169-686: Letitia Jane Dean (born 14 November 1967) is an English actress. She is best known for her portrayal of Sharon Watts in the BBC soap opera EastEnders . An original cast member from 1985 to 1995, she reprised the role from 2001 to 2006, and again from 2012 onwards. For the role, she was awarded the British Soap Award for Outstanding Achievement in 2022. Her other television roles include Grange Hill (1983–1984), Brookside (1984), The Hello Girls (1996–1998), and Lucy Sullivan Is Getting Married (1999–2000). In 2007, she participated in
338-580: A Derby telephone exchange in the 1960s; medical dramas Casualty and Doctors ; the ITV police drama The Bill ; romantic comedy Lucy Sullivan Is Getting Married , and the Channel 4 sitcom Drop the Dead Donkey as a weathergirl. She also starred in the 1995 film England, My England , which told the story of the musician and court composer Henry Purcell . On stage, she starred as Nurse Fay in
507-474: A " Tristan and Isolde story". The storyline was spread out for several years and began with Sharon turning to Phil for comfort during a particularly turbulent part of her marriage to Grant. The episode in which Phil betrayed his brother with Sharon occurred in September 1992 in one of the soap's notorious three-handers , an episode featuring only Sharon, Phil and Grant for the duration. Sue Dunderdale directed
676-560: A "drama queen", a "strong passionate [woman] who [goes] to pieces where men are concerned and always [comes] back for more". Early on in her narrative, Sharon was depicted as a mixed-up individual, torn between her warring parents, but spoilt by both; the British press dubbed her "Den's princess", an indication of her spoilt upbringing. Scriptwriter Colin Brake suggested that because of the dysfunctional marriage of her adoptive parents, "Sharon
845-430: A "furious bust up". Sharon enlisted the help former lover Phil to retrieve her son. Sharon returned to EastEnders on 13 August 2012. Sharon's return storyline was marked with seven episodes being broadcast over a period of a week (the typical weekly output at this time was four) and it coincided with EastEnders' return to BBC1 following its brief departure to the network's sister channel BBC Two to allow for coverage of
1014-470: A "phenomenon" that when Anita Dobson announced she would be leaving in 1988, her departure was reported on the BBC Six O'Clock News . She was voted the number one television barmaid, the fifth most popular Queen of soaps and the 75th greatest television character of all time in separate Channel 4 polls. The moment that Den served Angie divorce papers was voted the number one soap moment of all time in
1183-607: A 1999 interview, "I can't see how the storyline would work. There's only so much love a girl can have for the Queen Vic." However, when she saw the scripts for Sharon's return, she was convinced. Dean suggested that Sharon, who had passed 30 years of age on her return to the serial, wanted to get back to her roots and rediscover herself in Walford. Discussing her comeback, Dean said, "It's a wonderful opportunity to breathe life into Sharon again. I found out at Christmas [2000], so it
1352-440: A 20-page scene between Sharon and Den, played out in their former home, The Queen Vic. The director required that this scene be filmed all at once, which Dean has described as daunting but exciting. She believed that the long scene helped build realistic tension greatly because both she and Grantham were so nervous about working together again. Further discussing Sharon's ambivalent reaction to her father's return Dean said, "Sharon
1521-415: A baby on the way. Den completely manipulates the whole thing and Zoe finds herself trapped in the lie because she can't seek advice from anyone. She didn't dream up this silly situation—it was Den who told her to fabricate the story to save their relationship. It was his idea all along. Zoe still wants Dennis, even if he is in love with Sharon. She's obsessed with him and can't let go. She just wants to salvage
1690-655: A baby, but that he himself was a child, stating "I behave more like an adult that you've ever done". During this period, Sharon was shown to question her parents' capability to offer her advice, and both Den and Angie had difficulty refuting her arguments. In one episode Sharon questioned, "How come you two always know what's best for me? You haven't exactly made a good job of your own lives!" "Poor old Sharon, sometimes she doesn't know which way to turn. She loves both her mum and her dad, but they always seem to be at odds with one another. And being adopted doesn't help much either. Sometimes she feels very insecure—no wonder she goes over
1859-492: A barman in his youth, called upon his own personal experiences to invent the Watts family and the pub they lived in. Holland and Smith had always been critical of the way pubs had been portrayed on television feeling they lacked vitality and life, so they were determined that their pub and occupants were going to be more 'real'. The Watts were seen by Holland as integral to the shows success, partly because he had already guessed that
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#17328024081932028-402: A bid for revenge, Angie vows to take Den "to the cleaners" for her divorce settlement. In retaliation, Den installs Jan as the new landlady of The Queen Vic, which only infuriates Angie even more. However, Den and Jan's cohabitation eventually leads to the end of their relationship, when Den decides that Jan is too posh for him, and so by the summer of that year orders her to leave. The Queen Vic
2197-495: A body found the following year had been identified as his, so the programme-makers needed to make certain that his return could be plausibly explained. A research team was employed to scour over past episodes of EastEnders' to make certain that his return storyline would not have been going against anything that had been shown prior, or that could not have been "faked". In an interview with Walford Web, Berridge discussed how her researchers discovered that there were inconsistencies in
2366-456: A child and she loved Sharon, but eventually found the competition pretty difficult to deal with in regard to Den's attentions. She was pretty rough on Sharon because of her drinking." Sally Vincent, writing for The Guardian , has pontificated about the dynamics of Sharon's relationship with both her parents in 2001. She suggested that viewers felt sorry for Sharon "because not only had her [birth] mother given her away, but her adoptive parents were
2535-614: A couple of days. Upon her return, she is in great pain, but hides it and marches over to The Queen Vic during the New Year's Eve celebrations and offers to come back to work, but only as Den's business partner and not his wife. In 1988, Angie is rushed to hospital with kidney failure brought on by her excessive alcohol abuse. Upon her recovery, Angie decides to take a well-earned holiday to Spain with her friends, Sonny and Ree . This leads to Angie and Sonny falling in love and embarking on an affair. Sonny makes arrangements for them to start
2704-414: A father she adored but who treated her mother appallingly. She had a very long subsequent career on the show, falling for the wrong bloke and not realising her own worth. You could see that the way she turned was directly related to her beginnings, to that difficult family situation." Sharon has topped numerous viewer polls suggesting she is one of EastEnders' most favored characters. Critics have praised
2873-482: A few months. They married in September 2002 at All Saints' Church in Marylebone. Her close friend and EastEnders co-star, Susan Tully , was a bridesmaid at the wedding. Many of Dean's fellow castmates from EastEnders attended the wedding. After five years of marriage, it was announced in 2007 that Dean and Pethers had separated because Pethers was reluctant to have children. Her older brother, Stephen J. Dean,
3042-494: A fitness DVD entitled Letitia Dean's Lean Routine . She joined the cast of the stage production of Calendar Girls the same year, playing Cora (Miss July). As well as television and theatre work, Dean regularly appears in seasonal pantomimes ; she was reported to have a special clause in her EastEnders contract that permits her time off from filming to star in a pantomime each year. In 2001, she starred in Snow White at
3211-604: A forbidden relationship-turned-marriage with Den's son Dennis Rickman ( Nigel Harman ), which culminated with his death after the couple ended up feuding with gangster Johnny Allen ( Billy Murray ). Since 2012, Sharon's storylines have featured an aborted engagement to Jack Branning ( Scott Maslen ); battling a painkiller addiction ; a reunion and tempestuous marriage to Phil; being attacked in her own bar, meeting her biological father Gavin Sullivan ( Paul Nicholas ) and her affair with Keanu popularly dubbed 'Sheanu'; sparking
3380-496: A half-brother Zack Hudson ( James Farrar ), has a fling with Kheerat Panesar ( Jaz Deol ) and finds out she has a granddaughter, Alyssa . In December 2022, Keanu returns to Walford and he and Sharon reunite, before getting engaged. Sharon deals with Albie's kidnap unaware that Keanu has orchestrated it, and she also learns that Albie is not Keanu's son after all and that Phil is his real father. The storyline culminates with Keanu's death on Christmas Day 2023 after Sharon jilts him at
3549-473: A happy storyline, like Sharon and Dennis going off around the world. Although obviously, she'll have to come back on her own going, 'What a [bastard]'." Despite Sharon discovering that she was pregnant with Dennis's child on Christmas Day 2005, the Rickmans were not given a happy ending. Writers made the decision to kill Dennis in the New Year's Eve episode of 2005. In the episode Dennis was fatally stabbed on
