Theatre star Jean Fennell was cast by creators Julia Smith and Tony Holland as the Vic landlady, beginning rehearsals and even posing for publicity photos with on-screen husband and daughter Leslie Grantham and Letitia Dean, who became known to millions as Den and Sharon Watts.
As the original landlady of the Queen Vic in EastEnders, Anita Dobson created one of the soap’s most iconic characters ever – but did you know she wasn’t first in line to play Angie Watts?.
Angie was not the only character nearly played by a different actor, however, as Derek Martin told of how he was up for the role of her husband Den Watts.
He told MailOnline: ‘As it got closer and closer to the first day in the studio – three days before – Julia and Tony came in to see what was almost the final rehearsal.
The 75-year-old star has revealed that she was brought into the role of Angie at the 11th hour after the first actress was dropped.
