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Ross Kemp will not be making a return to EastEnders in the near future - because he has signed up for another series of ITV's Ultimate Force, The People claims today.

EastEnders producers offered Kemp (Grant Mitchell) a £500,000 contract to return to the soap alongside on-screen brother Phil and mother Peggy.

However, Kemp was offered the same salary to film another six-part series of Ultimate Force, and has now decided to accept the deal.

"Everyone here is over the moon," an ITV source told the newspaper. "It's no secret how badly we wanted to keep him."

The actor has not ruled out returning to the soap eventually, however.

"Ross hasn't turned his back on the show - he wants to see how things shape up in the next few months," a friend explained. "He wouldn't want to re-join if the scripts weren't a turn-on for viewers."

A spokeswoman for ITV confirmed, "We are delighted Ross Kemp has signed up to another series of Ultimate Force."