3000 hours, a birthday at sea, and a haunting past—why hasn’t Linda returned to Walford?

A Cruise That Never Ends?

EastEnders viewers have long mastered the art of spotting plot gaps, but Linda Carter’s mysterious extended cruise may take the cake—or the life vest.

After sailing off earlier this year with children Johnny, Ollie, and Annie, Linda (played by Kellie Bright) has now been gone for over 100 days. And while Johnny (Charlie Suff) recently returned to Walford, Linda and her two youngest kids remain… somewhere at sea.

Fans on Reddit have been keeping track of her timeline and are raising eyebrows. As of November 10, Linda’s cruise hit day 111—equal to nearly 3000 hours on a boat.

One user even crunched the numbers:
“Annie Carter has now spent 7.3% of her life on this cruise. She had her 4th birthday at sea. That’s wild.”

Another joked:
“She’s been at sea 2.2 times longer than Liz Truss was Prime Minister. She’s heading for Triple Truss!”

The Deeper Issue: Linda’s Trauma at Sea

But it’s not just the length of the trip that has fans scratching their heads. The real issue lies in Linda’s tragic history with water—specifically, boats.

Back in 2020, Linda nearly drowned during a Queen Vic boat party gone horribly wrong. A violent showdown between Phil Mitchell and Keanu Taylor ended in disaster when the boat crashed. Linda was trapped below deck, passed out, and almost died—until Mick pulled her from the wreckage.

Then came 2022.

In one of the soap’s most devastating storylines, Janine Butcher drove a car—with Linda as a passenger—off a cliff and into the sea. Mick dove in to save them both. He rescued Linda first. But when he went back for Janine, not knowing she’d already escaped, Mick never resurfaced.

That was the end of Mick Carter. Or so we thought.

A Plot Hole You Could Sail Through

Given this traumatic backstory, fans are asking the obvious question:
Would Linda Carter, of all people, choose to live on a cruise ship for over 3 months?

One viewer posted:
“For someone who nearly drowned twice, she’s certainly brave to spend this long on open water.”
Another added:
“The trauma alone would’ve had me back on land after two days, let alone 3000 hours.”

And then came the theories.

Fan Theories: Searching for Mick?

Some fans believe the writers are building toward something bigger.
“Maybe she’s searching the seven seas for Mick’s body?” one Reddit user joked.

Another imagined a dramatic twist:
“What if the cruise ship finds a man floating in the water? It’s Mick. Danny Dyer returns. We get Pirates of the Carterbean.”

While Linda’s absence could be chalked up to off-screen logistics, the storyline is now raising more questions than answers. Is it a soft exit? A slow-burn return? Or a setup for something explosive down the line?