Shirley Carter is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Linda Henry.

Some of her storylines have included trying and failing to rebuild relationships with her children Carly (Kellie Shirley) and Deano (Matt Di Angelo); a friendship with Heather Trott (Cheryl Fergison); a volatile relationship with Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden), which ends when Phil covers up his son Ben's (Joshua Pascoe) murder of Heather; the introduction of her son Mick (Danny Dyer), who at first was believed to be her brother, and his family; an affair with Phil despite him being engaged to Sharon Rickman (Letitia Dean); accidentally shooting Phil; a feud with Mick over her refusal to believe that Dean has raped Mick's wife Linda (Kellie Bright); a custody battle with Shabnam Masood (Rakhee Thakrar) over her and Dean's daughter Jade Green (Amaya Edward); a feud with Stuart Highway (Ricky Champ); discovering that her sister Tina (Luisa Bradshaw-White) has been murdered by Gray Atkins (Toby-Alexander Smith); vowing revenge on Phil for framing Tina for Ian Beale's (Adam Woodyatt) attack, which led her to Gray's violence; and grieving for Mick when he is presumed dead at sea.

Shirley begins a relationship with Vinnie Monks (Bobby Davro), at the urging of her best friend Heather Trott (Cheryl Fergison), but the romance eventually ends when Vinnie learns Shirley is harbouring feelings for Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden).

Phil, an alcoholic, gets drunk with Shirley, uses her for sex and as a surrogate mother for his son, Ben (Joshua Pascoe).

She gives him an alibi when he is suspected of murder and helps him get custody of his daughter, Louise (Brittany Papple), leading to them beginning a legitimate relationship.

She even forgives him for several affairs, firstly with fellow addict, Rainie Cross (Tanya Franks) and secondly with Glenda Mitchell (Glynis Barber).

She finds the murder weapon, a metal photo frame, in a neighbour's house and traces it to a charity shop where it was donated by Phil.

Mick and Dean eventually bring Shirley back to Walford when Stan admits he has terminal prostate cancer.

They plan to run away together but Mick has Buster arrested for breaking his bail conditions as he is on day release.

Shirley learns from Dean he has a seven-year-old daughter and confronts the child's mother, Shabnam Masood (Rakhee Thakrar), who continues to lie.

Masood Ahmed (Nitin Ganatra) gives Shirley the address of Dean's daughter, verifying the child, Jade Green (Amaya Edward), previously Roya, is alive.

Shirley prevents Dean from raping Roxy Mitchell (Rita Simons) and, finally believing that he is a rapist, tries to drown him in the bath but he recovers and strikes her as Linda enters.

The following day, Shirley learns from Louise (now played by Tilly Keeper) that Phil has been rushed to hospital and his liver is damaged.

Realising Mick will never be able to pay the £20,000 fine ordered by the court, Shirley decides to put the blame on herself and she tells the police she knew Babe was breaching their licence but did nothing about it.

Shirley is tricked into selling the freehold of The Queen Vic by Max Branning (Jake Wood) and she forges Mick's signature.

The Carters are unaware that it is part of a plan by a company, Weyland & Co, to demolish The Queen Vic and redevelop the whole area.

The Carters believe that Tina has fled Walford following an attack on Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt) but the real culprits are Phil and Sharon.

Shirley's creation was announced in September 2006, at which time she was described as being "brassy, rough, tarty and tough-as-old-boots" by media entertainment website Digital Spy.

Di Angelo deemed his character "very fond" of his mother, keen to forge a relationship with her, and attributed Deano's childish characterisation to her absence during his formative years.

[8] Other relatives were less enthused by her arrival: Shirley developed a rivalry with Wicks matriarch Pat (Pam St Clement), which culminated in a physical fight and their arrest in April 2007.

[9] Digital Spy's Dek Hogan highlighted a similarity between the two, and commented prior to their fight that Shirley was "so like Pat was when she first arrived it's frightening.

Reluctant to seek medical help, Shirley admitted to Phil that she was afraid, and he responded with "genuine kindness".

[11] Their friendship developed into romance, and Shirley was later able to save him from an addiction to crack cocaine, which Henry felt reflected the strength of their relationship.

Although Shirley was wounded to discover he had been unfaithful to her, Henry explained that, regardless of the tough façade her character projected, she still loved him.

"[12] On 29 December 2022 Henry made an unannounced exit from the show; this coincided with the departure of her onscreen son Mick Carter (Danny Dyer).

Series producer Chris Clenshaw confirmed that Shirley's exit was part of Linda Henry's decision to take an extended break from the show, but she would return in the future.

"[22] Hogan called her "the most convincing drunk" in the programme for twenty years, but noted, "that really doesn't make her any less annoying and her scenes are a pain in the neck to sit through.

With Heather [Trott, played by Cheryl Fergison] having been brown bread [dead] for over a year, it's time Shirley got a new BFF – and we reckon zany Jean is perfect.

[31] Kevin O'Sullivan from the Sunday Mirror said that "Shirley Terrahawk went into theatrical meltdown" after Heather died; adding that it was "hilarious overacting" on Henry's part.

[28] In 2020, Sara Wallis and Ian Hyland from The Daily Mirror placed Shirley 53rd on their ranked list of the best EastEnders characters of all time, calling her "uncompromising" and the fierce matriarch of the Carter family who "showed her softer side" through her friendships with Jean and Heather.