EastEnders star Ross Boatman has explained why his character Harvey Monroe will be off our screens for two months.
The actor will be taking a break from the BBC soap in the next few months after undergoing an operation that required some post-surgery rest.
Appearing on Matthew Rolland's Isolation Interviews YouTube series, Boatman said he had to take some time off after having knee replacement surgery.
Confirming he is now back on set following the break, Boatman, whose character recently dumped Jean Slater for Kathy Beale, said: "I won't be on it for a while."
Due to the break and Kathy actor Gillian Taylforth's summer holiday break, Boatman said fans will have to wait a little bit longer to see the couple on screen together.
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"I haven't had a chance to shoot loads with Gilly yet because I've just been off for two months," he said.
He continued: "I had knee replacement surgery, so I haven't been there. And now she's on holiday, so I'm hoping we've got some stuff to shoot coming up soon, which will come out, maybe, towards the end of the year. Fingers crossed."
Teasing what's to come between Harvey and Kathy, Boatman said he thinks Harvey's relationship with Kathy will be very different to his partnership with Jean.
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"The relationship with Gillian Taylforth, I think, will be very different and I think we'll see a different side [to Harvey]," he said.
"I don't know yet because I haven't read the scripts and they haven't been written, but I think we'll see a very different side of Harvey," he added.
Elsewhere in the interview, Boatman said he hopes to stay on the show for a while, saying: "I don't wanna leave in a body bag, I don't wanna leave in a taxi or leave in any way just yet. I love where I am at. I love the show."
EastEnders airs on Mondays-Thursdays at 7.30pm on BBC One. The show also streams on BBC iPlayer, where most episodes drop early at 6am ahead of their TV broadcast.
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