User:AnemoneProjectors/Johnny Carter (EastEnders)

Johnny Carter is a fictional character in the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Sam Strike from 2013 to 2014, and by Ted Reilly from 2016. His first appearance is in episode number 4771, originally broadcast in the United Kingdom on 26 December 2013. In December 2017, it was reported that Reilly had filmed the character's departure from the series.

Johnny is the son of Mick Carter (Danny Dyer) and Linda Carter (Kellie Bright).

Storylines
Johnny moves into The Queen Victoria with his father Mick Carter (Danny Dyer) and mother Linda Carter (Kellie Bright). He soon meets Whitney Dean (Shona McGarty), and his parents tease him about being attractive to women. However, after Danny Pennant (Gary Lucy) compliments Johnny on his looks, Johnny asks if he meant it, leading to them kissing, which his grandmother (at the time believed to be his aunt) Shirley Carter (Linda Henry) sees. Johnny lets his parents assume he kissed Whitney, though Shirley advises him against this. When Johnny's sister Nancy Carter (Maddy Hill) arrives in Walford, she reveals Johnny is gay to her family during an argument. Eventually, Johnny breaks down and comes out to Mick after denying his sexuality previously. They are unaware, however, that Linda has overheard their conversation. Linda finds it extremely difficult to come to terms with Johnny's sexuality, which leads to numerous arguments with Mick and Shirley. Johnny eventually reveals his sexuality to Whitney, who is hurt as she feels that Johnny has been using her. She soon forgives Johnny and even offers for him to move in with her and her family if his relationship with Linda does not improve. Johnny later threatens to leave The Vic, so Mick forces Linda to sort things out. Linda seems to have finally come round to the idea of Johnny being gay, but she later breaks down over the situation. Johnny realises that Linda is not fully accepting of his sexuality when she invites Whitney (who she thinks is pregnant) over and tries to set them up, Johnny feels hurt and betrayed and a huge argument ensues. Mick then tells Linda to fully accept his sexuality or risk losing him forever. Whitney tells Johnny that he needs to get a boyfriend so that everyone can accept it and move on with their lives. Johnny manages to secure a job as a barman in Sharon Rickman's (Letitia Dean) new bar. When Sharon is attacked by two masked intruders, Johnny hides upstairs and later phones for help. His family assumes he scared the intruders away but Johnny is forced to admit he hid upstairs and did nothing. Johnny fails some of his exams and Linda interferes by going to see his tutor behind his back. Furious, Johnny rows with his mother, calling her a "stupid bitch", and decides to leave Walford, ashamed of what he said. Johnny's great-grandfather Stan Carter (Timothy West) takes Linda and Nancy to see him at Stan's unoccupied flat. Johnny and Linda apologise and Linda gives him her blessing to attend Pride London, where he meets Gianluca Cavallo (Gabriele Lombardo). He tells his siblings he has met someone, and Lee encourages him to invite Gianluca to Linda's birthday party. Johnny loses his virginity to Gianluca, and after the party, Linda tells Johnny she approves of Gianluca and he is welcome to come back.

Johnny shows brief interest in Ben Mitchell (Harry Reid) when he comes out of prison. Ben has told his father his homosexuality was a phase, but confuses Johnny but flirting with him at times and rejecting him at others. Johnny realises that Ben is desperate to prove himself and criticises him for dating Abi Branning (Lorna Fitzgerald), but Ben continues to deny he is gay. Ben later tries to kiss Johnny, but he rebukes him. Johnny announces that he is going to go travelling with Gianluca. Initially Linda finds this hard to accept but she soon relents and Johnny leaves with her blessing, after telling Ben to stop denying who he is.

Johnny (now played by Ted Reilly) returns amid a family crisis in April 2016. He avoids talking about Gianluca and realises Linda is hiding something from him. During a heart-to-heart talk, he admits he and Gianluca have split up, and Linda tells him she was raped by his uncle Dean Wicks (Matt Di Angelo). Johnny cannot deal with everything that has happened to the family since he left, and tells Mick he blames him for it all. He apologises the next day and persuades Mick to stop blaming Nancy for the accident that has left their brother Ollie Carter with possible brain damage. Johnny decides to not return to Italy and convinces his university tutor to let him take his second year exam. His tutor reluctantly accepts; Johnny takes and passes his exams.

