EastEnders legend breaks silence on ‘really sad’ decision 22 years after BBC soap exit

Legendary EastEnders star Michael Greco, who played Beppe DiMarco in the BBC soap, has spoken out on the “really sad” decision that was made after he was written out of Albert Square

EastEnders legend Michael Greco has shared his thoughts about the BBC One soap ditching its iconic weekly omnibus.

The actor, who became a household name as Walford’s heartthrob Beppe DiMarco from 1998 to 2002, expressed his disappointment over the decision to scrap the beloved Sunday catch-up sessions that had been a staple for three decades.

Chatting on behalf of FruitySlots.com, Michael lamented: “It was really sad when they took away the omnibus. Not only because people loved that but also for the actors because financially it was better for us because we’d get extra money because it was shown on Sundays. So that was taken away from us.”

**EastEnders’ Michael Greco has shared his thoughts about the BBC One soap ditching its iconic weekly omnibus** (Image: BBC)

Despite his character leaving the Square under low-key circumstances to attend his mother’s funeral, Michael is keen on a comeback, revealing he’s never been approached for a return in the last 22 years.

He added: “Of course I’d go back and now I only live 20 minutes away from the studios so that’s very handy. My character wasn’t killed off, he kind of went away quite quietly. I’ve never been asked to go back, I don’t know why. “I still called ‘Beppe’ in the streets. I’ll get called Beppe until the day I die.”

**The actor became a household name as Walford’s heartthrob Beppe DiMarco** (Image: Getty Images)

Michael went on to discuss about his time on Eastenders, saying: “It was like being the biggest pop star in the world. I went to an awards ceremony and I got a tap on my shoulder and it was Paul McCartney. He said ‘Me and my family watch you all the time, we think you’re great’, reports the Manchester Evening News.

“I’d gone from a working class boy who really struggled for a long, long time to being recognised by one of the most famous people in the planet.”

Post-Eastenders, Michael has carved out a name for himself as a pro poker player, landed a role in the Netflix series Queen Cleopatra, and is set to play the dastardly Fleshcreep in Jack and the Beanstalk this Christmas at Ipswich’s Regent Theatre.

EastEnders airs Monday to Thursday at 7.30pm on BBC One and available to stream on BBC iPlayer from 6am