EastEnders’ Wellard is BACK! Dean Gaffney introduces Robbie Jackson’s new pal, Wellard 2

Wellard might be the most beloved TV dog of all time, so EastEnders fans will be overjoyed to hear the loveable Belgian Tervuren is making a return to the BBC show this Friday.

Ahead of his big ccomebark comeback on Friday, Dean Gaffney, who plays the soaps' gangly Robbie Jackson appeared on Good Morning Britain alongside his new best friend, who will be named Wellard 2. Yep, we know that's a rubbish name, but their original idea was to call him Rockard.

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Wellard 2 makes his way to Albert Square when Dean's character Robbie decides to get a dog for his son to keep him sweet, and what better way than with a big fluffy doggy doppelganger?

The original pooch was actually played by four different dogs and joined the show in 1994, but was written out back in 2008 after dying from chocolate poisoning.

Dean Gaffney told Susanna Reid and Ben Shephard: "Panther [Wellard 2's real name] is in the same family.

"I think he's the grandson of the original Wellard, same breed too."

Speaking about his return to the soap, Dean said: "It's a great feeling being back. It's nice to be asked back too. Dominic [Treadwell-Collins] is the boss at the moment and decided to find out where Robbie has been and it's nice to come back and see what he's been doing.

"It was a nice feeling going back. All the staff are the same. It's a family unit up there.

"Robbie can't go back to India because of quarantine laws, so it will be nice to see what he's been up to."

Recently Dean's brother Gary accused the actor of sleeping with 1,000 women and nicknaming his penis 'Wellard'.

However, Dean didn't want to speak about his brother's remarks during Good Morning Britain, telling Ben and Susanna: "I'm not going to give that person the air time."