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#17328024081933718-517: A lorry shortly afterwards. As the year moves on, Den decides that he wants to leave Angie so he can marry Jan. He finally gets round to telling Angie his intentions in October, after which Angie becomes distraught. Desperate to hold on to her husband, she announces that she is terminally ill and only has six months to live. Upon hearing this, Den becomes wracked with guilt, and so decides to revise his plans and stay with Angie. He sets about organising
3887-612: A lot of characteristics that are pretty similar." Despite the fact that Sharon married Grant in 1991, former EastEnders writer Tony Jordan has revealed in a documentary entitled The Mitchells — The Full Story that the love-triangle storyline between Grant, Sharon and Phil had been planned from the Mitchell brothers' introduction, after the writers came to the realisation that Sharon "was perfect for both of them". The plot has been described by former Executive Producer of EastEnders and BBC's Head of Drama Serials, John Yorke , as
4056-521: A lot of her mother in Sharon Watts. There is the warm sympathy and the barbed tongue for a kick-off. But Sharon is more sensible than Angie, less likely to fly off the beer handle in The Vic." Letitia Dean suggested that Sharon was trying to establish her own personality as landlady of The Vic in 1993, but that she was also taking tips from Angie, whom she "admired for her strength of character." In
4225-502: A new life together, running a bar in Spain. Angie returns to Walford, with her plans still secret, and tries to show interest in Den's plan to move the location of The Queen Vic, but it is plain to see that her mind is elsewhere. Den soon realises that she is seeing someone else, and although he does not care that she is with another man, he is concerned for the state of his business. Den visits
4394-487: A passionate clinch in the middle of The Queen Vic by Sharon. Angie has to bribe Sharon to ensure her silence, and even informs her about Den's infidelity. Sharon is disgusted that both her parents are guilty of adultery. Upon Den's return from his holiday with Jan, Angie calls off the affair with Tony, but it is not long before Sharon gives Den the impression that Angie has been unfaithful. Den confronts Angie, and she admits to her and Tony's affair, but unfortunately for her, Den
4563-448: A pedestal, when she found out that he had been alive for all those years and never contacted her — once — it absolutely devastated her, it rocked her world [...] She couldn't believe that he would be so selfish because she was his princess." Leslie Grantham suggested that the one person Den loved more than himself was Sharon and that she was the reason he came back to Walford after 14 years. Part of Den's return episodes featured
4732-476: A period of six years. She made her return on 13 August 2012 after fleeing from her wedding to her fiancé John Hewland , with her son, Dennis Rickman Jr. and Phil Mitchell. She is one of three remaining original cast members, along with Gillian Taylforth and Adam Woodyatt . Away from EastEnders Dean has had various theatre and television roles. She starred in two series of the BBC drama The Hello Girls , set in
4901-402: A precursor to Angie's further dependence on alcohol and her attempted suicide . Dobson had been opposed to the suicide storyline from the beginning; she fought hard to get the scripts changed, but she was eventually persuaded to play the scenes, and was applauded for a "brilliant performance". However, Angie's suicide attempt provoked a massive reaction, not all of it being favourable. There was
5070-426: A public outcry about the last two shots of the suicide episode, and Julia Smith subsequently had to cut one of them for the omnibus edition. Some accused the programme of sensationalising suicide and giving ideas to copy-cats. The buildup to Angie's desperate action and its aftermath were intended to demonstrate the full despair of her situation. Holland and Smith have maintained that the horror of its on-screen depiction
5239-480: A regular basis, and also because the occupants would be providing the majority of the drama. Sharon's original character outline, as written by Smith and Holland, appeared in an abridged form in their 1987 book, EastEnders: The Inside Story . In this passage, Sharon is referred to as Tracey and her parents as Jack and Pearl (known now as Den and Angie). Tracey is at the centre of her parents' dramas. The children of publicans nearly always suffer in one way or another:
Letitia Dean - Misplaced Pages Continue
5408-419: A result of Sharon's storyline, they were discussing taboo topics openly in their homes for the first time in years, or ever. Sharon went on to feature in a storyline about the ups and downs of a pop group called The Banned in 1986. It featured the majority of teenage characters in the soap at the time. The storyline proved to be a successful merchandising tool for the serial, as it spawned two hit singles in
5577-469: A ring and asks for his hand in marriage." However, in a plot twist, Tom was not killed off by the tumour; he instead died in a fire, airing in an episode that paid homage to Halloween , in October 2002. His death coincided with the exit of another character, Trevor Morgan ( Alex Ferns ). In the episode, Tom rushes into a house fire to save Trevor who is holding his baby and his ex-wife Little Mo Morgan ( Kacey Ainsworth ) hostage, but despite rescuing Mo and
5746-427: A rival... Tracey's set on a course which is almost inevitable. Either, a collision, or, full-circle, to the same route as her parents took. Although Sharon was meant to be fourteen, licensing regulations required the cast actress to be a sixteen-year-old who could "play down." Holland and Smith were looking for a "bouncy, attractive, oddly vulnerable young woman" who would come across as slightly more sophisticated than
5915-463: A room on the boat as he found out Denny orchestrated the attack on Ian's son Bobby ( Clay Milner Russell ). Sharon attempts suicide before becoming the landlady of The Queen Vic once again. As part of her revenge plan upon finding out Ian's role in Dennis's death, she marries Ian and attempts to poison him to death, but realised she can't do it and lets him flee. After this, Sharon discovers that she has
6084-555: A second honeymoon for them in Venice . However, their holiday is ruined when Jan arrives, and upon seeing her and Den together, Angie starts drinking again, having not long given up. On the way home from Venice on the Orient Express , a drunk Angie tells the barman all about her big lie. Unfortunately for Angie, Den overhears every word, and from that moment on he reverts to his original plan to leave her, although he decides to wait
6253-410: A slow painful decline due to cirrhosis of the liver , having also experienced alcohol-related dementia . Sharon emotionally explains Angie asked her to give the pretence of a heart attack when the time came. Despite having remarried, Angie had requested to be buried next to Den, which Sharon does for her when she returns the body to London in order to reunite her two deceased parents. Sharon's new club
6422-507: A solicitor and returns with papers protecting himself and his business should Angie decide to leave him again. Angie decides to leave in May 1988, still under a cloak of secrecy and only divulging her plan to leave on the night of her departure. Unfortunately for Angie, Den cruelly informs her that he has arranged things so that she won't be able to get a penny out of him. Following their final showdown, Angie gets into her taxi and leaves Walford. This
6591-488: A special week of episodes. Dean took a temporary break from the show and departed on 9 January 2024, and Sharon returned on 1 April 2024. Sharon became prominent in the 1990s due to her becoming the landlady of The Queen Victoria public house and her romantic pairings with brothers Grant ( Ross Kemp ) and Phil Mitchell ( Steve McFadden ). In a storyline dubbed Sharongate , Sharon married Grant and then has an affair with Phil, climaxing in 1994 with Grant's discovery of
6760-469: A stormy marriage with her womanising husband, Den Watts ( Leslie Grantham ), and refuses to let him go even during their rockiest times. They run and live in The Queen Victoria public house on Albert Square . Angie and Den doted on their teenage adoptive daughter, Sharon ( Letitia Dean ) - who carries on loving them despite her resentment of Den's affairs and Angie's binge drinking. Angie
6929-637: A troubled adolescence, Sharon emerged as an unbalanced femme fatale with a taste for bullies. She tried both Mitchell brothers and found them wanting. When she returned to the Square after a long absence, however, it was straight back to Phil's bed that she raced." Sharon Rickman biography provided by the BBC (2012) Described by the BBC as "slightly spoilt, over-dramatic, blousy, but ultimately kind-hearted", Sharon has been classified by Rupert Smith, author of EastEnders: 20 Years in Albert Square , as
Letitia Dean - Misplaced Pages Continue
7098-443: A while before letting Angie know that he knows about her lie. On Christmas Day 1986, Den decides to get his revenge. Thinking that her marriage is safe, Angie is happier than ever - until Den informs her that he overheard her conversation with the barman, and he then serves her divorce papers as a Christmas present. This episode had the highest number of viewers the show has ever seen - with more than 30 million viewers (more than half of
