What has I'm a Celebrity star Dean Gaffney been doing since leaving EastEnders

Dean Gaffney has joined this year's line-up for I'm a Celebrity…South Africa. Famed for portraying Robbie Jackson in EastEnders, the actor was written out of the BBC soap in 2003 but has reprised the role on numerous occasions. After returning in 2017, he was officially written off in 2019, with reports stating that the show's creators had become concerned about his off-set behaviour. So, what's Dean been up to since? We've got the details…

Following his exit from EastEnders in 2019, Dean appeared in the reality series, Celebs Go Dating. Joining the show's eighth season in 2020, during an episode, the 45-year-old said: "I want that butterfly feeling, I want to be in love." His stint on the series followed his split from long-term girlfriend and model Rebekah Rose-Ward. 

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After his appearance in season eight, Dean went on to reveal the real reason why he joined Celebs Go Dating. Asked about it at London's TRIC Awards in 2020, he replied: "I went on Celebs Go Dating to have a good time. At the end of the day, it's a job and a job pays money."

© Rex

Away from the spotlight, Dean has also been spending quality time with his family, which includes his twin daughters, Charlotte and Chloe, whom he shares with his ex-partner, Sarah Burge. A proud grandfather, Dean's daughter Chloe has recently welcomed two children of her own – Mimi, and Penelope. 

In an adorable post, Dean revealed just how much he loves being a grandfather. Sharing a photo of Mimi in 2021, he captioned it: "It's a different kind of love…"

While the actor has made fewer appearances on TV since leaving EastEnders, he already had an impressive list of credits under his belt. In 2007, Dean landed a role as himself on Ricky Gervais' Extras, before starring in M.I. High and Misfits. 

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