Former EastEnders star Brian Conley explained the real reason behind his shock decision to leave the BBC soap.

Sources claimed last September that the Rocky Cotton actor, 62, t was ‘not enjoying being on EastEnders anymore — and has been telling a lot of colleagues and telly friends he wanted out for a

while.’

Appearing on Wednesday’s (July 3) Good Morning Britain, presenter Susanna Reid asked the comedian: ‘You haven’t been in EastEnders for six months, because you’re in prison there is a release date at some point.

‘You could go back…but you’ve said actually it’s probably too much?’

Brian explained: ‘I left because you’re not allowed to do anything else. Although I’ve now found out you can. But at the time, they said you can’t do anything.’

He added: ‘I’m a live performer, I love being live, I love getting out there – musicals and my own show which I’m currently doing.’

‘So for me I felt very restricted with those sort of ties.’At the end of December Brian’s EastEnders character Rocky Cotton was sent to prison after he was responsible for the catastrophic blaze on the Bridge Street Café in November that injured partner Kathy Beale’s (Gillian Taylforth) grandsons Peter (Thomas Law) and Bobby Beale (Clay Milner-Russell).

This marked his departure from the soap, as Brian paid tribute to a character he’d played since 2021.

Taking to social media, Brian said: ‘Well Rocky, you pretended to be Sonia’s Dad, had two heart attacks, married Kathy Beale, met the King of England, your best mate’s Harry Redknapp, you blew up the cafe, and had a pet parrot called Jasper. Gonna miss you, you old rascal. X’

Chatting about his departure from the soap this morning Brian said he was more of a live performer, having previously hosted The Brian Conley Show.

Brian has also presented the Royal Variety Performance eight times, while his other TV credits include The Grimleys, Time After Time and Last of the Summer Wine.