EastEnders icon Anita Dobson reveals how role had massive impact on life with Brian May
Anita Dobson, who was cast in the role 40 years ago in 1985 when she was 35, revealed the "big, momentous moment", and how it would prove to have a massive impact on her life
Anita Dobson has called her role in EastEnders a “momentous” moment that made a massive impact on her personal life with her rock star husband, Sir Brian May.
The actress, known for her portrayal of Angie Watts, the Queen Vic landlady in the BBC soap, joined the cast 40 years ago at the age of 35 and remained a key figure for three years until 1988.
She even made a special comeback as Angie during the soap’s 40th anniversary celebrations this year, returning to the Walford pub amidst dramatic scenes involving her on-screen daughter, Sharon Watts.
Now 76, Anita recently celebrated her birthday and has been married to Queen guitarist Brian May since 2000. The couple met at a film preview, an encounter that Anita believes would not have happened if she hadn’t taken on the role of Angie.
Speaking to Woman’s Weekly, she said: “It was such a big, momentous moment in my career. It changed my whole career and my life. And I wouldn’t have met Brian if I hadn’t played her.”
In previous comments to the Mail, Anita opened up about how meeting May “opened a door” to a world she had only ever dreamed of, describing him as a “god globally”.
The pair tied the knot at a register office in Richmond upon Thames and celebrated their union with a honeymoon in Venice.
Beyond her time in Albert Square, Anita has enjoyed a diverse acting career, including appearances in films, TV shows, and on stage, earning a Laurence Olivier Award nomination in 2003 for her performance in Frozen.
Following a health scare last year where Brian experienced what was described as a “minor stroke”, the guitarist shared some positive news with his fans. On Instagram, he announced that he is still able to play guitar after the incident.
Brian expressed relief and optimism, saying: “I’m here to bring you some good news – the good news is that I can play guitar after the events of the last few days.”
He admitted the situation was somewhat frightening, adding: “I say this because it was in some doubt because that little health hiccup that I mentioned happened about a week ago and what they called it was a minor stroke. It was a little scary, I have to say.”
Anita confirmed on Good Morning Britain earlier this year that her husband had made a significant recovery. She told hosts Ed Balls and Charlotte Hawkins that Brian was “back to his old self”.
In a December interview with the Mirror, Anita updated on Brian’s condition, stating he was “much better now” and had “stabilised”, revealing that he had been enjoying playing the piano at home, particularly Beethoven, which she finds very soothing.
She also mentioned that Brian took some time before attempting to play again, noting: “So, yeah, he’s good to go now. He’s playing the piano quite a lot in the house. He likes a lot of Beethoven. I love it – the piano in the house is really, just very relaxing.”
Anita added that Brian had allowed himself some time before he tried to play any musical instruments, saying: “He didn’t actually try until after he’d recovered quite a bit.”
