When Royalty Changes Hands in Albert Square
Anyone who grew up on EastEnders knows there’s one spot in Albert Square that holds more drama than anywhere else: the Queen Vic pub. For years, Shane Ritchie and Jessie Wallace – better known as Alfie Moon and Kat Slater – ruled that roost. But all empires tumble, and when Danny Dyer and Kellie Bright’s characters, Mick and Linda Carter, claimed the keys to the Vic, it didn’t just shake up the show. It stirred real-life feelings too.
Danny Dyer hasn’t shied away from spilling the backstage tea recently. During a radio show chat, Dyer got candid about what really went down when the Carter family took over as the landlords, stealing the show’s limelight and – as he puts it – "the king and queen of Albert Square" titles. He said Shane and Jessie, after years as the face of the pub, "got the hump" about the switch. Sounds like even soap stars have a tough time letting go of royalty.
A Friendly Rivalry with Real Stakes
Dyer described how he saw the shift not just on screen but in the cast’s mood off camera. The Queen Vic is more than just a set; it’s the spiritual center of EastEnders. If you run the Vic, your character has serious clout. So when the Carters moved in, it was a changing of the guard people felt in their bones. Dyer joked they basically "robbed them of their crown," and it took a while before things lightened up between the old and new bosses.
He recalled times when Shane Ritchie would make cheeky remarks or drop hints about "his" pub being taken over, keeping things playful but with a real sense that the cast cared deeply about their roles. Jessie Wallace, equally beloved as Kat, was none too thrilled about losing her queen status either. The friendly rivalry ended up stoking better performances, though, as both groups tried to outdo each other both on set and off. Fans loved it – it gave the Queen Vic a real edge.
- Shane Ritchie and Jessie Wallace were the face of the Queen Vic for over a decade, making their mark as the soul of Albert Square.
- Danny Dyer popped onto the scene in 2013, quickly cementing Mick Carter as a fan favorite and flipping the pub’s vibe on its head.
- Those backstage feelings of being dethroned? They just fueled more humor, banter, and competition on the EastEnders set.
This little power struggle behind the scenes gives a new edge to every Queen Vic scene, whether it’s a fiery argument or an all-out pub knees-up. And for the actors, the fight for the crown is half the fun of the job.