Congratulations are in order - EastEnders star Shona McGarty has announced her engagement.

The actress, who plays Whitney Dean on the soap, shared the news in an interview with OK magazine. She revealed that her boyfriend Ryan Harris planned a very romantic proposal for her 26th birthday back in October. "Ryan threw me a surprise party for my birthday at a golf course and the choir who I sing with burst into song. "When I cut the cake, there was a box on the top of the cake with a ring inside.

?@RYAN____2010 pic.twitter.com/EMCmUPEU14

— Shona McGarty (@ShonaBM) May 29, 2016

"When I opened it there was a ring inside and I turned around and Ryan was down on one knee and I started crying." It's early in their engagement but Ryan and Shona have already started planning the big day and for their future. "We're getting married towards the end of the year in the UK. We would like an Irish-themed wedding," she continued. "I come from a big Irish family so I want loads of children - we'd definitely like a large family."

My bestie... @RYAN____2010 pic.twitter.com/kIqUBKYQ45

— Shona McGarty (@ShonaBM) October 13, 2017

The couple have been together for five years. Ryan, an electrician, has two children from a previous relationship; ten-year-old daughter Scarlett and a six-year-old son, Alfie. Shona, meanwhile, was previously in a relationship with EastEnders co-star Matt Lapinskas, who played Anthony Moon. Their break-up after 18 months was "publicly humiliating" for her, she said.