Palmer would 'love' four more kids

Patsy Palmer wants to have four more children.

The 'EastEnders' actress – who is taking six months out from the soap to spend time with her family – would love to expand her brood, which includes Charley, 20, Fenton, 11, Emilia, 11 and 16-month-old Bertie, with husband Richard Merkell at some point in the future.

She said: "My husband Richard is so brilliant. None of my children are stressed because he's so amazing. I'd love to have another four kids if I could."

Patsy admits she is taking some time out because working full-time and being a mother is "hard".

She added to Inside Soap magazine: "I think my kids would be so unhappy if I was at work all the time. But going into work is like an out-of-body experience and it's hard. It takes time to adjust, and that's why I need a little bit of time off – otherwise I'll go mad!"

Patsy will be joined by her on-screen mother Lindsey Coulson (Carol Jackson), who is also taking a summer break from the BBC One soap, and it is believed a storyline will see them have an "explosive argument" which causes both of them to leave.