Patsy Palmer's EastEnders reluctance

Patsy Palmer doesn't plan to return to 'Eastenders' full-time.

Although the actress has "every intention" of reprising her role as mouthy Bianca Butcher in the BBC One soap eventually, after giving birth to her son Bertie in December she says she doesn't want to leave him for too long.

She explained: "I have every intention of returning when the time is right. I'm just seeing what happens. I'm not on contract there anymore but I would never write it off."

"I can't imagine going back full-time because I just don't want to leave him. I don't even want much time to myself!"

In January, the redhead - who is also mum to Charley, 19, Fenton, 10 and Emilia, nine - announced she hadn't quit the soap, despite reports suggesting she wanted to leave because of the controversial baby swap storyline, and said she would return "when the time is right".

Patsy said: "I have not quit 'EastEnders' over the current storyline as reports suggest. My contract came to an end soon after I gave birth to Bertie and, as I have already said, I just want to spend every minute with him.

"I love 'EastEnders' and have every intention of returning when the time is right for me and the show."