EastEnders' Kellie Bright on Linda's rock bottom: "You will see the very worst version of Linda"

But while Linda still has her freedom, she's alienating everyone around her – and in upcoming scenes, her behaviour drives those closest to her to breaking point.

In a new interview shared with RadioTimes.com, star Bright explains what is going through her alter ego's head, and the destruction of Linda's friendships with Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean) and Alfie Moon (Shane Richie).

As Linda's careless actions pave the way for a robbery, and mum Elaine Knight (Harriet Thorpe) walks into chaos, the actress warns that we're about to see Linda at her very worst.

Read on for the full chat below.

This week, there's a difficult encounter between drunk Linda and Johnny and Ollie in the Square. What narrative is Linda telling herself about this?

"She’s so deep into her alcoholism that she’s blissfully unaware of the damage she is causing. It’s not registering with her in those moments. I think she may wake up with paranoia and think, 'What did I do?' And the only way to quieten those thoughts is to have another drink. Sadly, I don’t think she’s conscious of what’s happening."

Does she feel as though she's successfully putting on a façade in front of Ollie and Annie?

"I don’t think so, and I don’t think she cares. Linda thinks she can hide it most of the time and people don’t realise, when clearly, they obviously do!"

Why is she so combative with Johnny?

"When Johnny confronts her about Ollie not wanting to be around her, Linda just can’t go there. She doesn’t want to hear it, and [believes] what’s happening to her is always someone else’s fault, so Linda just turns it all back around on Johnny. She becomes almost like a child and he’s the adult.

"Linda can’t look at herself, so she turns everything outward, and she won’t acknowledge she’s got a problem. In her head, she is justifying it by believing that everything she does is right and everything that Johnny does is wrong."

Why does Linda decide to pack a bag and leave The Vic for Sharon's?

"Linda is throwing it back in Johnny’s face after he tells her that she needs to sort herself out. She wants to prove to Johnny that she has a lot on her shoulders and anyone in her position would drink to get through the day.

"She is also sick of him confronting her and she just thinks, 'I’ll go to my mate’s house, where I can drink quietly, and no one will bother me.' She’s running away from the confrontation."

Sharon gives Linda some tough love. How does she react to that?

"This has gone on for so long and people have given Linda so many chances, but what we see this week is that everyone has had enough. Everyone is saying 'no more' and 'we are not going to sit by and let you drink yourself stupid'. Terrible things happen because she’s drinking, and it pushes everybody away. So she finds more and more doors closing in her face."

What happens when Alfie refuses to serve Linda in the Minute Mart?

"Alfie is someone who Linda has been close to in the past, but he can hardly bear to look at her. You will see the very worst version of Linda on screen this week. She is so awful and says such horrible things to people that she’s getting more and more isolated. She is mentally detaching herself from the people that care about her."

Linda leaves the door open and unwittingly allows burglars in. How bad does she feel when she realises Sharon has been robbed?

"The first Linda knows about it is when Alfie comes in looking for Sharon because he’s noticed her door is ajar and is concerned. He discovers the carnage and then asks Linda, 'What on earth are you doing?' It’s yet another thing, and I do think in that moment, Linda feels pretty awful as she knows she’s really messed up."

What happens when Elaine returns to Walford and finds out what's going on with Linda?

"When Elaine comes back, she quickly discovers she has to take drastic action. She needs to get Linda help because she can’t carry on like this. So, she gives Linda an ultimatum…"

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EastEnders airs Monday to Thursday at 7:30pm on BBC One and from 6am on BBC iPlayer.

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