Inside EastEnders Ricky Groves' life off-screen as Garry Hobbs returns to BBC soap

EastEnders icon Ricky Groves, known for his role as Garry Hobbs, has made an unexpected return to the BBC One soap alongside his best mate Minty (Cliff Parisi). The beloved pair made their appearance at The Queen Vic on Wednesday (February 11) for a brief visit during Billy Mitchell's (Perry Fenwick) stag-do.

Groves, now 56, became a household name when he first appeared in Walford as mechanic Garry in 2000, and stayed on the show for an impressive nine years. During his time in Albert Square, Garry was part of some major storylines, including his tumultuous relationship with Lynne Slater (Elaine Lordan), which ended tragically when their baby Vivienne was stillborn following a fairground accident and an emergency caesarean.

After this devastating loss, Garry attempted suicide but was saved by his close friend Minty. In 2009, Garry left the Square when he and Dawn Swann (Kara Tointon) decided to start a new life elsewhere, leading to their characters being written out of the show.

During his stint on EastEnders, Ricky's on-screen drama crossed over into his personal life when he fell for co-star Hannah Waterman, who played Laura Beale. Their characters were involved in a gripping storyline in 2002, which saw them have a drunken one-night stand, with Laura later announcing her pregnancy - only for it to be revealed that the baby's father was actually her husband, Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt).

Ricky and Hannah, off-screen, got engaged in 2005 and married in 2006. However, their on-screen romance didn't translate into real-life bliss as they parted ways less than four years later, reports MyLondon.

Ricky has previously expressed his heartbreak over Hannah ending their marriage, reportedly attributing her decision to an