AN EastEnders legend has secretly quit the show – three years after their dramatic exit.

The BBC soap aired a lowkey exit for the fan favourite and kept quiet about her bowing out.

Actress Linda Henry played Shirley Carter for 16 years before quitting in 2022.

Viewers watched as Shirley, broken from the disappearance at sea of her son Mick, took Lady Di the bulldog and left the pub and the Square behind.

Back in 2023 then show boss Chris Clenshaw insisted Linda was just taking a break from the show.

He said: “So, Linda Henry is currently taking a break from the show.

“But you know, when she walked off with Lady Di last year, in the wake of Mick’s disappearance, it won’t have been the last you see of her.

“I can say that for sure.”

However two years later, and three years after Linda’s final scenes – The Sun can confirm that there are no plans for her return.

A source said: “Linda quit EastEnders in 2022.

“The door was left open for a return for Shirley in the future because she was such a fan favourite but it was a final exit.

“Linda is very private and not one of the actors who wants to be a celebrity and didn’t want a big fuss so a lowkey exit made sense at the time.”

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Now Linda is making her return to acting – and it’s alongside her EastEnders son Danny Dyer.

She will play mechanic Pam in his Sky comedy Mr Bigstuff, marking her first television appearance in three years.

Show creator Ryan Sampson teased the pair’s reunion, telling Radio Times: “We’ve got Linda Henry, who was Shirley – Danny’s mum – in EastEnders, which is a lovely little Easter egg for the EastEnders crowd.

“That I’m really excited about. She is amazing.”