7267-433: Is "a sensitive, vulnerable girl who is easily hurt. Even so, that doesn't stop her going after something that she really wants [...] Sharon came through to become a nice girl behind the streetwise image [...] with her blonde hair and bright make-up she adds a cheerful touch to drab Albert Square." Television critic Matt Bayliss, discussed the psychology of Sharon in 2010: "She had a terrible childhood. An alcoholic mother and
7436-668: Is Angie's last appearance. Later that year, while Den is in prison for his role in torching the Dagmar in revenge for Kathy Beale's rape at the hands of Willmott-Brown, Sharon decides to join Angie in Spain and arrives unannounced, only to learn from Sonny that Angie has left him and moved to the United States. It is subsequently revealed that she moved to Miami where she remarries in February 1991. Sharon joins Angie in 1995 following
7605-499: Is a sham. Behind the scenes of their great business partnership, there is not much of a relationship. Den has a posh mistress Jan Hammond ( Jane How ), a fact that Angie is all too aware of. Early in the year, Den even manages to get on holiday to Spain with Jan, telling Angie that he is checking out a possible time-share holiday home purchase. With Den gone, Angie does what she always does in times of trouble, and turns to alcohol to drown her sorrows. She also sets about trying to seduce
7774-429: Is a survivor and funny, qualities that drew Dobson herself to Angie. She said "[Angie] could be on the floor, drunk, weeping buckets, mascara everywhere, then drag herself up the next morning in that old blue dressing gown, tidy herself up and be in the bar that night telling jokes and looking a million dollars." Kellie Bright has said that she has based her portrayal of Linda Carter on Angie. Alcoholic Angie shares
7943-432: Is absolutely dumbstruck at seeing her father again. It's like seeing a ghost and she's completely shocked. To see him after all this time when she had accepted his death and got on with her life, is too much for her. Sharon has been through so much in the past 14 years without Den and has had to cope on her own. Although she's pleased to see him, he knows nothing of the life she's had in his absence—he hasn't been there for all
8112-566: Is also a performer; they have appeared together on stage in several pantomimes. As well as acting, Dean is a keen singer (with a mezzo-soprano voice) and tap dancer . She currently lives in the Bedfordshire village of Wootton . In June 2022, when accepting an award at the British Soap Awards, she revealed that her father had died and she dedicated the award to him. In 1997, Dean along with Susan Tully, were involved with
8281-408: Is asked to look after Phil's baby granddaughter Lexi Pearce , and is found unconscious by Lexi's mother Lola Pearce ( Danielle Harold ) after taking painkillers. Discussing the storyline, Dean said, "Filming the scene where she collapses and Lola finds her was really difficult because it's so sad. Sharon thinks she is coping but she evidently isn't. She is on such a downward spiral. She can stop using
8450-488: Is floundering without Angie, a fact that she seems to delight over, and the sheer pleasure of watching Den suffer is all she needs to make her "grin and bear" The Dagmar's yuppie clientele. However, behind her front, Angie is a wreck, drinking more heavily than ever and going on "over the top" shopping sprees. By May 1987, the divorce papers finally come through, but it seems that neither Den nor Angie are coping without each other, and although they both profess to be pleased about
8619-447: Is furious when he discovers them in bed together, but his rage is short-lived as he has more pressing matters on his mind, such as the birth of his illegitimate daughter, Vicki Fowler (Emma Herry), following an affair with Sharon's best friend, Michelle Fowler ( Susan Tully ). Angie's affair with Andy only lasts a month, ending when Andy reunites with his ex-girlfriend Debbie Wilkins ( Shirley Cheriton ). Andy dies after being struck by
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#17328024081938788-419: Is good at putting on a front for the customers, dressing to kill, screeching outrageously with the girls, but inside she is crippled with depression. Despite all her bravado, all she really wants is a happy marriage with Den, even though he treats her terribly and has endless affairs with other women. During 1985, Den and Angie celebrate their 17th wedding anniversary but it soon becomes clear that their marriage
8957-456: Is not concerned about her infidelity, more about his reputation, which upsets Angie even more. Although Angie tries to stop drinking, her attempts always fail dismally and by the end of the year, she is arrested for drink-driving when she crashes Den's car on the way home from a darts match. In 1986, Den's mistress, Jan, starts to frequently visit The Queen Vic. The physical arrival of Jan sends Den and Angie's marriage into further decline as she
9126-471: Is renamed Angie's Den in honour of her parents. Den was supposedly shot dead by a mystery hitman in February 1989. However, the body thought to be Den's is actually that of the mysterious Mr. Vinnicombe, the boss of The Firm, who ordered Den's assassination. Fourteen years after Den's disappearance, it is revealed that he had not died after all, but had faked his own death in order to escape the gangsters who had been employed to kill him. However, Den does die at
9295-540: Is unable to contain her jealousy and anger. Angie becomes so depressed that she takes a near lethal cocktail of alcohol and pills in an attempted suicide. By chance, Den returns home early following an argument with Jan, discovers Angie and rushes her to the hospital where she has her stomach pumped. Angie recovers, but is left shaken when she discovers how close to death she actually came. Upon recovering, Angie decides to play Den at his own game and so she begins another affair, this time with Andy O'Brien ( Ross Davidson ). Den
9464-614: The 2012 Olympic Games in London. To promote the character's return, the BBC began airing a trailer across its network's channels during July and August 2012. The trailer showed Albert Square and its residents being blown away by "Hurricane Sharon", who floated down from the sky wearing a wedding dress to the soundtrack of " Gimme Shelter " by The Rolling Stones . Dean described Sharon as a lost soul upon her return: "she's totally lost. She doesn't know who she is, where she's going. There's something that comes out later, that's happened to her in
9633-416: The 2022 British Soap Awards . Sharon Watts was one of the original twenty-three characters conceived by the creators of EastEnders , Tony Holland and Julia Smith . She was originally to be named Tracey, and she and her parents were to be the occupants of the soap's local pub, now known as The Queen Vic . Holland, who had worked as a barman in his youth, called upon his own personal experiences to invent
9802-1017: The Fairy godmother in Cinderella , at the Regent Theatre , Ipswich . In December 2008, she appeared as the Wicked Queen in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs at the Grove Theatre in Dunstable , and she played the role again at the Ashcroft Theatre in Croydon in 2009. In 2004, Dean was nominated for Best Actress and Best Dramatic Performance at the British Soap Awards . At the 2005 Inside Soap awards, she
9971-567: The Joe Orton comedy play , Loot , working alongside actor Michael Elphick . She also played a prostitute in the revival of Charles Dyer 's 1960s play Rattle of a Simple Man at the Alexandra Theatre , Birmingham . In 2007, Dean participated in the fifth series of the BBC celebrity dance contest, Strictly Come Dancing . She was partnered with the professional dancer, Darren Bennett . Dean and Bennett were voted out in
10140-422: The Orient Express . This gave the writers and producers an opportunity to open the show up from the confines of Albert Square. However the trip to Venice was fraught with problems and Dobson, Leslie Grantham (Den) and Jane How (Jan) were hounded by the press at all times. Their photographs appeared in British newspapers, thus ruining the shock surprise that Tony Holland had created, by including Den's mistress in
10309-582: The Sylvia Young Theatre School in Marylebone , London . Dean began performing professionally at the age of 12, when she was cast as Pepper in the musical Annie at London's Victoria Palace Theatre . A trained singer, she played the lead female, Sandy, in the musical Grease , and she also sang with a rock group called The Young Uns, who toured the country supporting stage acts such as Bobby Davro and Tom O'Connor . Between
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#173280240819310478-693: The Third World charity, Plan International , and were sent to a remote village in Senegal to help highlight one of the organisation's aid projects, designed to bring running water to drought hit areas. Sharon Watts Sharon Watts (also Mitchell , Rickman and Beale ) is a fictional character from the BBC One soap opera EastEnders , played by Letitia Dean . Sharon was one of EastEnders ' original characters conceptualised by creators Tony Holland and Julia Smith . She first appeared in
10647-666: The fifth series of the BBC dance competition Strictly Come Dancing , finishing fourth. On stage, she starred in the West End production of High School Musical in 2008, and in the UK touring production of Calendar Girls in 2010. Dean was born in Potters Bar , Hertfordshire to parents Leslie (a tailor) and Ellie Dean, in a cottage rented on the estate of English romantic novelist Barbara Cartland , known as Camfield Place. Dean has two older brothers. Dean's family moved to
