BBC's EastEndersEastendersAnother one, as they say, bites the dust.

Hot on the heels of Sharon and Dennis, another major character is set to exit Albert Square.

Billy Murray, who plays gangster Johnny Allen, has confirmed he'll be leaving EastEnders next year.

He told the Daily Mirror: "I sat down recently with the boss and we decided it would be much better for Johnny to go out with a bang than to hang around the Square for years, ageing gracefully."

The move comes as a shock, as Johnny Allen had proved popular with viewers - especially after killing off bad guy Andy Hunter.

Billy, 64, who was previously in The Bill, joins a long line of cast members collecting their P45 from the BBC soap.

Billy MurrayBilly MurrayBoth Jessie Wallace and Shane Richie will exit the show, as well as the much-loved Nigel Harman and Letitia Dean.

But fans will also see an influx of old characters return - including Frank, played by Mike Reid, and Grant Mitchell, played by Ross Kemp.