Original EastEnders cast now from Hollywood fame to tragic overdose and murder
Here's a look at where the stars are now, 40 years on from the soap's debut
EastEnders first hit our TV screens 40 years ago but what happened to the original Albert Square cast(Image: BBC)
EastEnders is a quintessential British soap, deeply embedded in UK culture with its beloved characters, intricate family dramas, and decades of tradition familiar to generations of viewers. Since its dramatic launch in 1985, the show has seen significant changes – both on and off screen.
From treasured icons who have sadly passed away, to cast members who found stardom in Hollywood or stepped away from the limelight completely, here’s a glimpse at the original EastEnders cast and their whereabouts now, 40 years on.
Den Watts (Leslie Grantham)
At the heart of many major storylines, pub landlord ‘Dirty Den’ is one of the most iconic characters in British soap history. In reality, Leslie Grantham’s life was fraught with controversy even before joining the show, reports the Daily Record.
Leslie Grantham in 2006
While serving in the British army in West Germany in 1965, Leslie attempted to rob a taxi driver and ended up shooting him in the head. He was convicted of murder and spent 10 years behind bars, deciding to pursue acting after his release.
Post-EastEnders – which concluded due to an internet sex scandal he was embroiled in – he appeared in two UK tours of a stage adaptation of Beyond Reasonable Doubt, starred in police drama series The Bill, and made a cameo in the 25th anniversary episode of EastEnders. Leslie passed away in 2018, aged 71, from lung cancer.
Dot Cotton (June Brown)
June Brown in 2017
Few characters in the annals of British soap are as iconic – or as cherished – as Dot Cotton. Portrayed by June Brown, Dot was introduced in 1985 as a laundrette worker with a complex son and a strong moral compass. June Brown remained with the show, intermittently, for 35 years.
Her last on-screen appearance was in 2020 when Dot left Walford for Ireland. The BBC made it clear that the door was always open for her return, even leaving her dressing room untouched.
However, June passed away in April 2022 at the age of 95. Her influence was so profound that Dot’s off-screen death was treated with great respect in a special episode later that year. June, who had been partially sighted in her later years, was awarded an MBE in 2008 and a lifetime achievement award at the 2005 British Soap Awards.
Pauline Fowler (Wendy Richard)
Wendy Richard in 2006(Image: FilmMagic)
Pauline was the heart of Albert Square’s longest-standing family, the Fowlers. Pauline’s storylines covered domestic abuse, teenage pregnancy, and family tragedy – culminating in her dramatic death on Christmas Day 2006, after being hit with a frying pan and left to die in the snow. Wendy Richard, a veteran of Are You Being Served? stayed on EastEnders for over two decades.
Her departure marked the end of an era. She was diagnosed with cancer shortly after leaving the show and died in 2009, aged 65.
Wendy had received an MBE in 2000 and remains one of the soap’s most iconic faces.
Angie Watts (Anita Dobson)
Anita Dobson in 2025(Image: Mike Marsland/WireImage)
Anita Dobson, the original Queen Vic landlady, portrayed Angie with raw emotional depth, particularly during the infamous 1986 Christmas Day episode where Den handed Angie divorce papers. Despite pleas from producers for her to stay, Anita left in 1988.
Angie was later killed off-screen in 2002, having died from alcohol poisoning. Now 75, Anita has enjoyed a successful career in theatre and TV, including roles in Doctor Who and Call the Midwife.
She married Queen guitarist Brian May in 2000 and remains one of the most respected actors to have emerged from the show.
Arthur Fowler (Bill Treacher)
Bill Treacher (Image: PA)
Bill Treacher’s character Arthur Fowler was the everyman of EastEnders: kind, flawed, and a victim of life’s pressures. After being warned that the stress of filming could be fatal, Bill asked to leave the show in 1995.
Arthur was written out in a powerful storyline that ended in his death from a brain haemorrhage. Bill went on to appear in George and the Dragon alongside Patrick Swayze and continued acting until the early 2000s.
He passed away in 2022 at the age of 92.
Nick Cotton (John Altman)
John Altman in 2022(Image: gavin rodgers/pixel8000)
John Altman’s character Nick Cotton, with his sneering grin and leather jacket, was EastEnders’ first true bad boy. John played Nick across multiple stints from 1985 to 2015.