10816-424: The 1990s, the producers of EastEnders wanted to take the similarities between Sharon and Angie one step further; they proposed that Sharon would begin drinking gin, the favourite beverage of her alcoholic mother. Dean was opposed to this development and persuaded the producers not to go down this route with Sharon. In 1993, she explained her reasons: "There was one time they wanted [Sharon] to drink gin because that
10985-543: The Albert Square pavement following a violent altercation with gangster Johnny Allen , having been informed by Phil Mitchell that Johnny had throttled Sharon. The aftermath saw Sharon struggling with her grief and the realisation that she would be bringing her baby up fatherless. Discussing Sharon's grief at Dennis's funeral, Letitia Dean told Inside Soap in 2006 "It's an incredibly traumatic day for Sharon, she's lost her soulmate. It's especially devastating because she's pregnant, which, as far as she and Dennis were concerned,
11154-506: The British population) tuning in to see it. In response, Angie and Sharon pack their bags and walk out of the pub, choosing to take the route through the public area to cause Den the most embarrassment possible. In 1987, Angie secures herself a job as the manager of The Queen Vic's rival drinking establishment, The Dagmar. Owner, James Willmott-Brown ( William Boyde ), is only too happy to have Angie's expertise on board for his new, suave wine bar. Angie and Den continue to row constantly and in
11323-530: The Mitchells can throw at her". Their reunion lasted until December 2001, when various secrets, including Sharon's confession that she believed she was infertile after aborting Grant's baby, ended their romance. In 2002, executive producer John Yorke introduced the character of Tom Banks ( Colm Ó Maonlaí ) as a love interest for Sharon. A love triangle storyline featured initially as Tom battled for Sharon's affections with her former lover Phil Mitchell . In
11492-761: The Orchard in Dartford ; and in 2004, she starred in Jack and the Beanstalk at the Birmingham Hippodrome , alongside British comedians Joe Pasquale and Don Maclean . In 2006, Dean appeared as the wicked witch in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs at the Deco , Northampton , taking over the role from her EastEnders co-star, Gillian Taylforth, who pulled out due to ill health. December 2007 saw her appear as
11661-475: The States and stuff like that. But she's a lost soul, and this is home again. There's no place like home, so she finds herself back there again." Sharon's return in 2012 saw her battling with an addiction to painkillers . Sharon secretly visits an addiction support group but continues to use the painkillers whenever things became difficult in her personal circumstances. The problem culminates in 2013 when Sharon
11830-505: The UK charts. One of the songs " Something Outa Nothing ", which was performed on-screen in the plot, was released by actors Letitia Dean and Paul J. Medford. The song was a modest success, reaching number 12 in the UK singles chart in November 1986. The storyline was seen as an interesting and major undertaking in the serial, but one that Holland and Smith felt never entirely worked. In her teenage years, Sharon's main storylines depicted
11999-601: The UK, with all the proceeds going to the Children in Need appeal. In April 2008, it was announced that she would be starring in the stage show High School Musical as Ms Darbus. Dean commented, "It's a lovely opportunity for me [...] It's something completely different to anything I've ever done – doing an American accent and playing this kind of character." The production played at London's Hammersmith Apollo from June 2008 until 31 August 2008. In January 2009, Dean released
12168-423: The UK. Holland and Smith have suggested that it was a daring issue to tackle in the 1980s, as it involved a girl under sixteen, and was to be aired at a time when the issue was prominent in British society. Holland and Smith suggested that people took sides with the issue and Sharon's dilemma became a debate used as a teaching method, both in schools and at home. The creators stated that many families admitted that, as
12337-465: The Vic's cellar. In August 2005, the BBC announced that both Letitia Dean and Nigel Harman were quitting their roles as Sharon and Dennis, with both due to film their final scenes for a New Year's departure. While Harman's exit was reported as permanent, Dean's was reported as an "extended break", with the suggestion being that she would be returning to the soap opera at some unspecified stage. Discussing
12506-489: The Watts dynasty. As a precursor to Den's return and as part of producer Louise Berridge 's plan to rebuild the Watts family, Den's estranged son Dennis Rickman ( Nigel Harman ) was introduced to EastEnders earlier in 2003. A "forbidden love" storyline was built into Sharon's narrative, when she embarked on a relationship with Dennis despite him being the son of her adoptive father. Scenes in which Sharon and Dennis succumb to their lust for each other had to be re-edited as
12675-449: The Watts family and the pub they lived in. Holland and Smith had always been critical of the way pubs had been portrayed on television, feeling they lacked vitality and life, so they were determined that their pub and occupants were going to be more "real". The Watts were seen by Holland as integral to the show's success, partly because he had already guessed that the pub was going to be a monstrous battleground where emotions would run high on
12844-572: The Watts family together for a festive altercation. 12.3 million people tuned in to watch Sharon leave Walford without Dennis in the aftermath; it was the highest viewed television programme of the day. Dennis and Sharon eventually returned to the serial as a couple in the summer of 2005 having reunited off-screen, neither aware that Den has been murdered by his scorned second wife Chrissie Watts ( Tracy-Ann Oberman ) in their absence. Den's murder storyline aired to celebrate EastEnders ' 20th anniversary plot in February 2005 and featured Sharon discovering
13013-409: The absence of both her parents, she now views Michelle and her daughter Vicki as her family, Michelle tells her the secret she has been keeping for four years, that Vicki is Den's daughter. However, Sharon is not comforted by this, feeling "hurt, angry and deceived" by Michelle and her father. Brake surmised that Sharon "leaves the flat wishing that Michelle had never told her. Things would never be quite
13182-445: The actor had been fired, commenting, "He was brought in to play out a specific storyline" and that he was due to "go out with a bang". According to The Mirror , EastEnders' bosses decided that there was nowhere else to go with the character, that they could not work out how to develop him and that he had fulfilled a specific role. Part of Tom's exit storyline saw the character discovering that he had an inoperable brain tumour. Despite
13351-505: The affair on tape. He reacted by playing it to a pub full of people at Phil's engagement party and then beat his brother unconscious. The writer of Sharongate, Tony Jordan, has stated that of all the storylines he has penned for the soap, Sharongate is the one he is most proud of. He comments "Three of the strongest characters that have ever been in EastEnders are the Mitchell brothers and Sharon [...] when we actually blew that story it
13520-540: The affair, which remains one of EastEnders ' highest viewed episodes; the storyline was reinvented in 2018 when Sharon began an affair with a much younger Keanu Taylor ( Danny Walters ). In her second stint, Sharon featured in storylines that included a feud with Phil and Grant's mother Peggy Mitchell ( Barbara Windsor ); the return of Den, thought long dead, bonding with his wife Chrissie Watts ( Tracy-Ann Oberman ) until it emerged that she killed Den in retribution for sleeping with Zoe Slater ( Michelle Ryan ); and
13689-495: The ages of 13 and 17, Dean appeared in numerous television programmes, including: Love Story ; Tales Out Of School ; the Matthew Kelly sitcom Relative Strangers ; Grange Hill , playing a student named Lucinda Oliver; (credited as Titia Dean) and the role of Dawn in the Channel 4 soap opera Brookside . In 1984, Dean auditioned to play one of the original characters in BBC One 's new soap opera, EastEnders ; she
13858-536: The altar after learning of his role in Albie's kidnap, and reveals that Keanu is not Albie's father. Keanu almost kills Sharon before her best friend Linda Carter ( Kellie Bright ) stabs him to defend her during " The Six " storyline. She was named the best EastEnders character of all time by the Daily Mirror in 2020. For her portrayal of Sharon, Dean won the British Soap Award for Outstanding Achievement at
14027-495: The arrival of Den's mistress Jan Hammond . Jan had been a powerful off-screen presence for the first year. Her menacing voice at the end of the telephone severely affected the mood of both Den and Angie and kept the audience on edge every time the phone rang. Jan's physical arrival at the Vic in January 1986 was one of the show's dramatic highlights. Her invasion of Angie's territory was a springboard to future emotional fireworks and
14196-422: The audience in on her secret that it was all a big lie. Written by Jane Hollowood and directed by Antonia Bird, this episode is considered to be one of the finest episodes in EastEnders catalogue. The Den/Angie/Jan triangle was to continue for many months. The climax was a trip to Venice when Angie, convinced that Den had finished with his mistress, was taken there for a second-honeymoon, returning to London on
14365-431: The baby, he and Trevor both die in an explosion. In 2003, producer Louise Berridge negotiated for Leslie Grantham to reprise the role of Sharon's father Den, 14 years after his last appearance. Part of her motive for doing so was to bring Sharon, whom she described as one of her favourite characters, "right back where she belonged, at the very heart of the show." The character Den had supposedly been killed in 1989 and
