Janine Butcher (Charlie Brooks) might be one of EastEnders’ most iconic villains ever, but the soap icon was very nearly cut down in her prime.

It has been revealed that bosses originally planned on killing her off back in 2004.

Janine’s former on-screen husband Shaun Williamson – who played Barry Evans – has told of how his character was meant to murder her as part of a Valentine’s Day plot.

Long-time EastEnders fans will remember how Janine famously pushed Barry down a cliff and left him for dead.

Recalling how the scenes were supposed to play out in a very different way, Shaun told The Sun: ‘Barry was originally supposed to end Janine on Valentine’s Day that year.

‘But then I’d decided I wanted to leave after being there for 10 years.

‘They [producers] then re-wrote scripts and flipped things around so that I would die instead.’

The plan to kill off Janine would have also deprived EastEnders fans of one of the most quoted scenes of all time, which saw her lie to Barry’s family about his death, proclaiming: ‘If only he’d worn slip on shoes.’

Janine did eventually leave the soap later that year, when she was framed for the murder of Laura Beale (Hannah Waterman).

However, she returned to Albert Square to cause more chaos in 2008, where she tried to frame Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner) for trying to kill her, before later bumping off her third husband Michael Moon (Steve John Shephard).

After exiting again in 2014, Janine made her most recent comeback to Walford in 2021 for a storyline that saw her plot to split up Mick and Linda Carter (Danny Dyer and Kellie Bright).

She went on to marry Mick, but their happiness was short-lived when it was revealed she’d set up alcoholic Linda for being behind a car crash she had actually caused.

With Janine realising she faced criminal charges, she went on the run, as a reunited Mick and Linda went on a panicked car chase after her. However, when Linda and Janine plunged into the sea, Mick went to rescue them, but has been lost at sea ever since.

Meanwhile, Janine is now behind bars for framing Linda, and last year, gave birth to Mick’s baby, who is now in the care of her brother Ricky Butcher (Sid Owen).

Of another potential return as Janine, Charlie told The Sun last year: ‘She is always fun to play. I’m always interested in what she’s doing and what’s she’s up to, so there’s always a possibility.

‘I couldn’t play her constantly and I don’t think anyone would want me to,’ she added, ‘I think somebody might actually kill me if Janine was always in their living rooms four times