When Ben's boyfriend Paul Coker (Jonny Labey) is murdered, Johnny supports Ben and encourages him to tell the police that the crime was motivated by homophobia. Linda worries Johnny is developing feelings for Ben, but he insists he is merely being a good friend. In November Ben, still grieving and feeling rejected by his father, gets drunk and tries to kiss Johnny, but Johnny refuses to take advantage of his vulnerable state.

With Lee due to marry Johnny's close friend Whitney, Johnny discovers Lee has got into debt with a payday loan company. He encourages his brother to come clean, but Lee forces himself to go ahead with the wedding. The Carters then later become victims of a burglary. Johnny attempts to fend off the robbers but is injured in the process, after one of them attacks him with a baseball bat. It is later revealed that Lee was responsible for the burglary and a result Johnny becomes hostile towards him.

After Ben and Jay Brown (Jamie Borthwick) move to their own flat, Johnny attends Ben's their housewarming party, which is also Ben's 21st birthday party. After Abi and Jay both try to set them up, they have a one-night stand after getting drunk. The next day, they both worry that the other wants a relationship but are relieved to realise they just see each other as friends.

Johnny's off-screen life involves his university studies, and in 2017 he completes his law degree and receives a 2:1. Soon after this, he forms a friendship with older gay neighbour Derek Harkinson (Ian Lavender), after Derek berates Johnny for standing idly by during a homophobic incident. Johnny learns that Derek has a criminal conviction due to having a 20 year old boyfriend when the gay age of consent was still 21. Johnny encourages Derek not to leave the Square after his past incarceration is discovered. Following a gas explosion in the Square, Johnny tries to check on Ted Murray (Christopher Timothy) and his wife Joyce Murray (Maggie Steed), but Ted accidentally shoots Johnny after believing him to be a burglar, although Joyce later takes the blame. The ambulance that Linda and Johnny are travelling in is hit by a truck and falls over, killing the paramedic attending to him. Jack Branning (Scott Maslen), who is following in the car behind, manages to get into the ambulance and keep Johnny alive via advice from the ambulance driver until a hospital helicopter arrives. Mick and Linda visit Johnny in hospital where he will make a full recovery.

Casting
Strike's casting as Johnny was announced on 29 October 2013, on which the actor said: "I'm really excited to be joining EastEnders and the Carter family. They're all really strong characters and I can't wait to see what EastEnders has planned for us all. I've grown up watching Danny [Dyer] and Kellie [Bright], both of whom are lovely, so to be playing their son is kind of surreal." On 14 November 2013, it was announced that Strike had decided to leave the show. He made his final appearance on 25 December 2014 via a skype call on Christmas Day.

In February 2016, it was announced that the role of Johnny Carter was being recast and would return later in the year, but that the casting process was still ongoing at that point. Later on, it was announced that Ted Reilly would be taking over the role. Later on, it was announced that Ted Reilly would be taking over the role. Reilly's first episode was broadcast on 11 April 2016.

Characterisation
On the character's announcement, Johnny was described as a 19-year-old "mummy's boy". He is the youngest of three siblings, is a university student and is called "a gentle boy who's happy to let the rest of his family be the centre of attention", though it was said he has a secret that will "place him right at the centre of a family storm". Strike said Johnny is an introvert but "open and lively around his family because he trusts them, but he's by no means a lad." He explained that he is closer to his mother than his father, because "he was never the football kid. It's kind of a case where they like going to see musicals together and stuff."

Departure
It was announced on 19 December 2017 that Reilly had finished filming with the show and would depart "within the next few weeks". A show spokesperson confirmed the news. Reilly later confirmed that it was his choice to leave the serial and said he would miss his on-screen family. On his departure, the actor commenented, "It was a really tough decision to leave, but at this stage in my career it's very important to keep being challenged & experience new things!"