14534-440: The birth of her baby would be announced on-screen later that year. On 2 February 2012, it was announced that Dean would reprise the role of Sharon after more than six years away. Dean said "I am really looking forward to being part of the EastEnders team again, as it has always been very close to my heart. I cannot wait to work with my old colleagues and see what is in store for Sharon." Executive producer Bryan Kirkwood said he
14703-522: The breakdown of her marriage to Grant Mitchell ( Ross Kemp ). In May 2001, Sharon returns to Walford, and in April 2002, news reaches Walford that Angie has died. Sharon brings Angie's body back to Walford to be buried in the local cemetery. After the funeral ceremony, Sharon confides in Angie's closest surviving friends, Pauline Fowler ( Wendy Richard ) and Pat Evans ( Pam St Clement ), that years of heavy drinking finally caught up with Angie and she died
14872-457: The cast who I grew up with like Adam Woodyatt ( Ian Beale ), Todd Carty ( Mark Fowler ), Wendy Richard ( Pauline Fowler ) and Steve McFadden ( Phil Mitchell ) was just fantastic. It gave me some much-needed confidence and reassurance, knowing that I'd have that support." Sharon's return episodes, which aired in May 2001, saw her shocking the Mitchell family by revealing herself as the anonymous buyer of her childhood home (the Vic pub). During
15041-540: The character of Michelle Fowler , due to be Sharon's closest peer. Out of the various applicants they had seen, they felt only actress Letitia Dean had all of the qualities they were looking for. As the casting directors were only looking for real East End actors, Dean falsely claimed that she was born and raised in Hackney , east London. The lie paid off and she got the part, clinching the deal because of her laugh, which Holland and Smith have described as "the dirtiest in
15210-902: The character's complex progression from teenager to adult, referencing the investment that viewers hold in Sharon, having watched her grow up on-screen. While Sharon's returns to EastEnders have been welcomed by some critics, others received her comebacks as an indication that the show's writers and producers had run out of original ideas. Letitia Dean has defended the decision to reintroduce Sharon, suggesting that long-running dramas such as EastEnders need "old blood". On 10 April 2019, Dean filmed her 2000th episode as Sharon. An early controversial storyline involving Sharon revolved around her desire to take contraceptive pills to persuade Kelvin Carpenter ( Paul J. Medford ) to date her. According to Holland and Smith, this storyline caused tremendous interest in
15379-403: The character, a BBC spokesperson said, "It's the producer's job to decide how the storylines are going to go, and he decided to bring Sharon back. And Letitia said she would love to come back." The producer's decision to bring Sharon back reportedly shocked Dean, as she believed the time for a return had passed, particularly as Grant's actor, Ross Kemp , had just left the series. She commented in
15548-521: The continual fall-out from the Sharongate saga. 18 million viewers saw Grant bully Sharon into a divorce in the Christmas 1994 episodes; after a brief hiatus, she returned in 1995 for several months to gain revenge on Grant. The build-up for revenge saw Sharon coaxing Grant into making a public plea for marital reconciliation. However, as Thomas Sutcliffe writing for The Independent surmised, "In
15717-534: The cycle progress almost as a soundtrack. The thundering spin cycle often playing alongside Angie or Den screaming and shouting and the gentle wash action playing alongside the more tender moments. [1] Angie was shocked, and for a moment defeated, but she then dropped her bombshell, and told Den that she only had six months to live. At first, Den did not believe her, but eventually Angie's hysterical performance convinced him. He crumbled and promised to stay with her, and only after he left did Angie smile in triumph, letting
15886-453: The decision to promote Sharon from barmaid to landlady of The Vic in 1991 stemmed from discussion about the character's long-term future in EastEnders . It was felt that because Sharon was the daughter of Den and Angie, "it seemed right that she should succeed them, at least for a time, in running The Vic". Holden suggested that the choice to give Sharon The Vic was part of the reason that her predecessor, licensee Eddie Royle ( Michael Melia ),
16055-473: The departure, Harman said, "Sharon and Dennis have had such a great run, but what would you do with them next? I could pretty much guarantee we've already done it. It was something that was talked about over a period of time between myself and the producers." Harman added, "I think it would be weird to have one there without the other and we've taken it as far as we can go. I think [the exit storyline will] be quite juicy but I'm waiting to find out. I'd like it to be
16224-404: The destruction of their relationship on-screen. Den's clashes with Angie brought EastEnders to a peak of popularity and toppled rival soap Coronation Street from the top of the ratings chart. During 1986, the series became dominated by Angie and Den's storylines, and the focus of the programme was very much concentrated on their combustible relationship. The emphasis began early in 1986 with
16393-424: The divorce, it is obvious to everyone else that they are far from happy. Seeing her parents' misery, Sharon decides to intervene by setting up a dinner date between them, which ends with them having sex. Angie and Den decide to keep their brief reconciliation quiet. By the end of the year, Angie finally loses her patience with The Dagmar clientele, and after punching one of the customers in the face, she leaves town for
16562-518: The early days of EastEnders , it was in Letitia Dean's contract that she was not allowed to lose any weight. "The poodle-haired daughter of the late Den and Angie Watts , Sharon was affectionately known as "Princess" by Den. Even though she was adopted she inherited the drama-queen gene from mum, Ange. She was constantly playing her parents off against each other like tennis balls. But she loved them despite living in their drunken war zone. After
16731-524: The end, Sharon recoiled from the full horror of public humiliation in the Queen Vic and conducted a minor-key revenge on the pavement outside. For a while, there seemed a good chance that she was going to leave the series in an ambulance, but Grant kept his temper, so she simply climbed into a black cab, departing not with a bang but a whimper." The character was reintroduced to the show in 2001 by then producer John Yorke , almost six years after her initial departure. Discussing Yorke's decision to reintroduce
16900-676: The episode and the performances of McFadden, Kemp and Dean have been described as memorable and filled with high-tension drama. Discussing Sharon's feelings for Phil, Letitia Dean said: "Phil was always around for Sharon. He seemed to understand her, and Sharon appreciated that. There's always been something between them." The storyline climaxed in October 1994 with some of EastEnders' most popular and renowned episodes, which have been dubbed " Sharongate ". The episodes centred around Grant's discovery that his wife had been having an affair with his brother and they were watched by 25.3 million viewers. On-screen Grant heard Sharon unwittingly confessing to
17069-521: The episode. Despite huge efforts from all involved, the Venice episodes were only moderately successful, although the revelations discovered by Den in the episode set the scene for one of EastEnders most renowned episodes, which aired on Christmas Day that year. After over-hearing his wife confess that her illness was fabricated, Den filed for divorce. 30.1 million viewers tuned in on Christmas Day in 1986 to witness Den handing Angie her divorce papers, giving
17238-483: The episodes in the televised documentary EastEnders Revealed: Dirty Den Returns : "It all had to kick off in Angie's Den because this is the thing that Sharon has built [in] memory of her parents [...] the way she's worshipped them in their death in a way that she couldn't deal with them when they were alive [...] there's a lot of really confused and emotional stuff [for Sharon]". Letitia Dean has discussed Sharon's reaction to Den's comeback: "Sharon put her father on such
17407-412: The episodes that aired during 1989 and 1990, that could account for Den's death being staged. She commented, "A great deal was made in the show of Den's [signet] ring turning up [as proof that he died]—but if you watch the episode of the shooting you'll see he isn't even wearing it at the time of his supposed death. So how did it get in the canal?". Berridge's writers concocted a story whereby the body that
17576-405: The events of Sharon having a late in life pregnancy , her split and divorce with Phil after her affair with Keanu is revealed, giving birth to a son Albie (who Sharon believes is Keanu's son) on the same night her other son, Dennis Jnr, dies in a boat accident due to Phil, stepson Ben ( Max Bowden ), and Keanu fighting in the wheelhouse, and her friend Ian Beale ( Adam Woodyatt ) locking him in
17745-400: The fact that your 'home' is always 'open house' to a variety of strangers often produces genuine feelings of anxiety and insecurity. Tracey, being adopted, will be even more sensitive to this lack of permanence. Jack and Pearl do use her as something of a tennis ball in their games of playing things off against each other. Jack tries to buy her affection with gifts. Pearl sees her as something of
