Danny Dyer has finally spoken out about the real reason he decided to walk away from EastEnders,

and it all comes down to one particularly “mad” storyline involving his character, Mick Carter, and Janine Butcher.

The actor, who played the beloved Queen Vic landlord for nearly a decade, has been candid about his frustrations with the direction his character took before his dramatic exit in 2022.

The Storyline That Pushed Dyer to Leave

During an appearance on Rob Beckett’s Smart TV on Sky, the 47-year-old actor revealed that Mick’s relationship with Janine (played by Charlie Brooks) was the tipping point for him.

He admitted, “Mick’s got a kid with Janine, how mad is that?” before joking,

“That’s why I left, they f*ing put me with Janine. I thought, I’ve got to fk off.” The audience erupted into laughter, but Dyer stood by his statement, adding, “It’s the truth!”

Mick Carter’s final episodes saw him caught in an intense love triangle with his ex-wife Linda Carter (Kellie Bright) and Janine, who was determined to keep him for herself. In a high-stakes Christmas Day showdown, the trio found themselves in a life-or-death struggle, culminating in a car chase that ended with Mick disappearing at sea. Although Janine survived and later gave birth to his child while behind bars, Mick’s fate was left uncertain, with no body ever recovered.

While EastEnders left the door open for a potential return, Dyer has made it clear he had reached his limit, and Mick’s romance with Janine was what ultimately pushed him to call it quits.

From Walford to Hollywood: Dyer’s Post-EastEnders Career

Since stepping away from Albert Square, Dyer has wasted no time in exploring new opportunities. Last year, he landed a role in the Disney+ drama Rivals, an adaptation of Jilly Cooper’s classic novel. In the series, he plays Freddie, a character who becomes entangled in a secret affair with Lizzie, played by Katherine Parkinson.

While Dyer has long been a household name in the UK, his performance in Rivals has received significant praise, with some critics even expressing surprise at his acting abilities. The response has amused the actor, who remarked that the sudden recognition of his talent felt “slightly insulting.”

“I’m just riding the wave of it at the moment,” Dyer admitted, revealing that his involvement in the Disney+ series came about unexpectedly. “It was all a bit last minute,” he explained. “I was reading [the script] as we were shooting, going, ‘Oh my god, this is so clever.’”

Despite the rushed preparation, his portrayal in Rivals turned out to be a success. He even joked that the project “could have gone two ways”—viewers would either embrace it, or they would simply see him as “Danny Dyer in a wig.” Fortunately for him, the show was a hit, further cementing his status as a versatile performer beyond EastEnders.

Dyer’s Future Plans

With Rivals under his belt, Dyer is keeping busy with a variety of new ventures. His latest project involves running a caravan park, which he is managing alongside his daughter, Dani Dyer. The business, located in Kent, is being documented for a new TV series, The Dyers’ Caravan Park, which will follow their journey in the holiday industry.

The actor has also hinted at more acting roles in the pipeline, though he remains selective about his next moves. While he hasn’t ruled out a return to EastEnders, he appears to be enjoying the freedom of life beyond the soap.

As for Mick Carter, fans continue to speculate about whether he could make a shock return one day. But for now, Danny Dyer seems content with his decision to leave Walford behind—no matter how “mad” the storyline that drove him away may have been.