Nick Cotton’s final appearance saw him meet a grim end due to a heroin overdose, marking the end of one of EastEnders’ most notorious characters. Now 72, John has since appeared in The Real Marigold Hotel and indie films, and continues to work in horror and theatre.
Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean)
Letitia Dean in 2023(Image: BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron)
Sharon Watts, played by Letitia Dean, was introduced as Den and Angie’s adopted daughter. Known for her glamour, Sharon was at the heart of many love triangles and betrayals throughout the 1990s.
Letitia left the show in 1995, returned in 2001, left again in 2006, and came back for good in 2012. Now 57, she remains a central figure in Walford, with major storylines as recently as 2024.
Off-screen, Letitia is fiercely private but is one of the few original characters still part of the current cast.
Michelle Fowler (Susan Tully)
Susan Tully in 2009(Image: BBC)
Michelle Fowler, played by Susan Tully, made headlines from her first appearance due to her storyline involving teenage pregnancy. Susan played her until 1995, after which she stepped away from acting entirely.
She re-emerged behind the camera, directing episodes of Silent Witness, Line of Duty, and The A Word. Now 57, she is considered one of the UK’s most respected TV directors.
When Michelle returned to the show in 2016, she was played by a new actress, Jenna Russell.
Ethel Skinner (Gretchen Franklin)
Gretchen Franklin in EastEnders(Image: BBC)
Ethel Skinner, a lovable gossip and former music hall star, brought a touch of old-school glamour to Albert Square. One of her most poignant storylines unfolded in 2000, when, terminally ill, she asked her dear friend Dot to assist her in ending her life – a plot twist that sparked controversy for the BBC.
This episode also marked Gretchen Franklin’s final performance as Ethel. She passed away in 2005 at the age of 94, having reportedly requested that her character never be recast.
Pete Beale (Peter Dean)
Peter Dean in 2025
Pete Beale, played by Peter Dean, was a rough-around-the-edges but well-intentioned character who was married to Pat and later Kathy, and frequently clashed with his son Ian. Peter portrayed Pete until 1993, when the character was killed off-screen in a car accident as part of a dramatic plot twist introduced by new producers.
Peter later expressed his disappointment at not being able to film his exit, stating that he was “devastated” by the decision. Following his departure from EastEnders, Peter made a few television appearances, including The Real EastEnders, but largely stepped back from the spotlight and is now in his early 80s.
Lofty Holloway (Tom Watt)
Tom Watt in 2019
Lofty Holloway, played by Tom Watt, stood out in Albert Square as a kind-hearted and socially awkward character who was painfully sincere. His departure from the show in 1988 was similarly low-key, with a letter and a farewell.
Tom Watt made a surprise return to the show in 2019 for Dr. Legg’s funeral, but has otherwise pursued a career as a football writer and ghost-wrote David Beckham’s autobiography. Although he is rarely seen on screen these days, he has found success behind the scenes in sports broadcasting.
Lou Beale (Anna Wing)
Anna Wing in 1991
Lou Beale, played by Anna Wing, was the matriarch of the Beale family and a central figure in the early days of EastEnders. The Beale family’s matriarch was the first character to be crafted for EastEnders, and she met her end in 1988 – but not before giving her loved ones a piece of her mind.
She even managed to bury the hatchet with her adversary Pat. Post-EastEnders, Anna continued her stage career, landed various television roles, and starred alongside Orlando Bloom in The Calcium Kid.
She also bagged roles in critically acclaimed films and was honoured with an MBE in 2006. Anna passed away at 98 due to natural causes.
Sue Osman (Sandy Ratcliff)
Sandy Ratcliff in 1991
As one half of Walford’s inaugural married couple, Sue Osman found herself at the heart of one of EastEnders’ earliest and most distressing storylines – the unexpected cot death of her baby. This impactful storyline helped cement the show’s reputation for confronting real-world issues directly.
Sue grappled with mental health issues in later episodes before being written out in 1989. Off-screen, actress Sandy Ratcliff struggled with addiction, but later retrained as a counsellor. She passed away in 2019, aged 70.
