EastEnders' Gus to leave the soap

Actor Mohammed George is to leave EastEnders after six years as road sweeper Gus, according to reports.

The Mirror says that his departure was by "mutual consent", following a turbulent year which saw him suspended the show, following an argument outside a diner with his girlfriend.

"As the character did not have any big plots coming up it was agreed Mohammed would leave," a BBC spokeswoman told the paper.

"He is in talks with the BBC about other projects."

Gus first appeared in Albert Square in 2002, and since then has been involved in storylines which saw him strike up a close friendship with Sonia and take on ownership of Wellard.

Meanwhile actress June Brown, who plays square stalwart Dot Cotton, has told The Sun she is unhappy with the amount of sex and violence on the soap - and often makes her feelings known to show bosses.

"EastEnders used to be set in a more simple and moralistic time – it stood for something.," she said.

Executive producer Diederick Santer said June was "fantastic. She will always come to me if she's unhappy about something. Her knowledge and experience of the show definitely count."