Anita Dobson

"Angie Watts"

The Heart and Soul of EastEnders' First Years

Interviewed by Tim Wilson (Volume 4, Issue 2)

On whether she will ever make a return visit to Albert Square:

"It's a lovely sentiment, thanks. But I'm terribly sorry to say that I wouldn't hold out too much hope for that if I were you. The thing about EastEnders which you may or may not know is that once somebody leaves, he or she usually does not come back. It's on to other things, away from the crazy ride of being on that show..."

On what would persuade her to come back:

"All right! Maybe I'd think about doing something if it could be done on location -- in New York or Florida maybe -- and on film, like the Venice episodes we shot in 1986. I remember watching those episodes and saying to myself "Hey, I look GOOD!!!" It was hard going back to videotape after that experience. I kid you not."

On what happened when she landed the part of Angie:

"[Then-series producer/creator Julia Smith] trusted me to shop for Angie's wardrobe and shop I did. I shopped myself into a coma (laughs). And I walked into the rehearsal room to meet the cast and get to work, and after we rehearsed the first scene, Leslie Grantham said "Yes, brilliant!" because it all just clicked. Letita Dean then walked up to me and said "Would you like a cup of tea, Mum?" Anf of course, I melted and got a bit misty-eyed because there I was, 36 years old with no kids, and this adorable klittle blonde fluffball had suddenly been thrust into my arms and to call me "Mum." It was great."

On Den and Angie as a couple:

"Den and Angie were quite a sad couple, don't you think. I mean, she pines for him, a guy who practically flaunts his mistress about! And, when EastEnders began, they hadn't slept with each other for ten years."

On whether she had any kind of relationship with Grantham off-screen:

"It's the weirdest thing because we didn't. Actually it made sense in a funny kind of way that we always went our seperate ways after work. I think Den and Angie's on-screen relationship was so fantastic, extraordinary and intnse that we never felt the need to feed into it when we weren't at the studio. There was a tremendous understanding between us acting partners."

On what Angie is up to living in Florida:

"I have a fantasy that she's made good. She's swathed head to foot in furs and has just had her first of many face-lifts. And she's remarried; he's more than a bit younger than her..."

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