The Blue singer played barman Woody Woodward between 2017 and 2018.
Blue singer Lee Ryan has said EastEnders bosses were planning a big storyline for his character, but it was ultimately scrapped.
Lee played lovable barman Woody Woodward on the BBC soap between 2017 and 2018.
The singer and actor claimed that landing a role on a pantomime meant that a pivotal storyline featuring Whitney Carter didn't go ahead.
"They wouldn't tell me whether they'd want me back in Walford," he told The Mirror.
"Every time I asked them, they were evasive. Frustratingly, by the time they said yes, I'd signed for a panto and couldn't break that contract."
MORE: Soap fans divided after major change to EastEnders and Coronation Street
He went on: "I was told that if I went ahead with the panto they'd cut Woody's major storyline. Which is exactly what they did. That was a real shame.
"I was meant to marry Whitney. But they downgraded my story. I'm grateful for what EastEnders did for my career. But you're very much at their beck and call."
Whitney and Woody got engaged before eventually splitting.
Lee left the soap after a year when his contract ended and was written out when the E20 heist mystery was finally solved. It was reported at the time he had landed a role in a big World War II film.
As well as pantomime Aladdin, he more recently appeared in E4's Celebs Go Dating.
