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Jonathan "Johnny" Michael Carter is the son of Mick and Linda Carter, brother of Lee, Nancy, Ollie, half-brother of Frankie and Annie Carter, and grandson of Shirley Carter, Buster Briggs, Elaine Peacock and John Peacock.

He made his first appearance on 26 December 2013. He was portrayed by Sam Strike from 2013 to 2014, Ted Reilly from 2016 to 2018 and Charlie Suff from 2024 onwards.

Backstory[]

Johnny was born premature. When Johnny, Lee and Nancy were kids and they fought, Mick and Linda would take them swimming to calm them down. As a kid, Johnny loved watching the TV series "Ally McBeal", Linda used to let him stay up late every Thursday night to watch it. When he was four, he tripped and hit his head off a iron coffee table that Mick had found in a skip.

Storylines[]

2013-2015: Arrival, coming out to his parents, romance with Gianluca and departure[]

Johnny's first appearance is on 26 December 2013. He arrives with his parents at The Queen Vic pub, which his family has just purchased from Phil Mitchell.

On 2 January 2014, during a heated argument with Linda, Nancy reveals that Johnny is gay. Despite being quick to retract what she'd said, suspicions arose, leading to Johnny and Mick having a heart to heart. Telling him that he would love him no matter if he was gay or not, Johnny broke down in tears and revealed the truth about his sexuality. After overhearing the entire conversation from outside the door, Linda finds it extremely difficult to come to terms with Johnny's sexuality, which leads to numerous arguments between herself, 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 with his baby) over and tries to set them up, Johnny feels hurt and betrayed and a huge argument ensues. Mick then tells Linda she needs 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.

As a result of this, Nancy and Whitney sign Johnny up for internet dating. Johnny begins talking to the 'Walford Wonder', who he later discovers is Danny Pennant. Johnny tells Lucy Beale, who was dating Danny at the time, about her boyfriends internet stalking and shows her Danny's profile on his mobile phone.

Johnny later starts university, studying to become a lawyer. After he fails two of his exams, Linda visits his tutor behind his back to try and get his marked changed. A furious Johnny embarrasses her by encouraging her to sing on the karaoke in front of a full pub, when he knew she had a bad singing voice. He later has a huge row with Linda and decides to leave home. Linda convinces Johnny to come back, and on their way home they stop off at London's Gay Pride event were Johnny meets Gianluca Cavallo.

Gianluca and Johnny fall for each other and soon head to the Queen Vic to have sex - when Johnny loses his virginity. When Gianluca announces he is going back to Italy, Johnny considers moving with him, however, decides to stay in London with his family. Several months later in December, Gianluca arrives back in London and, although he doesn't appear on-screen, Gianluca asks Johnny to go travelling with him.

Johnny agrees, contacts his university and is given permission to go on a gap year. Johnny leaves Walford on 23 December 2014. Two days later, on Christmas Day, Johnny makes a video call via Skype to Linda to wish her a happy Christmas. 

In early 2015, when Lee and Nancy discover that Linda was raped, the family decide against telling Johnny about it, as they wouldn't want to upset him on his travels. 

2015-2016: Time in Italy[]

On 15 April 2016, Johnny revealed that whilst he was in Italy, he woke up in hospital one night in Venice. Johnny and his friends got drunk, stole a gondola and took it out on the Grand Canal. Johnny stood up and sung "Just one Cornetto". He then smashed his face on a bridge and got knocked out.

In Italy, Johnny took an internship at a British NGO in Rome. On 12 April 2016, Johnny stated that he loved Gianluca Cavallo, but when moving out to Italy, he barely knew Gianluca. But everything was so exciting, so new. When Mick and Linda visited Johnny in Italy, Johnny and Gianluca hid that they were having relationship problems. In the end, Gianluca and Johnny wanted different things. Gianluca moved out back to his ex. Gianluca's mother wanted Johnny to stay with her but Johnny decided to go home after he had a call from Mick, to surprise Linda.

2016-2018: Return, burglary attack, accidentally shot and departure[]

Johnny returned from Italy on 11 April 2016, now played by Ted Reilly, and Linda is thrilled to see him again. He reveals he has broken up with his boyfriend, Gianluca. The Carters later decide to tell him about the rape of his mother, which they had keeping him in the dark about.

In the lead-up to Lee and Whitney's wedding in November 2016, Johnny worries about the amount of money that Lee is spending on the big day. After confronting him about it, Lee insists everything is fine. Johnny later discovers Lee is in serious debt and tells him to be honest with Whitney before they marry the following day. Several weeks later, The Queen Vic is violently burgled by three masked men armed with baseball bats. They steal thousands of pounds of money and strike Johnny across the face with a baseball bat. Later, Aunt Babe reveals to the family that Lee organised the robbery, resulting Johnny to become hostile towards his brother.

In September 2017, Johnny was rushed to hospital after being shot by Ted Murray, who was suffering from PTSD from his days in the army.

During the fallout of the James Willmott-Brown reveal, Mick calls James in for a word in the Queen Victoria. The Carters tell him they want the money they paid Weyland & Co back, but Johnny informs Mick that he won't have a leg to stand on if it goes to court. James tells him his legal team have been working overtime to figure out why some of the signatures on the Weyland & Co documents differ, and says it suggests forgery.

Johnny departed the square for a new life in Manchester on 29 January 2018, leaving in the back of a black cab. When Nancy left the square in June 2022, she went to stay with Johnny in Manchester, to work at a gym owned by Johnny's friend.. On 12 December 2023, Johnny texts his mum Linda to let her know he won't be coming home to Walford for Christmas.

2024 to present: Return[]

Johnny is mentioned by Linda in conversation with her mum, Elaine, on January 22nd. She recalls a dream she had about Johnny when he was "six or seven", dressed up with a hat and feathers and singing 'Hey Big Spender' with Elaine.

Background information[]

See also[]

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