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."
Dean Gaffney grateful for friends and family after ‘hard’ 2019
