Dean Gaffney has confirmed that he will be making his EastEnders comeback as Robbie Jackson later this summer.

The actor is "honoured" to be returning to the long-running soap after leaving in 2010 to go to India with his pregnant wife Nita, after walking sister Bianca down the aisle.

Gaffney will be on our TV screens again for six episodes and is keeping tight-lipped about what his storyline will involve.

"All they've told me is that Robbie, as always, is hapless in love and business, so I think this trend is continuing," he said. "And I believe he comes back with a son."

The 37-year-old will return as part of Lindsey Coulson's exit plot but is refusing to reveal any details about the departure, insisting that he would "surrender coming back for her to stay".

"I think it's a shame for the show she's leaving but I think she'll go on to bigger and better things," he added.

Gaffney found out about his re-casting while food shopping with Coronation Street pal Ryan Thomas.

"My agent said, 'Are you sitting down?' He said, 'They want you to come back to do a stint on the show'.

"I'm standing with Ryan, so then I had to put the phone down and we couldn't scream because we were in a supermarket. When I got outside, I just let off a big scream."

Gaffney quickly phoned co-star Natalie Cassidy, who plays Sonia Fowler on EastEnders, to tell her the news.

He begins shooting scenes in mid-July and they are due to air six weeks afterwards.