David Essex - David Essex Quits U.k. Soap

The Rock On hitmaker signed up to the longrunning London-based series earlier this year (11), five years after his busy schedule stopped him from originally accepting a part.

Essex is currently playing Eddie Moon on the show, but the 64-year-old singer has now quit the programme and will be making a dramatic exit in October (11).

He tells Britain's The Sun, "Being on EastEnders has been wonderful, challenging and intimidating and it does take over your life. But I've been blessed to work with wonderful actors. I've really enjoyed it and I'm pleased it went so well. Eddie's storylines from now until October are incredible, so powerful."

And Essex is wasting no time in returning to his music roots - he's recording an album to be released at Christmas (11): "It's got a lot of my previous hits and some new songs. I'm very pleased how it's going."