Ross Kemp has confirmed he will not be involved in EastEnders' 30th anniversary celebrations - he says he's simply too busy.
Ross won legions of fans as Walford hardman Grant Mitchell, appearing between 1990-99, and returning for a year in 2005.
Speculation is rife about which of the BBC1 soap's most popular characters might be back for the soap's special anniversary week in mid-February - which is when Lucy's Beale's killer will be unveiled - and Grant is one character that fans would love to see return.
But Ross has admitted a return is unlikely as he's busy working on his hard-hitting documentary series, Ross Kemp: Extreme World, which returns to Sky1 next week.
"It's really good that fans would like to see Grant come back and it's testament to me and to EastEnders that the character was so great," Ross told What's on TV. "But I'm still filming and editing the last episode of Extreme World so, as much as I'd love to be there, I can't because I'm busy."
Ross is grateful for the opportunities that playing Grant and being in EastEnders has given him.
"I owe Grant and EastEnders a lot," he said. "I'm really proud of the fact I was in the soap for so long and won a lot of awards voted for by the public."
That said, Ross admitted he could return to acting... one day.
"I've never ruled it out," he said. "You can't rule things out in this life. I'm very fortunate to be in the situation I am at the moment.
"I'd probably be a better actor now than I was when I was doing it because I've had a break from it and I've probably got a better understanding of the process, so I'd love to have a go.
"One things for sure, it would be a f****** holiday compared to what I do now!"
Ross Kemp: Extreme World starts on January 22 at 9pm on Sky1.
