Letitia Dean

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Letitia Dean
Born November 14, 1967 (age 39)
Flag of England Potters Bar, Hertfordshire, England
Notable roles Lucinda Oliver in Grange Hill, Sharon Rickman in EastEnders

Letitia Dean (born 14 November 1967 in Potters Bar, Hertfordshire) is an English actress, probably best known for her role as Sharon Rickman in the popular BBC soap opera EastEnders.

Contents

[edit] Early life

Letitia Dean was born in Hertfordshire to parents Leslie and Ellie Dean, in a cottage rented on the grand estate of the late British romantic novelist Barbara Cartland, known as Camfield Place.[1] The youngest of three children, Dean picked up a penchant for performing at an early age. Both Dean and her older brother Stephen attended dance school in the village where they lived and they also performed a dance act together on stage.[2] This later prompted Dean's successful application to attend the Italia Conti Theatre School at ten years old, and later the Sylvia Young Theatre School in Marylebone, London, which has famously produced some of Britain's most familiar television and musical stars. Dean stayed at the school as a full-time student for several years learning her trades of acting, singing and dancing.[3]

[edit] Career

Dean's first notable television appearance came when she was just 11, playing a student named Lucinda in the BBC children's series Grange Hill, in 1978.[4] It was here that she met and became firm friends with fellow actress Susan Tully, who she would later go on to work closely with in EastEnders. At the age of twelve Dean was in the hit stage musical Annie at London's Victoria Palace Theatre, and she later sang with a rock group called 'The Young Uns' for several years.[2]

Her next television role was a part in the Channel 4 soap opera Brookside in 1984.[5] Soon after, Dean was cast as one of the original members of the new BBC1 soap opera EastEnders. Interestingly, Dean lied about her roots to get the part in the soap. As the casting directors were only looking for real 'East End' actors, she falsely claimed that she was born and raised in Hackney, East London.[6] The lie paid off and she got the part.

[edit] Life in EastEnders

An early image of Letitia Dean as Sharon. During the 80s she became renowned for wearing fluffy pink clothing.
An early image of Letitia Dean as Sharon. During the 80s she became renowned for wearing fluffy pink clothing.

Dean played Sharon Watts, the troubled and spoilt adoptive daughter of landlords 'Dirty' Den (Leslie Grantham) and Angie Watts (Anita Dobson), from the show's inception in 1985 until 1995. Initial storylines centred around the difficulties Sharon faced growing up with an adulterous, over-protective father and an alcoholic, irrational mother. Struggling to grow up in this environment, Sharon was constantly torn between the two. Bombshells such as best friend Michelle's (Susan Tully) confession that she was pregnant with Den's child, as well as her father's alleged murder, helped to make Sharon one of the most popular and long-running characters in the show's history.

Growing up in the public eye was hard for Dean, and the constant media attention on her appearance (particularly her fluctuating weight) was especially tough, given her young and susceptible age. Dean has since stated that her self-confidence was damaged during this time, and this, as well as back pain, contributed to her decision to get a breast reduction in her teens.[7]

Growing up on screen in the 1980s has also meant that Dean has had to endure haunting images of herself dressed in over-the-top, less than flattering, 1980s clothes. The image of Dean wearing a fluffy, pink off-the-shoulder jumper, is one of the most recognisable, trademark images in EastEnders' history.[7] Despite embracing her younger years now, at the time Dean hated the jumper so much that she burnt it.[8]

During her time on the show Dean even managed minor musical chart success with fellow EastEnders star Paul Medford (who played Kelvin Carpenter). A song penned for the pair as part of a plotline in the show known as The Banned, prompted them to release a single entitled "Something Outa Nothing", which made number 12 in the UK Singles Chart in November 1986.

In the latter years of her initial stint on EastEnders, Dean featured in some of the soap's most renowned storylines, including the infamous love triangle with her then on-screen husband Grant Mitchell (Ross Kemp) and his brother Phil (Steve McFadden). The plot, nicknamed 'Sharongate', gave the soap one of its highest episode ratings and was watched by over 18.4 million viewers.[9] But despite her popularity on the show, a desire to pursue other acting roles and escape press attention prompted Dean to leave the soap in 1995.

