All-female IS terror cell sentenced
ANITA Dobson has said Leslie Grantham was the “archetypal charming rogue” and spoke of their “magic” chemistry as she paid tribute to her EastEnders co-star, who has died aged 71.
Grantham, who was best known for playing ‘Dirty Den’ Watts on the soap since 1985, passed away yesterday.
His representative said that Grantham’s “ex-wife and sons have asked for their privacy to be respected at this difficult time and for there to be no approaches to them for information or comment”.
Dobson, who played Grantham’s on-screen wife Angie Watts, said: “He was a good-looking guy, he was a charmer, he was funny, he was a good actor.
“He was fun to be around and we were good mates.
“But I think there’s always that kind of look about him that you just didn’t know what he was going to do next.
“It was his ace in the hole, there was always that bit about him that was slightly unpredictable, which I liked and what gave him the edge on TV.”
Grantham shot to fame play- ing Den in EastEnders, originally from 1985 to 1989.
A 1986 Christmas Day episode drew an audience of more than 30 million viewers as Den handed over divorce papers to Angie.
His character was apparently killed off in 1989 but made a shock return to Albert Square in 2003, before making his final departure in 2005.
Other EastEnders stars have shared their memories of working with Grantham, including Letitia Dean, who appeared on the BBC programme as
Sharon Watts, the adoptive daughter of Den and Angie.
Dean said, via the EastEnders Twitter account: “I have very special memories of working with Leslie and will cher- ish them always. He and Anita looked after me in my early days and showed me the ropes, always with care and kindness.” Gillian Taylforth, who appeared alongside Grantham from 1985, said: “Those iconic Christmas episodes were legendary and they will always be part of EastEnders history.
“My heart goes out to his loved ones.” Prior to his career on the hit BBC show, in 1967 he was convicted of murdering a German taxi driver while serving as a soldier, a murder that he always denied.
In 2004 he was forced to apologise after he took part in webcam sex sessions from his EastEnders dressing room, which went public. Leslie Grantham with
Letitia Dean, and (left, from top) with Anita Dobson in the Queen Vic, and in panto with May McFettridge at Belfast
Grand Opera House A MOTHER and daughter who formed Britain’s first all-female Islamic State terror cell have been jailed over an Alice In Wonderland-inspired plot.
Rizlaine Boular (22) planned to stab random members of the public around the Palace of Westminster in April last year, the Old Bailey heard.
The mother-of-one adopted the murderous scheme from her sister Safaa Boular (18), who was in custody over an attempt to become a jihadi bride in Syria the year before.
In coded phone calls they discussed holding an Alice In Wonderland-themed tea party with Rizlaine cast as the Mad Hatter.
Police swooped to arrest the plotters after a surveillance operation with MI5, the court has heard.
Rizlaine Boular pleaded guilty to preparing acts of terrorism and was jailed for life with a minimum term of 16 years, and her mother Mina Dich (44) was handed six years and nine months.