EastEnders star Barbara Windsor has told the Press Association that she’s “still coming to terms” with the fact that her co-star and on-screen husband, Larry Lamb, will be leaving the show.

Larry, who of course plays villain and all round bad ‘un, Archie Mitchell, recently returned to the show after three months absence, but EastEnders bosses have confirmed that he won’t be staying long term.

Barbara told the PA, “I still don’t think I’ve got over Mr Lamb going because they don’t make leading men like him anymore…

“That’s just Peggy’s luck isn’t it? She’s gets the right man and he has to be a rotter.”

The Daily Mirror revealed in May that the character of Archie was being axed as part of a cost cutting exercise, but EastEnders bosses denied this and insisted that his departure was because there were no new plotlines for the character.

As to the actual date of Larry’s departure, EastEnders bosses are refusing to comment.