EASTENDER Wellard is going to the great kennel in the sky, TV Biz can reveal.
The lovable alsatian — actually a bitch called Kyte — has grown too old for acting.
And we can reveal that Wellard, originally owned by spotty Robbie Jackson, will be killed off.
A source on the show said last night: “Wellard has been played by three different dogs from the family — Kyte, her mum and grandma.
“But now it’s time for the character to bow out gracefully.”
Wellard first arrived in 1994 when Robbie — played by Dean Gaffney — found him wandering the streets of Walford and started feeding him.
He later took him in and the newcomer lived with the Jacksons until Robbie left to go travelling in India.
Since then poor Wellard has been on a merry-go-round of homes. Robbie left him with his sister Sonia (Natalie Cassidy).
But she could not cope and asked Gus (Mohammed George) to take him in.
Gus handed Wellard to pal Mickey Miller (Joe Swash) when he left. But the Millers could not handle another pet in the house and encouraged Mickey to get rid of him.
Mickey recently sold the dog to Vinnie, who swapped him for Pat Butcher’s pineapple bucket.
And Bianca Jackson’s kids, Whitney and Tiffany, are now Wellard’s proud owners.
He has had lots of ups and downs — including several run-ins with Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt) after stealing food from the cafe.
Wellard once bit Ian, who retaliated by reporting him to the council.
Gus then had to hide him in the allotments — and Ian was later forced to back down.
Last year Wellard was dognapped by Jay Brown, but quickly released.
And Gus was sick in April after evil Sean Slater tricked him into believing he was eating Wellard in a spaghetti dish he had made.
Sean then set Wellard free, but he found his way back to Gus.
NOOOOOO Perdita loves Wellard