17914-480: The first episode broadcast on 19 February 1985 as the teenage adopted daughter of pub landlords Den ( Leslie Grantham ) and Angie Watts ( Anita Dobson ). Dean originally quit the role in 1995 after ten years, with Sharon departing following the breakdown of her marriage. In May 2001, Sharon was reintroduced by producer John Yorke , before departing in January 2006. Dean's return was announced in February 2012, and she later made her on-screen return on 13 August 2012 in
18083-416: The hands of his second wife Chrissie Watts ( Tracy-Ann Oberman ) in February 2005, after being bludgeoned to death with Pauline's doorstop. A body found under the basement of The Queen Vic six months later is quickly identified as Den's, and he is buried in the grave next to Angie. Angie became one of the most iconic and popular characters in EastEnders ' history. The character was said to become such
18252-454: The initial upset this caused to his relationship with Sharon, the couple resolved to stay together and marry after Sharon proposed. Discussing Sharon's impromptu proposal, a BBC spokesperson said, "The two of them are messing one day and they decide to swap roles. Tom is supposed to do the washing and cleaning and Sharon takes on the role of a man. It is all supposed to be a joke but Sharon takes it to heart and shocks Tom when she arrives home with
18421-491: The legendary Dirty Den and the feckless Angie, erstwhile landlord and lady of The Queen Vic, who were always too busy being dirty and feckless, in our opinion, to take proper care of their little girl. We knew enough about family psychology to know that all those presents they lavished upon her were no substitute for presence. We knew what neglect and emotional absence can do to a growing girl." David Buckingham, in his 1987 book Public Secrets: EastEnders and its audience , analysed
18590-406: The liver , 14 years after her last appearance. Angie Watts was one of the original twenty-three characters invented by the creators of EastEnders , Tony Holland and Julia Smith . The character of Angie was originally going to be named Pearl and she, her husband and adopted daughter were to be the occupants of the soap's local pub, now famously known as The Queen Vic . Holland, who had worked as
18759-433: The men of Walford in a bid to get back at her philandering husband. Lofty Holloway ( Tom Watt ), Simon Wicks ( Nick Berry ) and even Arthur Fowler ( Bill Treacher ) are all subject to Angie's not-so-subtle flirting, but her only successful conquest is local builder, Tony Carpenter ( Oscar James ). Tony falls for Angie, but she is only using him to get back at Den. The affair is conducted in secret, but they are caught in
18928-442: The most popular and long-running characters in the serial. She featured in one of the soap's most popular storylines in 1994, a love triangle featuring Sharon, her husband Grant Mitchell ( Ross Kemp ) and his brother Phil ( Steve McFadden ). The plot, nicknamed " Sharongate ", gave the soap one of its highest episode ratings in October 1994 with over 25.3 million viewers. A desire to pursue other acting roles prompted Dean to leave
19097-425: The need to spread my wings and try my hand at other things. I didn't want to feel there were parts out there I hadn't had a chance to play. When I left I felt this mixture of excitement and fear. I went on the last walk with Susan Tully [who played Michelle Fowler] around the Square, talking quietly, and I felt quite sad. But at the same time it felt like the right thing to do." Sharon's exit on 6 July 1995 surrounded
19266-605: The north Buckinghamshire village of Stoke Goldington near Newport Pagnell when she was three years old. She acquired a penchant for performing at an early age; both she and her older brother Stephen attended a local dance school, the Sylvia Mitchell School of Dance, and they also performed a dance act together on stage. This later prompted Dean's successful application to attend the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts at ten years old, and later
19435-428: The only original cast remaining at that time. Dean, who was aged 26 at the time, has since reflected on her decision to leave, suggesting she went through an identity crisis when she found herself thinking "who am I? Am I Sharon Watts or am I an actress?". Sally Vincent, interviewing Dean for The Guardian , surmised: "it nagged away at [Dean] for ages until she thought, hell, she owed it to herself, and started telling
19604-422: The opportunity to shine through. The next few years saw Den and Angie struggle to get by without each other, and eventually they reunited as business partners. In 1988, Anita Dobson decided that she wanted to move on after three years playing Angie, and she left in May 1988. Despite many alleged attempts at getting Dobson to reprise the role, she never accepted, commenting: "Why tarnish the gorgeous creation that
19773-451: The other and half-killed him for tampering with his lady-wife, we didn't much care. We were sorry to see [Sharon] go." Sharongate has proven to be a popular storyline with viewers. In 2001 it was voted the second "Best Ever Soap Moment" in an ITV televised poll, and it was voted the sixth top soap opera moment of all time in a poll of 17,000 people for What's on TV magazine in 2003. In 2010, Michael Hogan from The Telegraph ranked it
19942-404: The pills for periods of time, but then something happens and it all gets too much for her. That is the trouble when people rely on things like prescription medication — they'll go to any lengths to get what they want." Dean indicated that she was "fascinated" by this plot development given Sharon's history with her mother Angie's addiction to alcohol during the 1980s. Dean suggested that Sharon
20111-504: The plight of a young woman struggling to find her identity while growing up in a broken home and coping with her mother's alcoholism and her father's infidelities. Anita Dobson, who played Sharon's mother Angie, discussed Sharon and Angie's relationship, suggesting that Angie was not a good mother: "I think someone handed Sharon over to her one day, and Angie thought of her like this glistening Christmas present. I think she never really thought it through beforehand. I do believe she really wanted
20280-403: The post-coital scene! It might shock a few people as she's [Dennis's] sister—not blood sister, though. Bosses had to tone it down and cut a couple of passionate embraces out." According to Harman, Dennis's feelings for Sharon transcended anything Dennis had felt for women before her. Den's opposition to his children's on/off romance was a reoccurring theme in the serial throughout 2004. The plot
20449-531: The producers she'd been thinking about trying new things. In those days, they didn't let you off for the odd panto or anything. It was full-time work. She remembers being dithery and apologetic about it, but her feet were itchy and, though she never really wanted to close the door behind her, she talked about going until one day, much to her consternation, [the producers] said all right then, off you go, lots of luck. They didn't ask her to reconsider, so she thought, 'Ooooh, charmin', and off she went." Dean added, "I felt
20618-409: The programme's producers deemed them too raunchy to be shown before the 9 pm watershed on BBC1. Discussing the scenes, Harman said, "My character Dennis has been through most of the ladies on the square. But his latest encounter with Sharon is something else. There's lots of banging around as we are ripping each other's clothes off while staggering round the flat. There's also quite a lot of flesh in
20787-525: The pub was going to be a monstrous battleground where emotions would run high on a regular basis, and also because the occupants would be providing the majority of the drama. Angie's original character outline as written by Smith and Holland appeared in an abridged form in their book, EastEnders: The Inside Story . In this passage, Angie will be referred to as Pearl, her husband as Jack, her daughter as Tracey and her dog as Prince (known now as Den , Sharon and Roly respectively). The actress Jean Fennell
20956-402: The quarter-finals (week 10), one week before the semi-final. Commenting on her experience, Dean said "It's been incredible. I've got to thank [Darren Bennett] for all his patience, hard work, all the injuries. It's been wonderful." Dean was one of several celebrities who took part in the 2008 Strictly Come Dancing UK arena tour. The tour began in January 2008 and visited various venues throughout
21125-422: The ratings record, nor was it the ingenious ruse of using the [DJ's tape deck] to broadcast Sharon's poignant little confession to the entire clientele of Walford's Queen Vic [pub]. It was the fact that we'd all watched Sharon grow up. We knew that she was a nice little person, vulnerable, brave, sweet-natured and kind to the dog. We were sorry for her [...] Neither of those Mitchells deserved her, so when one punched
21294-526: The relationship and hasn't even thought about putting the past behind them. Dennis is still not totally convinced, but he always swore he would never leave a child without a dad so he hopes that it will work for them in the future." Writing for The Guardian , Owen Gibson suggested that with the Christmas Day 2004 episodes EastEnders were attempting to reprise the trick that garnered the show its biggest ever audience in 1986 of 30.6 million, by gathering
21463-408: The relationship between Sharon and her parents, suggesting that teenage Sharon was suspended between childhood and adulthood. He reflected that Den frequently referred to her as "just a child", but that Sharon herself sought to assert her status as an adult, describing her parents as "immature" or "childish". In character dialogue, Sharon suggested that Den had tried to keep his wife Angie in the role of