Letitia Dean returned to the role of Sharon in 2001 and was given a celebratory interview on EastEnders: It's Your Party! the same year.
Letitia Dean returned to the role of Sharon in 2001 and was given a celebratory interview on EastEnders: It's Your Party! the same year.

However, Six years after her initial exit, Dean was lured back to EastEnders by producer John Yorke,[10] where she reprised the role of Sharon Watts (landlady of the Queen Vic), from 2001 to 2004, and again from 2005 to 2006. Upon her return, Dean, along with several other long running actors from the series, were interviewed about their roles on a specially televised programme, EastEnders: It's Your Party!, in 2001. The programme, presented by Jonathon Ross, paid tribute to some of the show's most notable characters and provided a nostalgic look back at their many storylines over the years.[11]

Dean's character was once again the focus of many controversial and popular storylines, including: the 'resurrection' of her infamous father Den Watts, believed to be dead, only to reappear very much alive 14 years later; the unveiling of her father's killer, Chrissie (Tracy-Ann Oberman) — who finished Den off, once and for all, in 2005; the reappearance of ex-husband Grant Mitchell; and her 'forbidden love' and eventual marriage to adoptive brother Dennis Rickman (now deceased), played by Nigel Harman. A popular storyline that was nicknamed "Shannis" (a portmanteau of Sha-ron and De-nnis) by EastEnders fans and other media.

Dean has had several exits or 'extended breaks' from the show in recent years, and each time there has been much press speculation over whether she has quit permanently or whether she is just taking a scheduled break. In December 2004 the Sunday Mirror reported that at one time executive producer Kathleen Hutchison offered to double Dean's salary from £150,000 a year to £300,000 a year, in order to persuade her to remain in the show. If true, this would have made Dean one of the highest paid actresses in British soap.[12]

Dean left the series once again in January 2006. Despite an official press report in 2005 stating that Dean was only taking a scheduled break and was due back on set in 2006,[13] this did not occur and in June 2006 the BBC denied press speculation that she was reprising the role. An EastEnders spokesman commented: "There are no current plans for Letitia to return. The birth of Sharon's baby, however, will be announced on-screen in the coming months."[14] Whether Dean will reprise the role in the near future is unknown, but press reports suggest she is due to return at some stage.[15]

[edit] Other acting roles

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 a Derby telephone exchange in the 1960s; medical dramas Casualty and Doctors; the ITV police drama The Bill and romantic comedy Lucy Sullivan Is Getting Married as well as the Channel 4 sitcom Drop The Dead Donkey. She also starred in the 1995 film England, My England, which told the story of the musician and court composer Henry Purcell, and also starred fellow EastEnders actress Lucy Speed (who played Natalie Evans).

Letitia in ITV drama Lucy Sullivan Is Getting Married in 1999
Letitia in ITV drama Lucy Sullivan Is Getting Married in 1999

On stage she starred as Nurse Fay in the Joe Orton comedy play, Loot, working alongside fellow EastEnders actor, Michael Elphick (who played Harry Slater). She also played a prostitute in the revival of Chris Dyer's 1960s play Rattle of a Simple Man at the Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham.

As well as television and theatre work, Dean regularly appears in seasonal pantomimes. In 2001 she starred as Snow White at 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. Dean and other EastEnders stars such as Steve McFadden are rumoured to have a special clause in their contracts that permits them time off from filming to star in a pantomime each year.[12]

Dean will tread the boards of pantomime once more in December 2006, this time as the wicked witch in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs at The Deco, Northampton. An impromptu announcement was made in early November stating that Dean was to take over the role of Wicked Witch after her former co-star, Gillian Taylforth, pulled out due to ill health.[16]

[edit] Awards

In 2004 Dean was nominated for the Best Actress Award at the British Soap Awards, but lost out to Suranne Jones from Coronation Street.[17]

At the 2005 Inside Soap awards, Dean was presented with the coveted award for outstanding achievement as homage to her work in EastEnders, which she has been in (on and off) for over 20 years, since the age of 16.[18]

