Shirley Carter is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Linda Henry. She first appeared on 7 December 2006, during episodes set in Dorset. This is Henry's second role in EastEnders, as she previously played prostitute Lorraine Salter (1991–1992). Shirley was presented upon her arrival as the mother of established characters Deano (Matt Di Angelo) and Carly Wicks (Kellie Shirley). Henry took a break from the show on 7 September 2012, before returning on 3 December 2012. On 29 December 2022, Henry took an unannounced extended break from the show, with Shirley expected to return at some point in the future. However, there is currently no confirmed date for her return. Shirley is also one of several EastEnders characters to appear in the internet spin-off series EastEnders: E20.