21632-410: The same between them." The episode returned to a model established by the first Den-and-Angie solo episode, with revelations and major character changes to an important relationship. Brake suggested that it gave Dean and Susan Tully (Michelle) the chance to demonstrate how much they had grown as actresses during their four years on the programme. Brake also claimed the episode was held in high regard by
21801-416: The show's producers, directors, and writers, describing the actors' performances as "superlative". The arrival of the Mitchell brothers in 1990 heralded a new era for EastEnders , but also for Sharon. Brothers Phil ( Steve McFadden ) and Grant Mitchell ( Ross Kemp ) were introduced by executive producer Michael Ferguson , as he wanted to bring in a couple of young men who would bring an air of danger to
21970-437: The show. Both the Mitchell brothers would prove to be extremely important for Sharon in the following years, most notably when she married one brother, then had an affair with the other. Sharon and Grant's relationship began in 1990 and by 1991, the couple were installed as the owners of the soap opera's focal establishment, The Queen Victoria public house, Sharon's childhood home. Storyline editor, Andrew Holden, has stated that
22139-662: The sixth of the top ten "unforgettable moments" of EastEnders . In a 2012 nationwide poll of 1,000 people published in Inside Soap , 'Sharongate' was voted as the greatest soap opera moment of the past 20 years. Letitia Dean decided to quit the role of Sharon in 1995, having played the character for over a decade. Dean was not the only original cast member to announce their departure that year; Susan Tully (Michelle Fowler) and Bill Treacher (Arthur Fowler) also quit, leaving just Wendy Richard (Pauline Fowler), Adam Woodyatt (Ian Beale), and Gillian Taylforth (Kathy Beale) as
22308-502: The soap in 1995. During her first stint on EastEnders , she forayed into singing with her fellow EastEnders castmate, Paul Medford (who played Kelvin Carpenter ). A song penned for the pair as part of a plotline in EastEnders (known as The Banned ) prompted the BBC to release the song as a single. The song, " Something Outa Nothing ", reached number 12 in the UK singles chart in November 1986. Six years following her initial exit, Dean
22477-429: The soap its highest ever episode rating, which has yet to be beaten by any other plotline from any other soap in the UK. This storyline saw the separation of Den and Angie. Holland and Smith had anticipated that Den and Angie would be popular, but they had not guessed how hysterical the reaction to them would be. It was decided that Den and Angie would have to be played down for a while so that other characters would have
22646-512: The storyline, Phil persuades Sharon to leave Walford to stay in America, in an episode which aired in January 2006. Despite initial reports suggesting that Dean would only be taking a break from EastEnders and subsequent rumours indicating that Sharon would return for the birth of her child later in 2006, it was announced in June 2006 that there were no immediate plans for Sharon to return but that
22815-422: The storyline, Tom was shown to be keeping secrets from Sharon regarding his collapsed marriage, secrets that were unveiled by Phil; when Sharon confronted Tom, he admitted that he was still married, although he and his wife had split up. In July 2002, following the introduction of a new executive producer, Louise Berridge , it was announced that Tom was being written out of EastEnders . A spokesperson denied that
22984-504: The time was on a hiatus. However, an EastEnders' spokesperson said "There is no link between Letitia's return to EastEnders and Jessie not being around at the moment. We have been working on plans to bring Sharon back for quite some time." They added viewers could look forward to seeing both characters on screen together later in the year. Dean returned to filming on 6 June 2012. Sharon's return storyline saw her fiancé John ( Jesse Birdsall ) kidnap her son Dennis Rickman Jnr following
23153-660: The times she's been hurt, like when she was caring for [her dying mother] Angie, or when her fiancé Tom died. She's developed as a woman, and for her, their relationship ended when he 'died' while she was still a teenager. Everything has been turned upside down for her. She's feeling angry and resentful [towards] Den at the moment, but that's only because she loved him so much. He's going to have to tread so carefully with her—he's got some real making up to do in order to enable Sharon to trust him again." Despite initial animosity and hurt, Sharon eventually welcomes Den back into her life and allows him to return to live with her, resuming head of
23322-417: The top now and again!" Letitia Dean on Sharon's troubled home life (1986) Sharon was shown to share a particularly close friendship with Michelle Fowler in the serial. Kingsley suggested that Michelle was an "important steadying influence in Sharon's life. The two friends are like sisters and, like sisters, they sometimes fight." Following Den's supposed death in 1989, Sharon and Michelle's friendship
23491-427: The truth about Den's duplicity; it attracted 14 million viewers. Prominent in Sharon and Dennis's return arc was their marriage and involvement in uncovering Chrissie as Den's killer after Sam Mitchell ( Kim Medcalf ) was originally charged with the murder. The Rickmans' wedding was watched by over 10 million viewers, and the nuptials were scripted to coincide with the discovery of Den's body, which had been buried in
23660-469: The world!" Reflecting on her casting, Dean told the magazine, Woman , in 2005: "I was 16 when we started filming EastEnders and my contract was initially for eight weeks—none of us had any idea it would go on for so long. I nearly fainted when I saw Wendy Richard [who played Pauline Fowler ] for the first time, because she was a really big name and I was in awe of her. Anita Dobson who played Angie Watts , [Sharon's] mum, took me under her wing." In
23829-421: The years since Sharon's departure, the Queen Vic had remained in the Mitchells' ownership until Grant's mother Peggy Mitchell ( Barbara Windsor ) was forced to sell it. Discussing Sharon's return scenes, Dean said, "Her appearance in the Vic is fabulous, and provokes some great reactions. Peggy is astonished, speechless and horrified all rolled into one. It's landladies and their handbags at dawn." Sharon's return
23998-586: Was "time for Den's princess to grow up". In 1993, Letitia Dean discussed the evolution of Sharon from teenager to adult: "She's grown up a lot. Once she got into her stride she got quite strong—not hard, but knew what she wanted." Matthew Bayliss, writing for The Guardian , suggested that Sharon developed into a character that was simultaneously "vamp and victim", comparing her to another popular soap opera character from ITV 's Coronation Street , Elsie Tanner ( Pat Phoenix ). In 1991, author Hilary Kingsley compared Sharon in adulthood to her mother Angie: "There's
24167-553: Was Angie Watts?". The character of Angie Watts was subsequently killed off-screen in 2002 (dying of a drink related illness) and brought home to be buried by her on-screen daughter Sharon in order to facilitate the return of the actress Letitia Dean . In 2010, Dobson said she was glad her character was killed off, as it was unrealistic that the character would ever return. In February 2011 Dobson said that she had no regrets being in EastEnders , as it propelled her to fame, and said she believed that people were drawn to Angie because she
24336-465: Was Angie's tipple, but I thought that was wrong. Her mother was on a dialysis machine which would have put Sharon off gin for life. She would either follow right behind her or she would make her mind up and say no. And since she had seen Angie in such a state, it really put her off." Sharon has been described as a "buxom femme fatale" and one of "life's survivors", who has had "many moments of emotional turmoil". Kingsley suggested that despite this, Sharon
24505-432: Was a fairly troubled teenager. Set apart from the other kids because Den and Angie sent her to private school rather than the local comprehensive, she was a bit of a loner. Spoilt rotten by both her parents, Den's 'little princess' was really a little madam." As the character progressed into her 20s, she underwent some changes. Colin Brake suggested that, following the discovery of Den's (wrongly identified) body in 1990, it
24674-444: Was a fantastic present. Sharon has a great story to tell, having been away for so long. She has some unfinished business to sort out—and has some demons to face as well. I've always held Sharon's character close to my heart. I always said: 'Never say never'. There's nothing worse than making a huge statement about never doing it again, and then going back [...] It was very exciting to be working with new cast members. But seeing members of
24843-528: Was a miracle. It's such a bittersweet time. The pain is overwhelming when Sharon sees her husband's coffin [...] Sharon knows that she has to carry on for the baby's sake—it's a part of Dennis she'll have forever, and she takes great comfort in that. As far as Johnny's concerned, though, she wants to see justice done—a job she entrusts to Phil. However, all he's interested in is getting Sharon away from Walford. He's genuinely worried for her welfare, but he's also petrified she'll discover his role in Dennis's death." In
