'Eastenders' actor Sid Owen has announced that he is to take a break from the show.
The star, who plays the character of Ricky Butchers on the soap, handed in his notice to his bosses last week and plans to leave in the summer, reports The Mirror.
Owen's on screen wife Patsy Palmer (Bianca Butcher) has also taken a break from the show and concentrating on motherhood following the birth of her fourth child.
A spokesperson for the BBC said: "Sid will be taking a short break from filming but we fully expect to see Ricky and Bianca return to Albert Square in 2012, when Patsy also returns."
In a statement, Owen revealed that he is planning to focus on charity work in his time off.
He said: "I will be taking a break from EastEnders so that I can dedicate more time to Drop 4 Drop, a charity to help alleviate the global water crisis in the developing world. Ricky will definitely be returning to Walford at some point next year."
