EastEnders legend admits she no longer watches BBC soap – despite starring in one of its most iconic episodes ever
AN EASTENDERS legend has revealed that she no longer tunes into the BBC soap, despite having played a pivotal role in one of its most memorable episodes.
Reflecting on her time in Walford, she acknowledged the iconic nature of the storyline but admitted to stepping back from watching after her departure.
Anita Dobson - who played the iconic Angie Watts on the BBC soap from 1985 to 1988 - confessed she no longer watches the EastEnders Christmas special.
This comes after her iconic divorce storyline aired on Christmas Day in 1986, which remains one of the highest-rated TV episodes of all time.
More than 30 million viewers were watched Dirty Den serve Angie Watts with divorce papers in the festive episode.
Den told her: "This, my sweet, is a letter from my solicitor telling you that your husband has filed a petition for divorce.
read more on eastenders
"Merry Christmas, Ange.”
And a further 28 million watched the fallout in the Boxing Day episode the following day.
However, Anita, now 75, seems to stem from moving on after her association with the show.
She said: “I don’t really watch television very much at all. I watch things like a series because then you can get your teeth into it, and you can watch it when you want to rather than having to keep playing catch up.
Most read in Soaps
"I tend to always miss it. But I do try to catch up with stuff now and again. But it’s hard with that because it turns over so quickly.
"You’d have to be constantly catching up. So no, I have watched bits and pieces.”
Anita left EastEnders in May 1988 because she wanted to move on.
She has never accepted offers to reprise the role, saying, "Why tarnish the gorgeous creation that was Angie Watts?"
Since her departure, Anita has appeared in many television, film and theatre roles, including the BBC sitcoms Red Dwarf, Rab C. Nesbitt and her own sitcom series Split Ends (1989).
Anita starred in Channel 4's comedy-horror Generation Z earlier this year and admitted she was taken aback by the series' graphic gore.
EastEnders Christmas and New Year schedule
Monday December 23 - 6am iPlayer & 7:30pm BBC One
Tuesday December 24 - 6am iPlayer & 7:45pm BBC One
Christmas Day - 7:30pm & 10:35pm BBC One & iPlayer
Boxing Day - 8:30pm BBC One & iPlayer
Monday December 30 - 6am iPlayer & 7:30pm BBC One
Tuesday December 31 - 6am iPlayer & 7:30pm BBC One
New Year's Day - 10pm BBC One & iPlayer
Thursday January 2 - 6am iPlayer & 7:30pm BBC One
Reflecting on her experience, she revealed being shocked when watching certain scenes she hadn't witnessed during filming.
"I found it quite scary watching it back," she confessed, adding that the intense and gory elements were unexpected.
This year’s EastEnders Christmas special is set to see an explosive reveal of an affair between Cindy Beale (Michelle Collins) and Junior Knight (Micah Balfour).
A voice recording of Cindy confessing to sleeping with her stepson makes it to George Knight (Colin Salmon), who plays it to a pub full of residents.
How will the Knight and Beale families react when they find out Cindy and Junior's secret?
READ MORE SUN STORIES
The BBC soap has teased there will be a death on Christmas Day.
EastEnders airs at 7:30pm and again at 10:35pm on BBC One on Christmas Day.
