Joe Swash’s EastEnders real-life sister’s life now 19 years after BBC soap exit
Joe Swash was seen on-screen with his sister Shana Swash on Tuesday's episode of Stacey & Joe
Joe Swash delighted fans by popping into his sister Shana Swash’s coffee trailer on Tuesday’s episode of the BBC reality show Stacey & Joe.
The heartwarming scene unfolded in Barnard Park, Islington, where Joe visited 34-year-old Shana at her charming coffee spot named Swash and Jones coffee.
He asked about her new business venture: “How’s the big opening going?”, prompting a joyful response from Shana: “Do you know what, I’m thoroughly enjoying it!” as she whipped up a hot chocolate for him.
Joe, 43, also revealed his charitable intentions to partner with Shana in support of an important cause. He went on to invite Shana to be part of his ‘dream team’ in an upcoming fun run aimed at raising funds for Comfort Case UK, a charity providing comfort cases filled with belongings to children entering the care system.
Later in the episode it showed footage from the charity fun run, with Shana admitting: “I thoroughly enjoyed it when I got to the end, great cause, awful race that’s what I have to say!”, reports Plymouth Live.
Fans of the soaps will be thrilled to see Shana back in the spotlight, given her past as an actress on EastEnders alongside her big brother Joe.
Joe charmed viewers as Mickey Miller on EastEnders from 2003 to 2011, even making a special cameo appearance in 2024.
Shana made her mark as Demi Miller between 2004 and 2006, creating quite a buzz in Albert Square with her character’s teenage pregnancy storyline.
Life has certainly taken some exciting turns for Shana since she waved goodbye to EastEnders in 2006; she’s recently dived into the world of entrepreneurship with her brand-new venture Swash and Jones, a charming coffee business.
Embracing new joys in her personal life as well, the actress celebrated the arrival of her bundle of joy, Kitty Frances Swash Jones, born in December 2023.
Her journey to balancing her bustling coffee business with her passion for acting came to light during an interview about her role in the 2023 film Love Without Walls.
Chatting with Express.co.uk at the time, she admitted: “It’s difficult, but I did Love Without Walls right before I opened Swash and Jones. So, at the moment, things are happening at really nice times where they fall into place with each other.”
Enjoying the perks of being her own boss, she gleefully shared, “I work for myself, so I can come and go as I please, and that’s the glory of it. So if something does come up, I can shut up or get somebody in, and I can go and do some work.”
Reflecting on her inspiration to launch Swash and Jones, Shana recalled the push from the pandemic’s challenging times: “That came out of Covid and lockdown, and not having a job, and needing something. It was a real change-up, because I was doing something that I’ve always wanted to do.”
She added: “So I always say I was kind of thankful for Covid in a weird way for getting me up and out and doing it. I have a lovely trailer and we sell coffee and lovely sandwiches in the park I grew up in, so at the moment I’m loving working for myself, really enjoying it.”
