God knows how EastEnders would have bumped off a character like Vera Duckworth.

Shot in a drive-by during a gangland feud, no doubt, or packed off in a taxi to Majorca.

Instead, her demise was impressively understated - so much so that we didn't actually see it. She died alone - of a heart attack - off camera.

So we didn't see Liz Dawn gasping and melodramatically clutching her chest or Jack comforting her as she went.

Bill Tarmey excelled, mourning her passing with an old Lancashire serenade and having a heart-to-heart with one of his pigeons.

My only criticism is that the silent closing credits that usually mark the death of a Street legend would have been a fitting tribute.