[edit] Personal life

In September 2002, Dean married media executive Jason Pethers at The All Saints Church in Marylebone. Her close friend and EastEnders co-star, Susan Tully, was a bridesmaid at the wedding. In true East End style, Dean's guests were treated to transportation in old fashioned London buses. Many of Dean's fellow cast-mates from EastEnders (past and present) attended the wedding including: Wendy Richard, Barbara Windsor, Pam St Clement, Steve McFadden, Gillian Taylforth, June Brown, Lucy Benjamin, Adam Woodyatt, Anna Wing, Todd Carty, Ricky Groves, Hannah Waterman, Laila Morse and on-screen mum Anita Dobson.[19]

Before marrying Pethers, Dean is known to have dated the Irish comedian Ed Byrne,[20] Niel McLintock — son of Arsenal hero Frank McLintock — Martin Ball — the one time star of the Nescafé adverts who she was also engaged to — and the musician Chris Taggart, whom she met in panto at Liverpool.[21]

As well as acting, Dean is a keen singer (with a mezzo-soprano voice) and tap dancer.[22]

Dean has stated that nowadays she is a lot more comfortable in her own skin, and far more relaxed about public interest than she used to be as a teenager, commenting: "Being in my thirties is a much more comfortable place to be. I have stopped pleasing people - and I`m calmer and more self assured than I`ve ever been."[7]

[edit] Charity work

In 1997 Dean along with her close friend, actress Susan Tully, were involved with 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.[23]

[edit] Television and film

[edit] References

  1. ^ "Back To Square One", Hertfordshirelife.co.uk. URL last accessed on 2006-12-20.
  2. ^ a b Kingsley, Hilary (1990). The EastEnders Handbook. BBC books. ISBN 0685529576. 
  3. ^ "Sylvia Young Theatre School notable Alumni", Sylviayoungtheatreschool.co.uk. URL last accessed on 2006-12-20.
  4. ^ "Grange Hill cast list", museum.tv. URL last accessed on 2006-12-20.
  5. ^ "Brookside facts", Brookesidesoapbox.co.uk. URL last accessed on 2006-12-20.
  6. ^ "Letitia Dean interview in Woman", LetitiaDean.co.uk. URL last accessed on 2006-12-20.
  7. ^ a b c "Letitia announces plans to wed Jason Pethers", Hello!. URL last accessed on 2006-12-20.
  8. ^ "Letitia Dean Biography", LetitiaDean.co.uk. URL last accessed on 2006-12-20.
  9. ^ "Sharongate", BBC. URL last accessed on 2006-09-18.
  10. ^ "Letitia Dean back in EastEnders", BBC. URL last accessed on 2006-09-18.
  11. ^ "EASTENDERS - IT'S YOUR PARTY - review by Ian Jones", Offthetelly.co.uk. URL last accessed on 2006-09-18.
  12. ^ a b "ENDERS' PAY RISE TO LURE LETITIA", Sunday Mirror. URL last accessed on 2006-12-20.
  13. ^ "Nigel and Letitia depart - Letitia takes a break", BBC. URL last accessed on 2006-09-18.
  14. ^ "Who is returning to 'EastEnders'?", Digital Spy. URL last accessed on 2006-09-18.
  15. ^ "SQUARE ARE THEY NOW", Sunday Mirror. URL last accessed on 2006-09-18.
  16. ^ "EASTENDERS’ SHARON SAVES THE DAY!", Deco.co.uk. URL last accessed on 2006-09-18.
  17. ^ "2004 British soap awards", thecustard.Tv. URL last accessed on 2006-09-18.
  18. ^ "EastEnders on top at soap awards", BBC. URL last accessed on 2006-09-18.
  19. ^ "EastEnders' Dean weds", BBC. URL last accessed on 2006-09-18.
  20. ^ "The Diary: LETITIA TO WED", Sunday Mirror. URL last accessed on 2006-12-20.
  21. ^ "Lost her Bottle", LetitiaDean.co.uk. URL last accessed on 2006-12-20.
  22. ^ "BBC profiles - Letitia Dean", BBC. URL last accessed on 2006-09-18.
  23. ^ "Life After Sharon", LetitiaDean.co.uk. URL last accessed on 2006-12-20.

[edit] External links

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