25012-500: Was always "disgusted" by her mother's addiction to the extent that she would not even smoke cigarettes, "so the fact that she's got this far in life and has now succumbed to an addiction is fascinating." Although paired romantically with Jack Branning ( Scott Maslen ) in 2012, Sharon's romantic history with Phil was continuously revisited: firstly when Phil and Jack competed for Sharon's hand in marriage, and secondly when Sharon kissed Phil despite having chosen to marry Jack. However, it
25181-504: Was announced in August 2005 and an official EastEnders press report initially stated that she was only taking a scheduled break and was due back on set later in 2006; however, this did not happen, and in June 2006 the BBC denied press speculation that there were any immediate plans for her to return to the series. In February 2012, producer Bryan Kirkwood announced that Dean would make a second return to EastEnders , having been absent for
25350-448: Was born and brought up in Hackney , east London. The lie paid off and she got the part, clinching the deal because of her laugh, which Holland and Smith described as "the dirtiest in the world!" She debuted in the role in the show's first episode broadcast on 19 February 1985. Dean's character Sharon, the troubled and spoilt adopted daughter of landlords "Dirty" Den ( Leslie Grantham ) and Angie Watts ( Anita Dobson ), has become one of
25519-484: Was damaged during this time, and this, as well as back pain, contributed to her decision to get a breast reduction in her teens. By her 30s, she considered herself to be a lot more comfortable in her own skin, and far more relaxed about public interest than she used to be as a teenager, commenting: "I have stopped pleasing people – and I'm calmer and more self assured than I've ever been." In 2001, Dean became engaged to jobbing actor Jason Pethers after knowing him for only
25688-452: Was incredible [...] being able to reach that many people with your work is what makes EastEnders exciting." Reporter for The Guardian , Sally Vincent, has commented on Sharongate's success: "It wasn't so much the guilt-stacked, long-drawn-out business of Sharon 'n' Phil's helpless lust for each other—all that unseemly face-sucking while her hubby/his brother, the ape-like Grant, languished in gaol for trying to set fire to everyone—that broke
25857-399: Was killed off in the serial. 19 million viewers tuned in on Boxing Day 1991 to witness Sharon and Grant's surprise Christmas wedding. Their marriage was scripted to be volatile, with Grant resorting to violent displays when things did not go his way and endangering Sharon on numerous occasions due to his criminal dealings. Letitia Dean discussed Sharon's attraction to Grant in 1993: "Grant
26026-435: Was lured back to EastEnders by producer John Yorke , reprising the role of Sharon from 2001 to 2006. In December 2004, Sunday Mirror reported that executive producer Kathleen Hutchison offered to double Dean's salary from £150,000 a year to £300,000 a year, to persuade her to remain in the show, making her one of the highest paid actresses in British soap. Dean's character left the serial again in January 2006. Her exit
26195-457: Was meant to deter, not encourage, the act. Den and Angie's traumatic two-hander episode in October 1986 was a risky experiment. A thirty-minute episode with only two people in it had never been attempted in a soap before. Holland and Smith feared that the episode would not hold up, however press and audience alike were in agreement that it did. Once it was done, it set a precedent, and the programme has featured two-handers ever since. The episode
26364-405: Was not until late 2013 when scriptwriters reunited Phil and Sharon legitimately, Sharon having weathered being jilted by Jack at their wedding earlier that year. Angie Watts Angie Watts (also Shaw ) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders , played by Anita Dobson from the first episode of the series until 1988, when Dobson decided to leave, and the character
26533-520: Was presented with the award for outstanding achievement as homage to her work in EastEnders . She was also nominated in the category of Best Couple (shared with Nigel Harman ). In 2022, Dean won the Outstanding Achievement award at the British Soap Awards. Growing up in the public eye was reportedly hard for Dean, and the constant media attention on her appearance was something she found especially tough. Dean says her self-confidence
26702-430: Was quite flirtatious with [Sharon] when they first met and he made her feel quite good about herself. He promised to protect her and he promised her the world [...] She wouldn't have gone for Grant if he was just a complete pain in the arse. There are obviously other qualities in him which is why she strives to keep [their relationship] going. There's a lot of reminders — [Grant's] not [Sharon's father] Den, but he's got
26871-476: Was recommended for the part by the director Matthew Robinson . Fennell was born in the East End of London and both Holland and Smith considered her to have unique qualities to her personality, which combined "vitality and vulnerability, and an almost desperate nervous energy" - all of which were perfect for Angie. Fennell was given the role, however during rehearsals Holland and Smith began to realise that Fennell
27040-411: Was recovered in 1990 was misidentified as Den's; Den fled to Spain to escape the mobsters and allowed his family to believe he was dead until he was traced in 2003. Den's return aired in September 2003, with Den walking into Sharon's club "Angie's Den" (named after her parents) and uttering the greeting "Hello princess" to his daughter. Scriptwriter Sarah Phelps , who penned Den's return, has discussed
27209-487: Was selected for an interview on the strength of a photograph alone. The creators of EastEnders , Tony Holland and Julia Smith , were looking for a "bouncy, attractive, oddly vulnerable young woman" to play the part of Sharon Watts , and out of the various applicants they had seen, they believed that only Dean had all of those qualities. Dean lied about her roots to get the part. As the casting directors were only looking for real East End actors, she falsely claimed that she
27378-404: Was structured like a "tennis match" between Angie and Den, with a non-speaking window-cleaner forever strolling innocently into the action. It began with Den trying to tell Angie that he wanted a divorce, but not before Angie tries in vain to continue with life as normal; within the opening moments of the episode she switches on the washing machine and throughout the "tennis match" the audience hears
27547-430: Was tested by Sharon's discovery that her adored father had slept with her best friend Michelle when she was sixteen and that he was the mystery father of Michelle's daughter, Vicki. Sharon discovered this in a special two-hander episode written by Tony McHale , which aired in April 1989. In the episode, Sharon and Michelle spend an evening together drinking wine and reminiscing. After Sharon confesses to Michelle that, in
27716-469: Was the focus of the Christmas Day 2004 episodes when Dennis and Sharon announce they have reunited despite Dennis being in a simultaneous relationship with Zoe Slater ( Michelle Ryan ). The fall-out, which sees Den persuading Zoe to tell Dennis she is expecting his baby, results in Sharon leaving Dennis. Discussing the storyline, Michelle Ryan said, "Den forces her to say that she's pregnant because he knows Dennis won't run away with Sharon if he thinks there's
27885-418: Was thrilled that Dean was returning and he could not wait to see Sharon on screen later in the year. Kirkwood had previously told a columnist for Inside Soap that in Sharon's absence Ronnie Mitchell ( Samantha Womack ) had filled the role of the "quivery lipped blonde" female. Tabloid newspapers claimed Sharon was returning to "fill the gap" left behind by Jessie Wallace 's character, Kat Slater , who at
28054-550: Was voted one of the top 100 TV moments of 2001 in a Channel 4 poll, and was chosen as the favourite soap comeback by almost one-third of viewers. The return arc saw Sharon reuniting with her former lover, Phil. Discussing this, Dean said, "[Sharon's] tougher and seems to know what she wants. Seeing Phil throws up vivid memories and strong feelings for Sharon. She's always had a deep affection for him". She added that because Sharon had grown and gained strength and independence while being in America, "she can handle pretty much anything
28223-424: Was worried she was too young for the part. However, when Dobson was brought in for an audition it was noted she was "exactly the right age" after all. After a very successful reading Dobson was cast as Angie. The Watts were the surprise hit characters of the show. Angie and Den were a live-wire couple whose on/off relationship made the Queen Vic pub exciting and unpredictable and millions of viewers tuned in to watch
28392-674: Was written out. Angie is well known for her cheeky banter, her perm and turning to alcohol during her stormy marriage to cheating Den Watts ( Leslie Grantham ), which ended when he handed her divorce papers on Christmas Day 1986, in an episode watched by a record-breaking 30.1 million viewers. Despite being the loud and feisty lady of Walford, and having a close relationship with her beloved adoptive daughter Sharon ( Letitia Dean ), she does not have much real happiness during her time in Albert Square . Alcoholism claimed her life in April 2002 when she died off-screen from cirrhosis of
28561-422: Was wrong for the part, and Smith made the decision to re-cast the role of Angie. With only four days to the first studio recording of EastEnders , Smith set about finding a suitable actress. Smith had taught the actress Anita Dobson many years earlier and remembered her as "sharp, brittle, very theatrical, with a vitality that was almost intense and a range of emotions that were alarming considering her youth", but
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