Axed: Jake and Danny
The brothers, played by Joel Beckett and Jake Maskall, will bow out this summer as part of an "explosive" storyline but the door will be left open for a return in the future.
The move comes as the soap seeks to resposition itself away from its gangster-led plotlines, which have been attributed as one of the reasons for its recent ratings slump.
"Both Joel and Jake have brought considerable talent and energy to the show," said an EastEnders spokesperson.
"This decision is no reflection on them, it's just the way the programme is going at the moment. We thank them for all their hard work and wish them every success for the future."
The fate of new "head" gangster Jonny Allen, played by Billy Murray, remains unclear.
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