EastEnders recently aired a poignant episode centred on Linda Carter's (Kellie Bright) escalating battle with alcoholism. In the latest episode, viewers saw Linda choose alcohol over her family and undertook a night of heavy drinking.
The episode, now available on iPlayer, shows a distraught Linda reaching for a bottle of vodka, signalling her unwillingness to combat her addiction, despite pleas from her devastated mother Elaine Knight (Harriet Thorpe) to seek rehab.
In a shocking scene, Linda violently pushes Elaine onto her bed, witnessed by her sons Johnny (Charlie Suff) and young Ollie (Harry Farr). Ollie confides in Johnny his fears about their mum leaving permanently like their dad Mick (Danny Dyer), indicating his awareness of Linda's problem.
Johnny attempts to comfort him, assuring that Linda will return improved after rehab, before presenting Linda with a drawing by Ollie depicting her drinking on the floor.
Shortly after, Linda storms out of the Vic, clutching a bottle and Ollie's drawing. She quickly consumes the entire bottle of vodka before disappearing into the night as the lights flicker, reports the Manchester Evening News.
The episode takes a dramatic turn, combining scenes of Linda's death and subsequent funeral into one programme.
Following a frightening encounter with a homeless man, Linda vomits violently at the war memorial and experiences difficulty breathing. Tragically, Linda then died as a result of her drinking.
The Queen Vic was the scene of sombre news as police informed Elaine Peacock about her daughter Linda's tragic demise. The sorrowful occasion of Linda's funeral saw Lee (Danny-Boy Hatchard) and Nancy Carter (Maddy Hill) return to bid farewell to their mother.
Johnny Carter, overwhelmed by grief, turned to alcohol in a manner reminiscent of his late mum, struggling to come to terms with the loss.
Tensions flared within the Carter family, culminating in Nancy's decision to take Ollie and Annie away from Walford.
In a poignant moment, the pub's lights flickered around a devastated Elaine. The episode then revisited Linda on the night she died, as she stood outside the pub, vodka bottle in hand, after a confrontation with Elaine.
Confronted by a drawing from Ollie, Linda experienced an epiphany, discarding the vodka and returning inside to face Elaine.
With tears in her eyes, Linda confessed: "I don't want to be this person anymore". When questioned by Elaine about her sudden change of heart, Linda revealed: "I saw it all, Mum... what would happen if I don't stop."
She continued, expressing a stark realisation: "It's like someone slapped me round the face and you're right, the drink is going to kill me, and when I die, everyone's going to hate me."
While the EastEnders special episode garnered acclaim, some viewers were amusingly sidetracked by Ollie's drawing.
A viewer expressed their reaction on social media, writing: "The way I actually scream cackled when I saw this", accompanied by laughing emojis.
Another viewer was bewildered, saying: "I had to rewind it a few times because what", and yet another added with amusement: "I did laugh when I seen it too! ".
One fan couldn't hold back their laughter, proclaiming: "I'm cryingggg, Olly isn't playing about man", while another shared the sentiment, noting: "I died at this bit."
