EastEnders icon Adam Woodyatt could be set to make a surprise return to the BBC soap as he is reportedly in talks with bosses on a possible deal.
The 53-year-old actor, who played Ian Beale on the streets of Walford until he walked away in 2020 after being poisoned by his pseudo lover Sharon Mitchell in a twisted revenge plot.
Adam revealed that he had “no plans” to return to Albert Square any time soon when he entered the Welsh castle to appear on I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here.
However he is now reportedly being lured back to Albert Square with a deal reputed to be up to £300,000, but a certain amount of this would go to his estranged wife.
The EastEnders veteran announced his split from Bev Sharpe, 56, in 2020 after 22 years together and the couple are still in the process of settling their divorce.
A source told The Sun: “Adam was one of the highest earners in EastEnders and there’s no doubt he’d be looking to come back on at least the same amount of money, if not more.
“They’re hugely keen to get him back after the massive blow of losing Danny. The belief is that if he signs it now it will mean he has to give Bev more in their divorce settlement. But clearly the bosses at EastEnders need to know what’s happening.”
The BBC said: “Any contract talks are pure speculation.”
This comes as EastEnders star Danny Dyer has quit after being poached by Sky, plunging the soap into crisis.
The actor, who has played Queen Vic landlord Mick Carter since 2013, has signed to an upcoming drama on the satellite channel.
The deal is thought to be worth six figures – much less than the £1million-a-year so-called “golden handcuffs” deal he is on with the BBC, but it will open the door to a raft of offers that could ultimately dwarf what he earns now.
Strict BBC rules have prevented him appearing on rival channels, which has irked the 44-year-old Cockney and some of his fellow co-stars.
One source told The Mirror: “Danny has offers coming in left right and centre, and a lot of the things he has wanted to do he can’t because EastEnders have such strict rules about what he can and can’t do.
“It’s driven him mad at times and he’s now ready for a change. But it hasn’t been easy to walk away, BBC bosses have been desperate to keep him. But he’s been insistent and when Sky approached they gave him an offer he couldn’t refuse. It’s a new chapter for Dan and he’s over the moon.”
