he felt it was time to move on from the show and that he had "relished every minute" of exploring Michael. He added "I feel extremely privileged to have had this amazing experience and want to thank everybody — most importantly the fans of the show — for taking Michael and his numerous flaws into their hearts." Shepherd filmed his final scenes the following month. On 25 August 2013, Susan Hill from the Daily Star reported that Michael would be killed off, following "a bitter custody battle" with Janine. Reception Michael was called "creepy and a bit slimy" by a writer for website Holy Soap. In May 2011, Shepherd was nominated in the Best Soap Newcomer category at the 2011 TV Choice Awards for his portrayal of Michael. Kate White of Inside Soap praised the character, saying "Darling 'Midnight Michael'...how we love your crazy schemes, oddball ways and eccentric comments. And now you've knocked up Janine, the possibilities are endless. Lots, lots more in 2012, please!" Shepherd admitted that playing a villain has made him unpopular with viewers. He said that one woman screamed at him and a child hid behind her mother and would not speak. He commented: "It was quite upsetting, but the flip side is that they clearly believe in the drama." See also List of EastEnders characters (2010) "Who's Been Sleeping with Kat?" List of soap opera villains Fictional portrayals of psychopaths References External links EastEnders characters Fictional characters with psychiatric disorders Television characters introduced in 2010 Fictional businesspeople Fictional con artists Fictional murdered people Fictional stalkers Male villains Fictional criminals in soap operas Male characters in television