Former EastEnders star Tom Watt has said that the soap has suffered from increasing its episode count over the last few decades.

The 64-year-old was one of the original characters on the soap when it launched in 1985, playing the lovable Lofty for three years, departing in Spring 1988.

At the time EastEnders aired just twice a week - Tuesdays and Thursdays - and was drawing around 20 million viewers, but now airs four episodes a week, while rivals Coronation Street and Emmerdale each air six.

"The fact that we only did two episodes a week was fundamental to the success of the show," Watt told the Distinct Nostalgia podcast.

"It's something that soaps have lost now because there are four episodes.

"You would have people talking about the episodes from Thursday night and then what is going to happen the following Tuesday.

"If you have got four episodes each becomes a little less important."

Watt made a one-off guest return to the show last year for the funeral of Dr Legg (Leonard Fenton) and has previously revealed that he would be interested in a more permanent comeback.