EastEnders reveals temporary exit for Billy Mitchell after huge storyline

Billy Mitchell is heading away from Walford after a difficult few weeks, with Honey Mitchell confirming his upcoming trip to Portugal during this Monday’s (3 August) episode of EastEnders.

While fans have been left wondering whether actor Perry Fenwick could be leaving the BBC soap for good, Billy’s exit appears to be a temporary one – with the character heading abroad after being offered an exciting new opportunity by Grant Mitchell.

The decision comes shortly after Billy’s life was turned upside down by Bea Pollard’s disturbing campaign against him and Honey, which saw the unstable character steal money from the couple.

Although Billy was suspicious of Bea from the get-go, Honey believed she had welcomed someone trustworthy into their lives, only for Bea’s behaviour to become increasingly sinister.

Bea’s obsession with Honey notably saw her manipulate situations around the couple, leaving Billy fighting to prove his innocence as she attempted to destroy their relationship. The storyline pushed Billy to breaking point as he found himself dealing with cheating accusations, financial problems and the emotional fallout of Bea’s behaviour.

After the ordeal, Billy was left with another problem to deal with – the credit card debt that Bea had built in Honey’s name. Last week, Billy admitted to his cousin Phil Mitchell that he was struggling to find a way to pay everything back.

However, Phil came up with a possible solution, revealing that Grant was looking for help to fix up his new bar in Portugal and suggesting that Billy could earn good money by getting involved.

Billy admitted that he’d need to speak to Honey before making a decision, but it seems like the opportunity was too good to miss. During this Monday’s trip to Walford, Honey confirmed that she wanted to give Billy a proper send-off before his trip, making it clear that he’d soon be leaving Walford.

For now, there is no indication that Billy’s trip will be permanent. The length of his on-screen stay in Portugal has yet to be confirmed, meaning fans will have to stay tuned to see whether they’ve seen the last of Billy Mitchell.

Billy has been a part of EastEnders for almost three decades, first arriving in Walford in 1998. Since then, he has become one of the soap’s most recognisable characters, with storylines ranging from his complicated family relationships to his romances with Little Mo and Honey, as well as Jay’s adoption.

While Billy’s exit will remain shrouded in mystery until further notice, viewers have been warned to expect further departures from Albert Square, with major changes ahead for the Slater family.