EastEnders announces return for classic character Duncan Boyd

Sharon Watts is set to be reunited with an old flame later this month.

By Lewis Knight

Published: Monday, 17 April 2023 at 12:00 am

David Gillespie is set to reprise his role as Duncan Boyd for a guest stint in EastEnders later this month.

The character debuted in the BBC One soap in 1987 as a curate of a local church before he became a love interest for soap icon Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean).

The pair were engaged to be married for a time after Sharon sought solace with Duncan and the church due to her tempestuous home life at the Queen Vic pub with her adoptive parents Den Watts (Leslie Grantham) and Angie Watts (Anita Dobson).

However, the course of true love did not run smoothly and the pair’s engagement eventually ended with Duncan being offered a new role at a parish in Wiltshire and leaving Walford in 1989.

Now Duncan will be back on our screens when he unknowingly reunites with Sharon to officiate the christening of her young son Albie, who she shares with partner Keanu Taylor (Danny Walters).

How will Keanu feel meeting Sharon’s former flame?

Discussing his return to EastEnders, David Gillespie commented: “I have to say what a pleasure it was being back in EastEnders reviving my role as Duncan after over 30 years of leaving the show – a little strange at first but ‘nice strange’.

“The only people I knew were my old mates Letitia and Gillian [Taylforth, who plays Kathy Beale] but I was made to feel instantly at home by such a wonderful cast and great crew – lots of new friends. Fabulous!”