Lamb: 'Archie wants to be a family man'

EastEnders actor Larry Lamb has insisted that his Albert Square alter ego wants to change for the better and become a family man.

The 65-year-old, who plays the menacing role of Archie Mitchell, returned to filming earlier this year for another stint with the BBC soap.

On screen, Archie was banished from Walford in April by his nephew-come-stepson Phil (Steve McFadden) when his almost-perfect world began crumbling around him following his disastrous wedding day to Peggy (Barbara Windsor).

Archie's deceit resulted in the death of his daughter Ronnie's (Samantha Womack) own daughter Danielle Jones (Lauren Crace).

Last week, however, Archie made a shock return to Walford in the hope that Peggy would give him another chance and forgive him for his action.

Speaking of Archie's brazen comeback to the Square, Lamb said on This Morning: "He's a very difficult one to figure out. I keep trying! He just wants to be part of this family. He wants this family to work, he's got this image that it's got to work, that it's got to be a unit.

"He's got to be the head of the family - and it doesn't matter how far it goes wrong, he never really sees that. What Archie wants is want everybody else should want. He wants control of everything. He wants to run the lot."

He continued: "It's like he's had cancer and he's got that sorted out and he is now back in charge of his life, as it were. Now he wants to finish up and have this family around him - he wants this image to come good. He wants to be a family man."

Commenting on whether Archie's love for Peggy is genuine, he added: "I think he is in love with Peggy - I don't think there's ever been any doubt in that. There's this real affection and love between them that's been waiting for years and years and years to happen... but Phil's not entertained by this at all!"