EastEnders' Nick Cotton favourite to return

Nick Cotton is bookies' favourite to be the next character to return to EastEnders.

Since it was announced on Thursday that Letitia Dean would be reprising her role as Sharon Watts in the BBC1 soap, Nasty Nick has been given odds of 2/1 from bookmakers Paddy Power to return to Walford.

Dot's son Nick - played by John Altman - has been a recurring character since the soap's very first episode in February 1985.

He was last seen fleeing Walford in 2009 after surviving an explosion at the cafe, following a plot to poison his long-suffering mother.

Second favourites to return to the soap are Sonia Fowler, played by Natalie Cassidy, and Sam Mitchell, played by Danniella Westbrook, who are both set at 5/1.

'Little Mo' Mitchell, played by Kacey Ainsworth, is at 10/1 and Ronnie Mitchell, played by Samantha Womack, has odds of 12/1.

Michelle Ryan is 16/1 to return as Zoe Slater, while long-gone Lofty Holloway, played by Tom Watt, is an outsider at 40/1.

Michael French recently returned to the soap for a brief stint as David Wicks for the exit storyline of Pam St Clement - Walford matriarch Pat Evans.

Nick Berry - who played his brother Simon Wicks from 1985 to 1990 - made a surprise appearance at Pat's graveside, after her funeral.