Letitia Dean has played Sharon Watts in EastEnders for best part of four decades, but did you know she had to tell a cheeky fib to land the role?
Walford wouldn’t be the same without Dirty Den’s (Leslie Grantham) ‘princess’, who has seen pretty much everything there is to see since her introduction in the soap’s very first episode.
From the outset, Letitia has been handed hard-hitting storylines, including one that saw Sharon’s desire to take contraceptive pills as a teenager.
She then struggled with adoptive mum Angie’s (Anita Dobson) alcoholism, and was disgusted to learn that her best pal Michelle Fowler (Susan Tully) had conceived a child with her father.
We can’t mention Sharon without noting the iconic ‘Sharongate’ plot, that saw her engage in an affair with Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden) – whilst married to his brother Grant (Ross Kemp).
It’s undoubtable that shades of their messy history will be revisited in upcoming scenes, as Grant has made a welcome return to Albert Square to save Phil amid his mental health crisis.
Prior to joining the BBC drama, Letitia had small roles in Grange Hill and Brookside.
Had she not told a small lie to EastEnders creator Julia Smith, she wouldn’t have been cast as Sharon.
The issue was that Julia remained adamant that all of the cast members were born and raised in the East End, to make the programme as realistic as possible.
‘I was 16 or 17. You had to be born within the sound of Bow Bells and of course I wasn’t’ Letitia explains in new documentary 40 Years on The Square.
‘I was from Hertfordshire but I lied. They were very, very authentic.
‘Apparently I got cast for my dirty laugh.’
EastEnders 40th anniversary – Everything we know so far
Here’s what EastEnders fans can expect as the soap celebrates its 40th anniversary on 19 February 2025:
A live episode
Having previously gone live for the 25th and 30th anniversaries in 2010 and 2015, the soap will be beaming live to the nation once again during the 40th week.
This instalment will air one day after the big 4-0, on Thursday February 20.
The episode will also mark a huge EastEnders first as bosses are giving the audience the power to vote on the outcome of one storyline, with the actors having to react to the result live on air – speaking of which…
Denise Fox decides… sort of.
With Denise Fox (Diane Parish) having found herself in a love triangle with Jack Branning (Scott Maslen) and Ravi Gulati (Aaron Thiara), fans will decide whether she reunites with her estranged husband Jack or picks her secret lover.
We also know that another ‘history making’ decision will be left to audiences to decide, with details yet to be announced.
Grant Mitchell returns
Ross Kemp will be reprising his role as the legendary Grant Mitchell to play a significant part in the 40th celebrations.
‘Grant has never been far from the action and let’s just say, this time is no different as he certainly comes back with a bang,’ Ross teased.
Cindy Beale’s attacker revealed
Cindy Beale (Michelle Collins) was left for dead when she was whacked over the head with a shovel by a mystery assailant on Christmas Day after the truth about her affair with former stepson Junior Knight (Micah Balfour) exploded.
With the finger of suspicion currently pointing at numerous characters, Cindy’s attacker will be unmasked at last during the anniversary week.
Special programming
Ahead of the big week, BBC Four will broadcast EastEnders Sings at the BBC, a look back at archive performances from cast members from Top of the Pops.
Ross Kemp will take a trip down Walford memory lane with a special hour-long documentary called EastEnders: 40 Years on The Square, taking fans behind the scenes as he delves into the show’s history and relieves some of the most memorable moments.
BBC Three will also offer viewers a look at the explosive anniversary storylines with a 45-minute interview special – EastEnders Revealed: The Lock In – hosted by Joe Swash as he chats to some of the actors who find themselves at the heart of the anniversary drama.
The Queen Vic explodes
As Billy and Honey Mitchell (Perry Fenwick and Emma Barton) prepare to walk down the aisle, their favourite boozer The Queen Victoria will burn to the ground.
Aerial pictures from filming show the pub blown to smithereens, with a car crashed into the side. There’s also a marquee in the middle of the Square Gardens – is this from the wedding?
Referencing Sharongate, she continues: ‘I was trusted with a huge storyline in front of 25 million viewers. It’s still talked about to this day.
‘The best stories are slow burners.’
The doc, fronted by Ross Kemp, will see Letitia reunited with Anita Dobson as the pair reminisce about old times – and their legendary pooch Roly the poodle.
Remembering the canine companion, Anita reveals: ‘That dog, you would say “action”, he’d sit up, you’d say “cut” and he’d relax!’
There’s also an immensely sweet moment when she refers to Tish as ‘the baby girl I never had.’
EastEnders: 40 Years on The Square airs Monday, February 17th, at 8pm on BBC One and iPlayer.
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