'EastEnders' star Shane Richie will reportedly leave the soap at Christmas, but BBC bosses expect him to return after six months.
The actor, who is one of the show's biggest stars, is taking time off to try his hand at other projects.
Already he has landed the part of Scrooge in a stage musical version of the classic Charles Dickens story and he is in talks with American film producers about a movie.
Negotiations with both ITV and the BBC over film roles for television are also taking place.
Yesterday, insiders predicted he would return to play Alfie Moon.
One BBC source said: "The door will be left firmly open while he's away. We'd very much like him back because he's a popular character."
"We'd very much like to hang on to Shane but we're not in the business of stopping people from doing what they want to do. Hopefully he'll be back after six months or so."
The 41-year-old actor, who has huge debts after his movie 'Shoreditch' flopped, is keen to prove that he can be a success away from Albert Square.
