Adam Woodyatt has reportedly landed a new stage gig which means that any potential return to EastEnders may not take place until 2024 at the earliest.
The actor left his role as Ian Beale in the soap at the end of 2020 in order to take part in a play and was initially expected to be away for nine months, but his sabbatical has been successively extended as he has pursued additional projects.
Now The Sun says that he has landed a plum role in the UK tour of My Fair Lady which will run to more than 150 shows over a nine-month period.
"Adam's a big-name so there's no reason ticket sales won't be buoyant," a source told the newspaper.
"It's a good deal for him. Theatre work's hard but rewarding - and a lot more fun than the day-to-day slog of filming a soap.
"If the tour goes well he could become a stage star."
The timing of the show means that should Woodyatt decide to go back to EastEnders then he will not begin filming again until late 2023, with a possible on-screen return in early 2024.
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