Davood Ghadami is to leave EastEnders next year, it has been confirmed.

The 38-year-old fan favourite has played Kush Kazemi on the BBC soap since 2014, during which time he has been involved in storylines including his younger brother's death to knife crime, a shock cardiac arrest and an unlikely relationship with Kat Slater (Jessie Wallace).

The actor's exit comes days after Jake Wood quit the show after 15 years playing Max Branning in a year that has already seen the departures of established characters including Bex Fowler, Chantelle Atkins, Keanu Taylor, Denny Rickman, Lisa Fowler, Louise Mitchell and the iconic Dot Cotton.

"Davood's contract was up and bosses decided his storyline had run its course," said a source.

"He'll be missed but they're making sure he goes out with a bang. Sometimes the cost of having a big storyline means losing big characters."

Ghadami's final scenes are expected to air in early 2021.