EASTENDERS fans are convinced a soap villain will die in a tragic fire after they quit the show.
Yesterday it was revealed how Navin Chowdhry had told BBC bosses he was leaving the show after two years.
The actor plays villain Nish Panesar, who is the ex-husband of Suki Panesar.
But while details over his exit remain unknown, eagle-eyed fans have pointed out how a major stunt could be part of Nish’s demise.
The Sun revealed how a major fire will rip through Walford as part of EastEnders’ 40th anniversary.
And now fans are convinced Nish will die in the blaze, paving the way for the villain’s exit.
Taking to a web forum, one said: “Got to be tied into Nish’s exit. I can see a situation where he locks Suki (or maybe more of the family) in the Minute Mart with him and sets it alight, in an attempt to bring them down with him in a blaze of glory…”
A second wrote: “I’m thinking Vinny, out of despair and being shunned by his dad, sets fire to all three businesses: Minute Mart, Call Centre and the restaurant.
“I think he will choose to save Vinny, die saving Suki and the not worthy of saving will be Ravi. This way he will get his redemption and Ravi will finally realise that he was never a real son for him.”
While a third posted: “I have no idea how the fire happens even if Nish’s involvement is more than obvious but what’s also certain is that the Minute Mart will revert to its green look afterwards.”
Nish terrorised Suki after being released from prison, and was one of the favourites to die on Christmas Day as part of the mystery surrounding which male character would be bumped off.
In the end, while Nish was hit over the head with a bottle by Denise after he attacked Suki in the Vic, it was Keanu Taylor who met his maker at the hands of Linda Carter.
Since then, Nish has been trying to break up Suki and her girlfriend Eve, but has failed to do so.
MICHELLE Collins has seen her second EastEnders stint boost her bank balance. Yet what stars have quit this year?
The Sun exclusively reported how Michelle, 62, was down to £20,000 in her company accounts when she agreed to a shock back-from-the-dead return to Albert Square last year.
Her character, Cindy Beale, was presumed dead off-camera in 1998.
Yet what about the 2024 exits?
Earlier this summer, loyal soap fans appeared to note how Stevie Mitchell had “quit” the long-running series.
It came after Alan Ford enjoyed just six-months on-screen.
Bobby Beale actor Clay Milner Russell also left this year after five years in Walford.
Fans also feared Martin Fowler actor James Bye would “quit out of boredom” over recent storylines.
Additionally, a host of stars have quit the BBC soap for Hollywood fame.
One of the most successful stars to come from the BBC One soap is Rob Kazinsky.
He played Stacey Slater’s brother Sean Slater from 2006 to 2009, he has starred in Hollywood blockbusters Pacific Rim and Captain Marvel.
Ben Hardy, who quit EastEnders as Bobby Beale almost a decade ago, went on to break Hollywood the following year, when he starred as Archangel in X-Men: Apocalypse.
Since then, he has played Roger Taylor in Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody, and he starred in Michael Bay’s Netflix movie 6 Underground.
Michelle Ryan played Zoe Slater until 2005.
She starred as the lead in short-lived American series Bionic Woman from 2007 to 2008.
