Den Watts and Angie Watts (Anita Dobson) behind the bar of The Queen Vic. Over 30 million viewers tuned in to watch a 1986 episode in which Den served Angie divorce papers.
Photograph: BBC
Leslie Grantham, the soap actor who rose to national prominence with his performance as roguish pub landlord “Dirty” Den Watts in EastEnders, has died aged 71. The news was confirmed by a representative.
A former soldier with the Royal Fusiliers, his acting career began relatively late in life. Grantham enjoyed two popular spells in the BBC soap, with more than 30 million viewers tuning in to watch a 1986 Christmas Day episode in which his character served divorce papers to his onscreen wife, Angie, played by Anita Dobson.
Grantham had a troubled past and was no stranger to scandal. He was convicted in 1967 of the murder of a taxi driver in Germany and served 10 years in prison for the crime. Later, in 2004, he was written out of EastEnders after a much-publicised online sex scandal.
Born into a large family in Camberwell, London, in 1947, Grantham distinguished himself at school as a netball player. Despite wanting to act from an early age, he enlisted in the army at 18, rising to the position of lance corporal.
While on national service in Osnabrück in 1966 Grantham shot and killed a taxi driver, Felix Reese, during a botched robbery. In the trial that followed, Grantham claimed he did not know the gun was loaded. He was sentenced to life imprisonment, but was released after a decade.
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During his spell behind bars, Grantham pursued his interest in acting, appearing in a number of plays. Upon his release, he joined a London drama school, where he met the Australian actor Jane Laurie. They married in 1981 and had three children. They divorced in 2013.
Grantham later moved into TV via minor roles, such as as a henchman of the Dalek leader Davros in Doctor Who. In 1984, he was offered the role of Den Watts in the soap EastEnders, which first aired in February 1985. The show quickly rose in the ratings, with Den’s tempestuous relationship with Angie becoming one of its most popular storylines.
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Anita Dobson as Angie (R) and Leslie Grantham as Den Watts in 1984. Photograph: BBC
EastEnders soon made the marriage – and Den’s many affairs – the focus of the show. A groundbreaking episode in October 1986 featured Grantham and Dobson as its sole actors; it was the first time the two-hander format had been used in a soap. The storyline culminated in the Christmas episode of that year, which remains the fourth-most-watched broadcast in British TV history, ahead of the Apollo 13 splashdown and the wedding of Prince Charles and Diana Spencer.
Grantham left EastEnders in 1989, shortly after the departure of Dobson. In his final scene, he was seemingly executed by a gangster wielding a gun behind a bouquet of daffodils, although his fate was left unconfirmed in case Grantham could one day be convinced to return to the soap.
Grantham then starred in a number of primetime shows, including the noirish thriller The Paradise Club and the police drama 99-1. He never managed to recapture the fame he enjoyed as a soap actor, although he would reunite with Dobson on the Sky crime drama The Stretch in 1999. By the end of the millennium, he was most frequently seen appearing in pantomimes and presenting game shows, such as Fort Boyard, which he co-hosted with the model Melinda Messenger.
After 14 years away from EastEnders, Grantham made a surprise return to Albert Square in September 2003. The reappearance of his character was an immediate ratings hit, with 16 million viewers tuning in to watch Den utter the words “Hello, princess” to his adopted daughter, Sharon.
His return, however, was short-lived. In May 2004, pictures of the actor exposing himself on a webcam were published by a newspaper, prompting the EastEnders scriptwriters to write Den out of the soap. The character was killed off, this time with no ambiguity. Grantham later said he tried to kill himself three times in the wake of the scandal.
He returned to the stage, starring in an adaptation of the Jeffrey Archer play Beyond Reasonable Doubt. He also had a recurring role in the police drama The Bill.
In recent years, the actor had been living in Bulgaria where he starred in a TV series called The English Neighbour. He returned to England earlier this week due to ill health.
Among those paying tribute to Grantham following the news of his death was Tracey-Ann Oberman, who played his on-screen wife Chrissie Watts during his second spell on the soap. “Really sorry to hear about Leslie Grantham. A very very good actor and one who created an iconic character with Dirty Den”, she wrote on Twitter.
Legendary EastEnders star Leslie Grantham has died at the age of 71.
The actor, who played soap villain Den Watts, had been surrounded by friends and co-stars, with earlier reports revealing he was being monitored by doctors in a UK hospital. Grantham, who had been living in Bulgaria, passed away on Friday morning (15 June).
His agent confirmed the news in a statement, adding that a private funeral would be held.
Grantham appeared in the soap’s very first episode in 1985, introduced as the landlord of the Queen Vic pub. He quickly earned the nickname “Dirty Den” for the many affairs he had while being married to long-suffering Angie (Anita Dobson).
Their most famous scene arrived in an episode which aired on Christmas Day 1986, which saw Den serve Angie divorce papers with the line, “Happy Christmas, Ange.” It was watched by 30 million viewers.
He was killed off in 1988, only to be resurrected in 2003 to the surprise of his adopted daughter Sharon (Letitia Dean). He would reach his ultimate demise in 2005 at the hands of his new wife, Chrissie (Tracy Ann Oberman).
As well as EastEnders, Grantham is best known for appearing as Melinda Messenger’s co-host on the game show Fort Boyard, in which he played the Master of the Fort who set the challenges the contestants must win.
