The Walking Dead midseason premiere will be an extended episode for Carl’s exit

The next episode of The Walking Dead is set to be extra long, as the midseason premiere waves goodbye to Carl’s character.

Considering it is probably the biggest character death to ever take place on the series, it only seems fitting that The Walking Dead should extend its premiere episode when season eight returns for its second half this March.

The episode has been confirmed to be 82 minutes long (including adverts) and will see the exit of one of the few main characters still left standing from season one: Carl Grimes.

The recent mid-season finale left viewers shocked after Alexandria leader Rick Grimes walked over to his son in the final moments of the episode, only to find he had been bitten by a walker on his stomach; an injury that can only mean certain death on the show.

Many fans have questioned the future of the show with the loss of such a major character, but Riggs and TWD producer Scott M. Gimple have promised that Carl’s “legacy” will live on.

“He’s definitely leaving behind a really long-lasting legacy,” Riggs told Entertainment Weekly. “[That] was the coolest part about playing those final moments — knowing that Carl was going to have such a lasting impact on the story.”

Gimple added: “Carl’s presence is felt very deeply throughout the story. It’s a critical aspect of the season.”

The Walking Dead season 8 returns March 25 in America at 9pm on AMC, and airs the following day in the UK at 9pm on FOX.