from story."

Following Chris' comments, Danny is just 1/1 to make a pre-40th anniversary return by heading back to Queen Vic at some point this year.

Should Danny make an Albert Square comeback, it wouldn't be the first time an EastEnders actor has come back from the dead.

Gillian Taylforth's character Kathy Beale died off screen in 2000, only for her to return in 2015 as part of the show's 30th anniversary.

And more recently, Michelle Collins' character Cindy Beale returned from the dead last year, after she was killed off-screen 25 years beforehand.

It's clear in Soapland - if you haven't seen a body, then they aren't necessarily dead.

Mick Back For Good?

Danny is 4/5 to reprise his role as Mick - and the character is still alive and kicking.

Given EastEnders' history with Cindy and Kathy's shock returns-from-the-grave, it would no longer be such a surprise if Mick were to make a living and breathing comeback.

Some fans have speculated that Mick's potential alive and kicking return could draw comparisons to Neighbors character Harold Bishop.

In 1991, Harold - played by Ian Smith - was feared dead when his glasses were found at the edge of a cliff, but his body was never recovered.

Five years later, he returned to Ramsay Street and was called Ted, as it turned out the character had been swept out to sea and picked up by a trawler.

He suffered amnesia and was now called Ted because he couldn't remember his previous name, but his memories began to come back after he started counselling.

Since leaving Walford, Danny has easily secured jobs. He recently played for Soccer Aid for UNICEF 2024 at Stamford Bridge, London. (Image: PA Images / Alamy)

It sounds far-fetched, but this is the world of soaps, and nearly 20 years on, it wouldn't be a shock if EastEnders went down a similar road with Mick.

It is just 3/1 that he makes an Eastenders return, dead or alive, in 2026, or 5/1 for a 2027 or later comeback.

However, not everything is always rosy in Soapland.

Danny hasn't had issues picking up jobs since he left Walford, landing a role in British-Australian thriller Heat, fronting the game show Scared of the Dark, and appearing in The Great Celebrity Bake Off for Stand Up To Cancer and Celebrity Gogglebox.

It is 10/1 that Danny never, ever graces Walford with his presence again, which, sadly for Mick Carter super-fans, shouldn't be ruled out either.