Former EastEnders star Joe Swash has shared he was “devastated” following his unexpected departure from the soap.
The actor played Mickey Miller on the BBC show for five years before surprisingly exiting in 2008, with the character leaving Walford to take up a job as a concierge in the Cotswolds.
Though Swash has returned to the soap in brief guest stints and also hosted a 2023 special and the 40th anniversary EastEnders Revealed episodes, the actor revealed during the latest episode of his reality series Stacey & Joe that he was saddened by his initial departure.
“I played Mickey Miller until the day came where they told me they didn’t want me no more and it was time to go,” he recalled. “It was devastating because I loved it. I wanted to be like Ian Beale.
“I was a lifer and in it for life if they wanted me. If it wasn’t for EastEnders, I wouldn’t have done the jungle [I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!]. I wouldn’t have met Stacey [Solomon]. I wouldn’t have had my kids. It’s like that sliding doors moment.”
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Swash, who has also appeared on Dancing On Ice, added that returning to the show last year was “nice” due to its familiarity, adding: “There’s something really comforting about that. I love that place and know it so well.”
Following his latest guest stint, Swash spoke about the prospect of reprising his role once more, telling OK! Magazine: “If they wanted me to go back in, that would be something I’d think about. But I’ve got a big family, so it would have to suit me and all of us, ultimately.
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“Soaps are quite full-on and I have quite a young family at the moment. [But] I really enjoyed my time there.”
He added: “The people who worked there, the directors and the writers and the bosses were all just such amazing people.”
