Just last week, I was writing about the various memorable and evil moments in the history of Janine Butcher, little knowing that Charlie Brooks was about to announce she is leaving EastEnders.

It is a crushing blow for fans, who had waited many years for the iconic character to make a comeback.

18 months on, she is off again, with Charlie confirming that she was only ever back for an initial and fixed one year stint.

In order to pen a huge exit story, new show boss Chris Clenshaw persuaded her to stick around, to ensure that the storyline with Mick Carter (Danny Dyer) could have the most explosive ending possible.

With Danny leaving the show at what can only be assumed to be the same time, Christmas and New Year looks set to be typically massive for EastEnders.

With two of the show’s biggest characters bowing out, it’s clear that neither are going to go out with a whimper.

But how can they possibly write Janine out in a way that justifies the character? Will she kill again, or become a victim herself?

Will she get her desired and obsessive happy ending with Mick or will Linda (Kellie Bright) have the last laugh and expose her evil deeds?

Here are the most likely outcomes.

Scorned Janine kills Mick?

It wouldn’t be the first time that Janine has killed a partner – RIP Barry Evans and Michael Moon.

Janine’s whole focus in life at the moment is keeping her claws into Mick – and to be fair, there does seem to be a genuine love there. In a frame his wife kind of way.

With a baby on the way and Mick seemingly deciding to stay with her, Janine seems to be getting her way. But there’s no denying that Mick and Linda see one another as end game – even if Mick isn’t ready to admit it yet.

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When the Carters were first introduced, it was claimed that there would be nothing to break them apart for good; this was a couple that no matter what they went through, they’d get back together.

Even if it means casually forgetting that Mick had a baffling dalliance with Whitney, or Stuart had an absolutely sadistic villain era and put them through sheer hell.

But look, Janine doesn’t take rejection well. So if Mick were to end things and admit that there is only one woman for him, and it’s not her, he would be putting his life on the line.

Danny is leaving, and the actor has made it pretty clear that he isn’t averse to having a big, dramatic Christmas death for the Walford history books.

And what is more historic that being bumped off by uber-villain Janine – it’s left Barry ‘slip on shoes’ Evans with a legacy unmatched by many killed off characters.

So will Janine murder Mick in a heated revenge? Or even plan a long term assassination plan to get rid of him after discovering his true feelings for Linda?

Just please, don’t make it a poisoned Christmas pudding or carbonara. I can’t cope with that.

With Mick dispatched, will third time widow Janine strut off into the distance, smug to get away with murder?

Or will the police be jailing her for murder?

Janine gets her happy ending with Mick – while destroying Linda?

Of course, it could go the other way entirely; will Janine finally get some sort of happy ending?

Sure, we have seen her leaving in some kind of triumph in the past; but it has never been as part of love or happiness.

Pregnant Janine has all she ever wanted, a man she loves and the chance of a family for herself and Scarlett.

No matter what she has done in the past, might she have her slate wiped clean and have a final chance at redemption?

And she might as well get one over on Linda while she’s at it, a final parting shot.

Mick got some slightly cold feet of late, but a baby might seal over any cracks for him. But the only way they can have a chance of a future is if he’s away from Linda.

Cue a heading off into the sunset deal. That would certainly divide everyone, but EastEnders has never been shy at, well, challenging the fandom.

And as she goes, Linda would be left absolutely heartbroken, her marriage finally having the ultimate seal of doom.

I can quite see Janine throwing back a final, camp smirk as she finally gets her own way.

Janine is caught over the crash – and jailed?

Janine is sitting on a secret; she was the one who crashed the car which almost killed Linda. Not content with leaving her love rival to die, she framed her and tried both to have her jailed and also lose custody of Ollie.

Surely, this has to explode in some way before Janine bows out; the viewers deserve the ultimate pay-off, as we have been waiting for some time.

As evidence comes to light, Janine could be a rabbit caught in the headlights, and a final showdown with Linda takes place in the Vic.

Could we have a tongue in cheek throwback to the most iconic EastEnders ‘take that’ moment of all time – as Linda smugly presents Janine with the incriminating evidence in an envelope.

