EASTENDERS legend Anita Dobson is set for a tearful reunion with on-screen daughter Letitia Dean next week.
The actress – who played Angie Watts in the BBC soap from its first ever episode – will appear on EastEnders: 40 Years on The Square on Monday.
The hour-long ‘deep-dive’ is fronted by actor and presenter Ross Kemp, who returned as Grant Mitchell in tonight’s episode.
It features special appearances from Albert Square legends Anita Dobson and Pam St Clement, with the original landlady taking a trip back down memory lane alongside her on-screen daughter Letitia.
Back on set for the first time in many, many years, Anita Dobson reminisces with Letitia Dean and Ross asks how it feels to be reunited:
Anita said: “Absolutely wonderful! I feel very emotional, very happy. She looks beautiful, I love her to bits.”
Letitia added: “Anita was like a second mum to me.”
“Yes, and she was the baby girl I never had,” Anita replied.
Ross shows Anita and Letitia an archive publicity photo of Lesley, Angie, Sharon and their pet poodle Roly.
Anita laughed: “That dog, you would say ‘action’, he’d sit up, you’d say ‘cut’ and he’d relax!”
Meanwhile Ross also speaks to Pat Butcher icon Pam St Clement in a rare interview.
Pam told him: “When I got the part of Pat like any actor I decided to do a bit of homework, I saw this bus conductress on a number 38 bus and she was wearing these most dangly earrings.
[bc_video account_id=”5067014667001″ application_id=”” aspect_ratio=”16:9″ autoplay=”” caption=”Peggy Mitchell returns in dark and harrowing EastEnders as Phil faces his demons” embed=”in-page” experience_id=”” height=”100%” language_detection=”” max_height=”360px” max_width=”640px” min_width=”0px” mute=”” padding_top=”56%” picture_in_picture=”” player_id=”default” playlist_id=”” playsinline=”” sizing=”responsive” video_id=”6368769752112″ video_ids=”” width=”640px”]“Pat always wears the earring that fit her mood.”
Ross asked: “How many earrings did Pat get through?”
[boxout headline=”EastEnders’ 40th anniversary cameos so far” featured-image=”32590325″ intro=”With the 40th anniversary of EastEnders coming up, fans are looking forward to some more incredible cameos from iconic faces of Walford’s past. But who have we had so far? “]Tracy-Ann Oberman – Oberman returned as Chrissie Watts, a character she last played nearly two decades ago.
Paul Bradley – Bradley returned as Nigel Bates, a character he last played over 25 years ago.
Micheal French – French returned as David Wicks, a character he last played two decades ago.
Patsy Palmer – Palmer returned as Bianca Jackson, a character she last played in 2019.
Ricky Groves – Groves returned as Garry Hobbs, a character who has not been seen since 2009.
Cliff Parisi – Parisi returned as Minty Peterson, a character who was last seen on the square in 2010.
Ross Kemp – Kemp has returned to play Grant Mitchell, a character he first played in 1990. The BBC has described Kemp’s storyline as “explosive”. Kemp said it was an “absolute honour” to return to the show.
Other aspects of the EastEnders 40th anniversary celebration include: A wedding between fan favorites, A huge explosion at the Queen Vic, and A live interactive episode.
She told him: “You know those tool boxes you can get that fold up? I had one of those and a wall bracket with dangling earrings, but the interesting thing is most of them came from viewers.
“Oh, yes. They’d say – I saw these in the market and I thought they were absolutely right for Pat!”