Dean Gaffney concerned he may have coronavirus

24 March 2020

Dean Gaffney is concerned he may have coronavirus.

Dean Gaffney

The 'EastEnders' actor - who plays Robbie Jackson on the BBC One soap - recently learnt a loss of sense of smell and taste could be symptoms of the virus, which has killed more than 16,500 worldwide, and he took to social media to share his fears with his fans.

Writing on his Instagram Story, he posted: "Haven't been able to smell or taste for days... oh s**t!!! (sic)"

Dean has reprised his role as Robbie on numerous occasions since he was first seen in Albert Square in 1993.

The soap star is currently on the show but recently admitted he hopes to return to Walford "at some point".

But nobody is shooting scenes on the soap at the moment after 'EastEnders' bosses recently suspended filming due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Bosses made the decision to halt production to protect the cast and crew from the respiratory illness, which has claimed more than 16,500 lives worldwide.

They will now ration the eight weeks' worth of instalments they have filmed in advance to two episodes each week, instead of four, so the show can stay on air.

'EastEnders' executive producer Jon Sen spoke to key cast members last Tuesday (17.03.20) about whether they wanted to keep going, or go home as filming on other dramas, such as 'Line of Duty', 'Silent Witness' and 'Peaky Blinders', was halted.

A statement from 'EastEnders' read: "In light of the spread of Covid-19, after much consideration, it has been decided that filming on 'EastEnders' will be postponed until further notice. The decision was made after the latest government update. We will continue to follow the latest news and advice from the World Health Organisation and Public Health England. We have also taken the decision to reduce the amount of episodes we broadcast each week to two, so that we can ensure the audience can continue to enjoy 'EastEnders' in their homes for as long as possible."

'EastEnders' episodes will now air on Mondays at 8pm and Tuesdays at 7:30pm with immediate effect.