It’s no secret that Albert Square has seen its fair share of excitement over the years, but for some of its cast members, the action didn't stop when they left the set. Instead, they headed for the recording studio, hoping to strike gold in the music industry.
For some, it worked. For others… let's just say they were better off pulling pints in The Vic. Here’s a look at the EastEnders stars who tried to make it in the charts. Michelle Gayle left EastEnders in 1993, after signing with RCA Records and launching herself as a solo artist - music was reportedly always Gayle's first passion. Her career was a pretty successful one, too. Her biggest hit, Sweetness , reached number four on the UK charts in 1994, proving she had more than just acting chops.
She kept the momentum going with more top 20 hits, including Do You Know and Happy Just to Be with You . Her self-titled debut album even went gold. Not bad for a former EastEnders star!. Martine McCutcheon was one of Walford’s biggest stars in the ’90s, and her character, Tiffany, had one of the most dramatic exits in EastEnders history. While still acting, she quietly launched a singing career in 1995 with the minor dance song Are You Man Enough . After being killed off in 1998, Martine wasted no time focusing on her role as a singer – and she nailed it.
Her debut single, Perfect Moment, was a massive hit, reaching number one in the UK in 1999. Her album You Me & Us went platinum, and for a while, she was riding high. Although her music career eventually slowed down, Martine remains a household name, thanks to her role in Love Actually and various TV appearances.
If you watched EastEnders in the ’90s, you’ll never forget Bianca’s screeching “RICKAAAY!” calls for her on-again, off-again love interest Ricky Butcher, played by Sid Owen. But did you know Sid also tried his hand at music?. In 2000, he released a reggae-infused cover of Good Thing Going , which reached number 14 in the UK charts. It wasn’t exactly a chart-topping smash, but it was a decent effort. Still, Sid soon returned to acting.
Shona McGarty is known for her emotional performances as troubled Whitney Dean, but she’s also got an impressive voice. In 2012, she performed A Change Is Gonna Come at the Children in Need Rocks concert – and she blew everyone away. She later contributed to charity singles, including Rock With Rudolph in 2018 and Let It Be in 2021, showcasing her talent outside of Albert Square. While she’s yet to launch a full-blown music career, her voice is definitely worthy of the spotlight.
Letitia Dean has a music-heavy initial background that saw her star in West End’s Annie and Grease even before TV stardom. After earning her star with EastEnders, though, in 1986, the Sharon Watts actress took a break from all the Walford drama and dabbled in pop music. Alongside Paul Medford (Kelvin Carpenter), she released Something Outa Nothing as part of the characters’ plotline, a catchy duet that actually made it to number 12 on the UK Singles Chart.
Though she never followed up with a full music career, the song remains a nostalgic favourite for EastEnders fans. If there’s one EastEnders star who truly cracked the music industry, it’s Nick Berry. He played heartthrob Simon Wicks in the soap’s early days, but in 1986, he became a pop star almost overnight.
His single Every Loser Wins was a massive success, reaching number one on the UK charts, selling over a million copies and being heavily played on the show. He later had another hit with Heartbeat , the theme song for the ITV drama of the same name, where he also starred.
Nick eventually stepped away from the spotlight, but his musical success is still one of the most impressive to come out of EastEnders . Anita Dobson, the legendary Angie Watts, proved she had a voice as big as her personality when she released Anyone Can Fall in Love in 1986. The song, which used the EastEnders theme tune as its melody and produced by Queen guitarist Brian May - who later became her husband - became a hit, reaching number four in the UK charts.
Since then, she has also released several other singles and albums with minor chart success, and has enjoyed a long-lasting theatre career. John Altman, who played Walford’s most notorious bad boy Nick Cotton, surprised fans when he decided to give music a go. In 1993, he released I’ll Be Back , which made it to number 27 in the charts.
Sophie Lawrence, who played Diane Butcher, tried her luck in the music industry with a cover of Donna Summer’s Love’s Unkind in 1991. It landed in the top 30 but wasn’t enough to launch a lasting career. Barry from EastEnders – singing? After his character’s untimely demise, Shaun Williamson embraced his love for music and became something of a karaoke king.
