BBC undated handout photo of Sharon Rickman, played by Letitia Dean, as she makes her return to the BBC1 soap, EastEnders. Photo credit: Cat Yang/BBC/PA Wire

EastEnders star Letitia Dean has admitted she is nervous about appearing in high definition when she makes her comeback as Sharon Watts.

The 44-year-old is to make her return to Albert Square after six years away and targets a 12 month stint on the show

“I’m having such a lovely time, even getting up at 5.30am isn’t jarring yet,” she told the Radio Times.

“I’m certainly hoping for a year here. I’ve got my special eye cream. I mean, HD is so cruel, isn’t it? Who invented that? It must be a man.

“I still got the first-day-at-school nerves, when your stomach’s flipping over and you feel sick.

“But it was just great seeing everyone and working with the lovely Steve McFadden (Phil). Being on the set is quite magical. I love filming outside there.”

The BBC will screen seven editions of the soap in the week when Sharon returns later this month.

Dean originally played Sharon from 1985 to 1995, then returned in 2001 for five years.

The end of her marriage to Grant Mitchell, played by Ross Kemp, following her affair with his brother Phil, was one of the soap’s most popular storylines.