EASTENDERS fans have been left shocked after a show favourite's exit was finally revealed.
Viewers have already seen one character leave Walford in a dramatic fashion this week, after Keanu Taylor was stabbed and killed by Linda Carter during the Christmas Day episode.
For months, EastEnders viewers had been wondering who the body on the floor of the Vic would be, with Rocky Cotton one of the potential victims after actor Brian Conley revealed he had quit the show in September.
While Rocky avoided the Christmas Day death, he was still linked to the storyline as he started to cotton on - excuse the pun - that something was amiss with estranged wife Kathy and the other members of 'The Six'.
Rocky started asking too many questions during Thursday's episode, and tonight saw The Six push Kathy to grass her spouse up to the police for burning down her cafe a few weeks ago.
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Despite what he had done to her and her family, Kathy was reluctant to dob him in to the cops, but with Rocky remembering that he saw two of the women carrying tarpaulin into the burned out cafe on Christmas night, and Sharon entering in her wedding dress, she had no choice.
With Denise's help, she found Rocky's search history on his laptop from the day before the fire, and handed that over as evidence, before telling them he would be in the pub at 2pm.
Moments after he arrived, the cops swooped and arrested a stunned Rocky for arson, but he thought it was Kathy's son Ian who had made the call following a threat he had made earlier in the episode.
In the interview room, Rocky denied burning down the cafe on purpose, but back in Albert Square, Kathy was torn over her decision and managed to get Denise's husband Jack Branning to get her in to see Rocky.
In an emotional exchange, she told him: "Rocky, I can't take any more of this, all the lies and deceit. Maybe this time, there is no dodging the bullet.
"They are on to you Rocky, don't fight this, please, for me. If you admit to it all, you could be back with me in a few years.
"I can't have this hanging over us any more, just be the man that I know that you are. Please."
Rocky agreed, and the couple hugged, before he asked her if she would wait for him.
A tearful Kathy agreed before fleeing the room, and then an emotional Rocky sat down with the police officer, ready to confess.
She asked: "Rocky, do you have anything you want to tell me?"
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He replied: "Yeah I do yeah, see if you can wangle it that I get sent to Brixton (prison). I fixed the Governor up on a date with one of Bananarama once."
He flashed a smile before his lip wobbled and he started to sob, realising what was ahead.
As the credits rolled, EastEnders fans took to X - formerly Twitter - to discuss his departure.
One wrote: "Actually felt sorry for Rocky in tonight's episode."
Another added: "Well tonight explains how Rocky goes out of it. And potentially that it’s his final appearance."
A third tweeted: "Anyone else gutted Brian Conley is leaving #Eastenders? Rocky has become such a great character and definitely had legs."
Meanwhile a fourth shared: "Poor Rocky, yes he f***ed up with the whole insurance scam but as always he did it with the best of intentions & his whole obsession with investigation what actually happened on Christmas was about protecting Kathy so for her to betray him…"
EastEnders airs on BBC One and is available on BBC iPlayer.