BBC EastEnders icon speaks out on 'really sad' change after three decades

EastEnders legend Michael Greco has shared his thoughts on the axing of the BBC One soap's weekly omnibus. Fans will remember the weekly compilation of episodes which ran for three decades from 1985 until 2015 on the BBC until it was taken over in 2016 by W before later being axed for good in April 2017. Michael, who famously played Walford lothario Beppe DiMarco from 1998 until his departure from Walford in 2002, says that the decision to remove the omnibus was "really sad."

Speaking on behalf of FruitySlots.com, Michael said: "It was really sad when they took away the omnibus. Not only because people loved that but also for the actors because financially it was better for us because we'd get extra money because it was shown on Sundays. So that was taken away from us."

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After all his relationships ended in disaster, Beppe ended up leaving Albert Square for his mother's funeral which concluded the character's duration on the programme. However, Michael has confirmed he's up for returning despite admitting he's never been asked by bosses to go back over the past 22 years.

Michael said: "Of course I'd go back and now I only live 20 minutes away from the studios so that's very handy. My character wasn't killed off, he kind of went away quite quietly. I've never been asked to go back, I don't know why. "I still called 'Beppe' in the streets. I'll get called Beppe until the day I die."

Speaking about his experience on Eastenders, Michael gushed: "It was like being the biggest pop star in the world. I went to an awards ceremony and I got a tap on my shoulder and it was Paul McCartney.

"He said 'Me and my family watch you all the time, we think you're great'. I'd gone from a working class boy who really struggled for a long, long time to being recognised by one of the most famous people in the planet."

Since leaving the soap, Michael has enjoyed a successful career as a professional poker player, appeared in Netflix series Queen Cleopatra and he'll be starring as evil Fleshcreep in Jack and the Beanstalk this Christmas at Ipswich's Regent Theatre.

EastEnders airs Monday to Thursday at 7.30pm on BBC One and available to stream on BBC iPlayer from 6am