DEAN Gaffney will return to EastEnders on June 3rd after a six-month hiatus – but he won’t be alone.
The 41-year-old actor, who plays Robbie Jackson, has confirmed he’ll return to Walford in just under two weeks’ time.
However, a synopsis of the episode on the soap’s official website reveals he won’t be coming back to Albert Square “alone”.
It reads: “Kat drops a bombshell leaving Stacey furious. Robbie returns to the Square but he’s not alone. Tensions simmer between Phil and Louise.”
The soap’s official website also hints his half-sister Sonia (Natalie Cassidy) will be confused by his “odd” behaviour, but gives no other plot details away.
Robbie was last seen in December, when villain Stuart Highway gave him £500 so that he could go and visit his son in India – and so he could swoop in on Dot Branning’s savings.
But Dean recently hinted he might come back to Walford with a new love interest.
He said: “Robbie has been off in India soul-searching. He’s gone to right some wrongs, cross some T’s and dot some I’s.
“When he comes back, which is not too long now, is he alone? Has he found love?”
Robbie split from his girlfriend Donna Yates (Lisa Hammond) last summer, and he then set his sights on Minute Mart employee Honey Mitchell (Emma Barton).
Dean hopes this may be the case as he also said: “He had a great time with Donna, obviously, and now she’s gone he’s kind of moping around the Square.
“It would be nice to get a bit of love back in his life.”
The news of his return comes after it was revealed Patsy Palmer, who plays Robbie’s older sister, Bianca, will be returning in the autumn.
Speaking on Loose Women yesterday, Patsy confirmed she would be back – but also confessed she had rowed with producers beforw she signed, insisting that EastEnders was better in the ’90s.
Leaving behind her glitzy life in LA for her return, she explained: “I haven’t watched it for ages, but it used to be really well written back then.
“We had two episodes a week, and everybody wanted to know what was going on.
“There were also no spoilers. I used to moan and ask, ‘Why are you telling everyone what’s going on?’
“There’s supposed to be a cliffhanger and you want to know what’s going to happen next.”
Patsy first left EastEnders in 1999, returning for a second stint in 2008 before quitting again in 2014.