Simon Wicks (Nick Berry)
Nick Berry in 2020(Image: UniquePictures.co.uk)
A teenage heartthrob, Simon Wicks rapidly became one of EastEnders’ most beloved early characters. His romantic entanglements, familial disputes, and musical prowess earned him a fleeting pop career – including a No. 1 hit with Every Loser Wins.
Nick Berry, who bid farewell to EastEnders in 1990, went on to star in Heartbeat and eventually helmed his own production company. Now at 61, Nick prefers a tranquil life, far removed from the glare of showbiz.
Dr Legg (Leonard Fenton)
Leonard Fenton in 2005
Fans of EastEnders held Dr Legg, played by Leonard Fenton, close to their hearts as the serene doctor of Albert Square, contributing soothing solace throughout the series’ formative years. Though he withdrew from regular appearances in 1997, he continued to pop up for weddings, funerals, and pivotal events.
His last scene in 2019, marking the character’s death from pancreatic cancer, offered a touching goodbye to dedicated viewers. Leonard Fenton himself passed away in 2022, aged 95.
Mary Smith (Linda Davidson)
Linda Davidson in 2015(Image: Liverpool ECHO)
“Mary the Punk,” portrayed by Linda Davidson, stood out on EastEnders as an iconic single mother sporting vivid hairstyles, unapologetic sass, and a whirlwind existence. While Mary’s narrative on parenting woes and sex work was ahead of its time, her departure in 1988 was without much ado.
Linda swapped her acting hat for behind-the-scenes roles within the BBC in the 1990s, and later thrived in top-tier positions at digital giants, including the Jamie Oliver Group.
Tony Carpenter (Oscar James)
Oscar James in EastEnders(Image: BBC)
Oscar James, notable as EastEnders’ Tony Carpenter, broke new ground as one of the first Black characters to grace Walford’s streets. The hot-headed builder, entangled in family drama, stayed for just two years.
After his stint on the Square, Oscar’s career saw a mixed bag ranging from roles in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory to the Bard’s plays. At 82, he’s withdrawn from the spotlight of acting.
Ali Osman (Nejdet Salih)
Nejdet Salih in 1991
Ali Osman, the taxi driver portrayed by Nejdet Salih, had a tumultuous journey in Walford, grappling with gambling issues, financial woes, and the tragic loss of his son Hassan. His relationship with Sue was a key element of the early drama on the show.
After leaving the Square in 1989, Nejdet made sporadic TV appearances and later landed a role in the Pirates of the Caribbean films, continuing to act occasionally.
Kelvin Carpenter (Paul J. Medford)
Paul J Medford (left) in 2021
Kelvin Carpenter, played by Paul J. Medford, was one of the Square’s most intelligent teenagers, juggling school, ambition, and working-class resilience. He was notable for being a rare positive representation of Black youth on television in the 1980s.
Medford left the show in 1987 to attend university and transitioned into stage roles before moving into an executive career. Since 2019, he has been serving as a vice-president at Nickelodeon.
Debbie Wilkins (Shirley Cheriton)
Shirley Cheriton (left) and Ross Davidson (right) in EastEnders
Shirley Cheriton’s character, Debbie Wilkins, was the Square’s artistic, middle-class outsider – a university-educated character who contrasted with her less academic neighbours. Cheriton left the show in 1987 after a brief stint and never returned.
She largely retreated from the limelight but took on a few roles on stage and TV, including the 2009 comedy FM. She is now 69 years old.
Andy O’Brien (Ross Davidson)
Ross Davidson in 2006(Image: PA)
Ross Davidson’s character, Andy O’Brien, a gentle-natured nurse, made EastEnders history by becoming the first character ever to be killed off – in a dramatic road accident in 1986. Davidson later starred in Brookside and Hollyoaks before succumbing to brain cancer in 2006, aged 57.
Saeed Jeffrey (Andrew Johnson)
Andrew Johnson (right) in EastEnders
Saeed Jeffrey, portrayed by Andrew Johnson, was Walford’s shopkeeper who had a brief and tumultuous stint on the Square. His arranged marriage to Naima and cultural struggles stirred up controversy both within and outside the show, leading to his departure after just ten months.
Post EastEnders, actor Andrew Johnson relocated to the US where he featured in popular shows like Murder, She Wrote and Inspector Morse before retiring from acting. Now aged 70, his most recent known screen role was in 2019.