Owen was on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! in 2005

The announcement comes a day after it was confirmed his former co-star, Patsy Palmer, would also return to the show in her role as Bianca Jackson.

The pair endured a stormy relationship which eventually ended, and viewers will see Ricky return to Albert Square with his new fiancee.

"I'm over the moon they've asked me to come back," Owen said.

'Hugely popular'

Owen originally joined the show in 1988 and left 12 years later.

He made a comeback in 2002, but was last seen on screen in 2004.

In contrast to Ricky, Palmer's character arrives as a single mother and is struggling to survive.

"It will be interesting to see what has been happening to Ricky and Bianca over the last few years," Owen said.

Bianca became notorious for shouting 'Rickaaaaaaay!'

"Although, I must admit I'm not looking forward to her nagging me by shouting his name," he added.

Palmer said that she is "really excited about rejoining the cast and working with old friends again".

Executive producer Diederick Santer said: "Ricky and Bianca were a hugely popular and well-loved partnership on the show.

"They are both now living their own lives, and there's been a good deal of water under the bridge. But could the old spark reignite?"

Since leaving the series in 2004, Owen went on to appear in several episodes of the ITV drama Bad Girls and the reality TV show, I'm a Celebrity, Get me Out of Here.