"There's a couple of times when I haven't been [happy to get the call]. Or when I've been busy so I haven't been able to do it," he said.
The 62-year-old has played Nick Cotton on the BBC Once show since 1985.
"Suddenly they'll phone out the blue because they have an idea," he added.
Producers have written Nick Cotton out of the soap on six separate occasions. His longest gap was between 2009 and 2014.
Storylines to explain his absence include him being on the run, going to jail and even being killed.
Earlier this year an Eastenders storyline saw Nick Cotton being buried.
However he made his on-screen return last month after the revelation that he'd faked his death to avoid paying a debt.
"I think June Brown, bless her soul she plays Dot, has campaigned for me to come back because she misses having her family around," he added.
Currently his character can be found hiding in Dot's spare room although he's offered to leave the Square, again, if his mum comes up with enough money.
"Coming back, it's always usually exciting for me as an actor.
"They usually give me some really good serious dramatic things to do," he explained.
EastEnders will be hoping for a large share of the audience with its annual Christmas Day special.
As well as Nick Cotton's latest comeback coming to an end, viewers will also see Mick Carter, played by Danny Dyer, find out the true extent of his family's lies.
Next year the soap will also conclude its Who killed Lucy Beale? storyline.
The killer will be revealed in a live episode of the show to mark its 30th anniversary.
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EastEnders actor John Altman has admitted that the phone call asking him to return to the soap hasn't always been a welcome one.