After a big, public Queen Vic showdown, culminating with the last strains of ‘Silent Night’, will Janine be led off in cuffs, facing a long overdue spell in the slammer.

Where, obviously, she would become top dog. And then sign up for a spin-off. Please.

Janine goes on the run after her crimes?

Or will Janine manage to evade justice when the truth comes out? With everything falling apart, she could make an expert escape.

Janine is an expert at getting away with things, and, given how often she has left the Square, she knows every available exit. She’s even got an expanded new set with extra hiding places this time.

Linda may think she gets the last laugh as her name is cleared, but will Janine flee Walford and the country, leaving the police scratching their heads and accepting that it has to be Janine 9, justice 0?

After giving birth, Janine leaves with Mick’s baby?

One element of relief is that the show appears to be giving Janine an extra bit of legacy that could one day bring her back to the show.

Pregnant with Mick’s baby, it seems likely that we might get a very EastEnders Christmas-esque birth scene.

Perhaps with the irony of the devil of the Square welcoming a mini-Janine in a holy manger.

If she doesn’t go as far as killing Mick – she does still love him after all – Janine might decide to make him suffer by taking his baby away, and not leaving as much as a forwarding address.

This would hit Mick where it really hurts; and it would absolutely be a very Janine way of making him pay for leaving her.

It wouldn’t be the first time she has weaponised children for her own games; this is Janine after all.

Ricky whisks Janine from the Square – or even drops her in it?

So what is it that brings Janine’s brother Ricky back to Walford temporarily. There was a lot of excitement for Sid Owen’s return, but the joy seems to have been diluted somewhat given that it is bound to be some form of catalyst for Janine’s exit.

It has already been revealed that Ricky will be involved in Janine’s saga with Mick, but in what capacity?

Will Ricky see the damage that his sister is causing and deciding that he has to take her away from the Square, for her own sake and others?

Or, discovering that she framed Linda for the crash, will a despairing Ricky come to the conclusion that the only way to get through to Janine is to have her face justice?

Might Janine be heading to prison thanks to her exasperated sibling?

Enemy of the Square Janine is murdered in a classic whodunnit?

Nothing says Merry Christmas than a good old Albert Square whodunnit. And no-one currently has more enemies than Janine.

While I would grieve until the end of time and it would smack of the mistake that killing Ronnie and Roxy was, we absolutely can’t rule out the possibility that Janine might be killed off.

Death tends to stalk the Square around this time of year, and with secrets out and lives destroyed in her wake, Janine could reach the ultimate end.

Will Mick learn that Janine tried to destroy Linda and, in a heated moment, kill her in a final showdown? This could facilitate a ‘going to prison’ departure for Mick.

Of course, Linda would also be in the frame, not to mention rottweiler Shirley, who has never been a fan of Janine.

I would never like to come up against an angry Shirley, even if I was as cunning as Janine.

Others who have suspected the worst of Janine (accurately) include Nancy and Frankie. This pair are not on screen at the moment, but could a surprising cameo see blood shed?

Or what about seemingly innocent Scarlett? EastEnders has had a child killer before, the lad is living quite happily on the Square and is endeared to us all.

Could Scarlett be pushed too far by her mum, disgusted by what she is capable of, and kill her, even accidentally?

Look, killing off Janine would be an absolute mistake. But this show has made mistakes before. For the sake of a big Christmas twist, albeit with only short term satisfaction, will Janine be sacrificed?

It’s all a red herring – Janine isn’t leaving at all?

Maybe the news has come out to throw us off the scent. A fake out, perhaps? We are expecting the end of Janine and BAM, a big twist sees her on top of the game, right behind the bar of the Queen Vic and with a smug smile on her face, ready to rule over Walford for years to come.

I can wish, can’t I?

So, goodbye Janine

Whatever storyline brings about the end of Janine, it is bound to be an unmissable moment; with EastEnders recently amping up their game and providing a huge autumn.

If we have to lose Janine, then we must lose her in style – and everything is pointing to this, at the very least.

We have to take every small morsel of comfort that we can find at this difficult time. Solidarity, EastEnders fans, we can get through this.

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