EastEnders gave me the best opportunity a young actor could have dreamed of

Jack Ryder

"It has not been an easy decision but I felt it was time for me to build on the experience the show has given me and play other parts.

"EastEnders gave me the best opportunity a young actor could have dreamed of, and I will always be grateful to them for that."

The soap's executive producer, John Yorke, said Ryder would feature in episodes until February 2003.

"Jack has made a big contribution to EastEnders, playing the much loved Jamie Mitchell," he said.

"We will be very sad to see him go, but we wish him all the best for his future."

The Queen Vic: Focal point

A BBC spokesman said it was too early to speculate about the plot surrounding Jamie Mitchell's departure.

Ryder's is the latest high-profile departure from the soap.

Michael Greco, who plays Beppe di Marco, is to leave Albert Square this summer, the BBC announced earlier this month.

BBC One said the popular character, who has been in the ratings-topping show since January 1998, had "run its course".

Martin Kemp and screen wife Tamzin Outhwaite announced their departures last year.

Kemp, a former member of the 1980s band Spandau Ballet, quit the show to take up an exclusive, two-year contract with ITV.

During his time in EastEnders, Kemp's character killed his former girlfriend, developed a drug habit and orchestrated a number of dodgy business deals.