SOUTHEND comedian Terry Alderton has landed a role in EastEnders as Bianca’s new love interest.

The former Blues goalkeeper turned stand-up comic will play cab driver Terry Spraggan.

Bianca Jackson, played by Patsy Palmer, will return to Albert Square from a trip to Manchester with Alderton as her newman.

His character, Spraggan, is believed to be set to become a regular on the soap after being signed up by new executive producer Dominic Treadwell-Collins.

Terry is the first of several new additions set to enter the soap between now and Christmas.

Terry, who has just performed at the Edinburgh Festival, said: “I’m still in shock. It’s all happened so fast.

“I can’t wait to get started and I love the fact I don’t have to change my name!”

An EastEnders spokesman said: “Terry is your typical Cockney cabbie. Definitely a bloke’s bloke, he’s never short of an entertaining story to tell about who he’s had in his cab the night before.”

Alderton, from Rochford, is also currently appearing in a new adaptation of the classic film the Shawshank Redemption.

His previous TV appearances include Holby City, London’s Burning and Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow.

His first scenes are being filmed.