He may have departed EastEnders nearly 25 years ago, but Jack Ryder is still asked about a potential return to the BBC soap, despite the fact that his character, Jamie Mitchell, was killed off.

The actor portrayed Jamie for four years before departing in 2002, with the beloved character tragically passing away from his injuries after being hit by a car during a dramatic Christmas Day episode.

Though Jamie met a grisly end, deceased characters have been known to make comebacks to soaps via flashbacks or dream sequences, and Ryder said he wouldn’t necessarily be against the idea for himself.

“There have been whispers about me going back – things I’ve read in the press or heard in passing in the industry, but I don’t know how authentic they are,” he told The Sun. “I’m always open to conversations, especially artistic ones.

“You never know how things might evolve or what the wider implications could be. One thing I’ve learned over the course of my career is that I was more sheltered when I was younger and perhaps more selective.

“As I’ve gotten older, I’ve become much more open-minded. But the reality is that the character very clearly died on screen, in hospital, and that’s an important part of the conversation.”

Though he noted that his family would always be his “priority”, the actor, who has also appeared in Holby City, said that he would be “open” to a return despite the level of “commitment” that is required by a soap.

While Jamie may not be making a return any time soon, one character who will be arriving in Walford after a decade away is Mark Fowler Jr, with Stephen Aaron-Sipple taking over the role from Ned Porteous.

“Mark Jr seemed to be a chip off the old Mitchell block back then, and still seems to be taking after his dad 10 years later as it transpires he’s hiding a massive secret that could spell serious trouble for his relatives,” said our EastEnders insider.

“Mark is acting very strangely indeed, which doesn’t go unnoticed by Phil. He’s clearly in trouble but assures Vicki he’s there to support her through Joel’s trial. However, it turns out there’s more to the story as he later confides in Phil what’s really going on…”