EastEnders fans were devastated when the news broke that Danny Dyer, who plays Queen Vic landlord Mick Carter, was leaving the soap.
Danny was the top paid star on EastEnders, and his escapades with wife Linda Carter (Kellie Bright) as well as his powerful child sex abuse storyline have had viewers gripped.
But the Football Factory star has ditched the Beeb in favour of Sky, where he will be joining the cast of a brand new drama.
The deal is thought to be worth six figures – much less than the £1million-a-year so-called "golden handcuffs" contract he is on with the BBC.
However, it will open the door to a raft of offers that could ultimately dwarf what the 44-year-old earns now.
So what might Danny get up to now he's free from his handcuffs - and how much money could he rake in?
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Strictly Come Dancing
Many former EastEnders stars have gone on to compete on Strictly Come Dancing, and we could be seeing Danny on the dance floor one day.
His on-screen daughter Rose Ayling-Ellis won the series at the end of last year, while Maisie Smith, Kara Tointon, Emma Barton and Nina Wadia also made bids for the Glitterball trophy with varied levels of success.
Each of the celebs taking part in Strictly gets the same flat fee - it doesn't matter how well known they are.
Just to take to the dance floor, each star is paid £25,000. If they make it past week four, they're paid £40,000.
Then, those who are lucky enough to remain in the competition until the quarter final receives £60,000, with the semi-finalists netting £75,000.
And whoever wins Strictly is paid £100,000 - so it might be a lucrative move for Danny.
I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!
Similarly, many EastEnders alumni head to the Australian jungle or Welsh castle for a crack at I'm a Celebrity.
Simon Gregson, Adam Woodyatt, Jessica Plummer, Laila Morse and Shane Ritchie all slummed it with their campmates on the ITV show.
And if Danny does decide to take on the gruelling Bushtucker Trials, he could be in for a big financial windfall.
For a couple of weeks of hell, Danny could pocket £200,000 - the amount the highest paid star, Richard Madeley, was awarded in last year's series.
But Mo Farah and Vernon Kay earned £300,000 and £250,000 respectively for their castle stint, while Caitlyn Jenner and Harry Redknapp both took home a whopping £500,000 for their days in the jungle.
So Danny could end up being a lot richer if he can stomach some witchetty grub and fish guts.
Hollywood
Danny began his career in blockbuster films including The Football Factory, Adulthood and Mean Machine.
He's been acting since he was 16, so he could return to the big screen in the future with ease.
In fact, Danny has previously revealed he finds acting in films less scary than his soap role - which he initially turned down due to fears the pressure would be too much for him.
He would be in good company - several EastEnders actors have gone on to achieve Hollywood success, such as Ben Hardy, who played Peter Beale.
Ben left the soap in 2013 and landed a role as Archangel in the X-Men franchise, as well as starring as Roger Taylor in Bohemian Rhapsody opposite Rami Malek.
And Robert Kazinsky, who played Sean Slater from 2006-2009, went on to star in films including Pacific Rim, Warcraft, Hot Pursuit and Captain Marvel, as well as TV show Law & Order LA.
But it doesn't always work out when soap stars head to La La Land - Michelle Ryan, who played Zoe Slater, played the lead role in Bionic Woman - but it was cancelled after eight episodes.
Documentaries
Danny is well known for his Deadliest Men documentary, which saw him hunt down the most dangerous and wanted men in the country on Bravo.
He also hosted history show Danny Dyer's Right Royal Family, which explored the lives of his aristocratic ancestors he discovered on Who Do You Think You Are.
So another documentary series could well be on the cards for Danny - who could become the hard-man's Louis Theroux.
James Bond
The spot for a James Bond actor is currently vacant as Daniel Craig bowed out in the most recent instalment, No Time To Die.
Danny is tipped at 80/1 to join the blockbuster franchise - and he's thrown his hat in the ring before.
Speaking to daughter Dani on their podcast Sorted With The Dyers, he said: "It could be a Cockney Bond on the scene. Why not?
"The Bond franchise is a massive thing. People love it, and I love it.
"I do love Daniel Craig – someone I’ve worked with. He’s just a Scouser really. He’s changed his accent a bit but he embellishes something.
"He’s a sexy actor and a great man."
But Danny would have stiff competition - Bridgerton star Rege-Jean Page is the current 2/1 favourite with Betway, while Tom Hardy is 7/2 and Henry Cavill is 6/1.
Doctor Who
On the same podcast episode, Danny continued to tell daughter Dani that if he couldn't get his coveted gig as 007, he would instead love a role on Doctor Who.
It's another spot that's currently sitting empty after Jodie Whittaker departed - and Danny's odds were recently slashed from 66/1 to 16/ 1.
A spokeswoman for Ladbrokes told The Sun : "Danny may be not be the archetypal actor to portray the Doctor but that's just why he might be the perfect choice to make a big change on the show.
"He's all the rage with punters and has already said he wants to take on different roles.
"So we could see him swapping The Queen Vic for the Tardis - and we've slashed our odds accordingly."
Also in the running to play the Doctor are Lydia West at 3/1, Olly Alexander at 4/1, and Omari Douglas at 5/1.
Prime Minister
Danny's supportive EastEnders co-star Richard Blackwood firmly believes the "nice guy" should be in Number 10 Downing Street.
"Danny Dyer could end up being Prime Minister," the Felix Westwood actor told Susanna Reid and Richard Madeley on Good Morning Britain.
He continued: "Danny Dyer is one of the nicest guys and a good friend of mine. Danny’s the person who gives it back to you, when Danny’s in the room he’s the star, it’s his aura.
"I think he’ll be a good Prime Minister, I think Boris better watch out."
It wouldn't be the first time Danny got political - he went viral in 2018 for his rant about then-PM David Cameron, who he famously branded a "t**t" over Brexit.
"I ain't got a clue, no one knows what it is - it's like this mad riddle and no one knows what it is, right," he said of the result of the EU referendum.
"So what's happened to that t**t David Cameron who called it on?" he asked.
"Let's be fair, how come he can scuttle off? He called all this on, where is he?
"In Europe, in Nice, with his trotters up, where is the geezer? I think he should be held to account for it."
He has also publicly hit out at Boris Johnson over the Covid restrictions and lockdowns.
But when asked on BBC Breakfast in 2020 if he fancied running the country, Danny replied: "No darling, I’m too busy.
"I’ve got a game show on at the moment, I’ve got a podcast with my daughter and of course I’m in the greatest soap that’s ever been."
But with a bit more free time on his hands now he's quit said soap - perhaps he'll change his mind.
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