Dean Gaffney grateful for friends and family after 'hard' 2019

Dean Gaffney is grateful to his friends and family for getting him through a tough 2019.

The \'EastEnders\' actor lost his job and split from his girlfriend Rebekah Ward last year, but the "happy-go-lucky" star - who has played Robbie Jackson on and off on the BBC One soap since 1993 - has praised his pals for "always picking me up".

He said: "It was hard to get through last year, but I had friends and family around me who would always pick me up.

"I\'ve always been happy-go-lucky."

The 42-year-old star also credited his friends and family for helping him to avoid feeling "a form of depression" last year.

Speaking on Paul Danan\'s \'The Morning After\' podcast, he added: "I feel like with what happened last year, I lost my job and I had a breakdown of a relationship. Both things happened within the space of six months.

"I think if I didn\'t suffer from a form of depression at that point I don\'t think I ever will.

"I think it\'s having people around you, good friends and family.

"I do have a massive group of friends. I don\'t mean that in a big-headed way."

Dean recently claimed he could return to Albert Square in a "couple of years", after soap bosses left the door open for his return.

He said: "When I left last June, they said, \'Come back to us in a couple of years.\'

"The door is open so let\'s hope they are true to their word and it happens."