The meaning of EastEnders 12 show all The meaning of EastEnders 1/12 BBC 2/12 BBC 3/12 BBC 4/12 BBC 5/12 BBC 6/12 BBC 7/12 BBC 8/12 BBC 9/12 BBC 10/12 BBC 11/12 BBC 12/12 BBC
Grantham, born in Camberwell in 1947, was convicted of murdering a German taxi driver in 1966 during an attempted robbery gone wrong. He was sentenced to life imprisonment and served 10 years in various British prisons.
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EastEnders stars have paid tribute to actor Leslie Grantham, who performances as 'Dirty Den Watts' captivated millions.
The TV star, who had recently returned to the UK for treatment after living for some time in Bulgaria, passed away this morning aged 71, his agent announced.
A statement from his representative said: 'We formally announce the loss of Leslie Grantham, who passed away at 10.20am on the morning of Friday 15th June 2018.'
Grantham had been visited by close friends from TV in the weeks before his death and he told some he had terminal cancer.
Hollyoaks actor Joe Tracini tweeted: 'Last week he could barely hold his head up or make a sound. I held his hand for a while, kissed his forehead and told him I loved him.
'As I left, he bellow - "What am I f****** dying or something?" We'll miss you, Les x'
Leslie Grantham, pictured earlier this year filming in north London, has died aged 71
Grantham was best known for playing Den Watts alongside his on-screen wife Anita Dobson (left), who played Angie. He is pictured, right, with ex-wife Jane Lawrie. They divorced in 2013
Grantham shares three children, Spike, 31, Jake, 29, and Daniel, 23, with his ex-wife, Jane Laurie, who he was married to for 31 years.
His agent said: 'His ex-wife and sons have asked for their privacy to be respected at this difficult time. There will be a private funeral which will be attended by close family and friends only.'
EastEnders co-stars and friends paid tribute to the veteran actor soon after his death was announced.
Co-star Letitia Dean, who played his on-screen adoptive daughter Sharon, said: 'I have very special memories of working with Leslie and will cherish them always. He and Anita looked after me in my early days and showed me the ropes, always with care and kindness.
'He never failed to make me laugh and I will remember him with love, affection and gratitude forever. See you up there Leslie! Thank you for everything. Love and respect always, Tish. X'
Gillian Taylforth, who plays Kathy Beale, said: 'I'm deeply saddened to hear the very sad news. I have so many happy memories of working with Leslie, he was always great fun and we shared many laughs.
'Those iconic Christmas episodes were legendary and they will always be part of EastEnders history. My heart goes out to his loved ones. '
Dot Cotton actress June Brown said he 'always had a twinkle in his eye when he said outrageous things'.
Grantham moved to Bulgaria, where he is pictured in a show called The English Neighbour in 2011, following the break-up of his marriage. He had recently flown back to the UK
Grantham looked tired when he was pictured in February filming a drama about the Kray twins
On-screen wife Anita Dobson pays tribute to 'charming rogue' Grantham's death was announced at the same time as Anita Dobson, his on-screen wife for so many years, was attending the memorial service for another of her friends, Professor Stephen Hawking. Dobson, who played Angie Watts in EastEnders over three decades, told BBC News that her former co-star was 'the archetypal charming rogue'. Anita Dobson, who played Grantham's on-screen wife in EastEnders, was seen at Professor Stephen Hawking's Service of Thanksgiving today when Grantham's death was announced She said: 'He was a good-looking guy, he was a charmer, he was funny, he was a good actor. And he was fun to be around, 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, and that 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.' Dobson added: 'I came from nothing, from the East End with no money, and Leslie, as you know, had a chequered life before EastEnders, but we sort of understood each other, we understood that life can be tough. 'And we were fortunate, we were catapulted to an exotic place, but we were playing real people, people that we knew and we loved it.'
Tracy Ann Oberman, who starred opposite Grantham as his on-screen wife Chrissie Watts from 2004 until 2005, tweeted: 'Really sorry to hear about Leslie Grantham. A very very good actor and one who created an iconic character with Dirty Den #RIPLeslieG.'
EastEnders' executive consultant John Yorke said: 'Everyone at EastEnders is deeply saddened to hear that Leslie has passed away.
'We extend our deepest sympathies and condolences to his family and friends at this extremely difficult time.'
Ray also posted a screengrab, which showed Grantham advising him to 'always eat a hearty breakfast' because 'it sets you up for the day'.
Grantham had looked frail when he was last seen in public in February filming for The Krays: Dead Man Walking, which is set for release in December.
Friends of the actor said he was 'gaunt and grey' in recent weeks and had been living alone in a friend's empty terrace house London.
A friend, who asked not to be named, said this week: 'Last time I saw him I said to him, 'you alright Les?'. He said: 'I'm fine' but from the outside he looked bad.
'He was positive about it all but once you get cancer. He was saying he had it. He said he had it and it went but it came back.'
Grantham is understood to have been single in his final months, having said in 2016 that he didn't want to 'mess up someone else's life'.
He told an interviewer: 'I've messed up so many people's lives, why mess up someone else's?' I don't get lonely because I have friends. And when I'm writing, that's the world I live in.'
In an unlikely comeback, he returned to EastEnders in 2003 before leaving for good in 2005
Grantham told an interviewer in 2016 that he had remained single since splitting from his wife. He is pictured, right, with his on-screen family played by Anita Dobson and Letitia Dean
Grantham became famous playing Watts in EastEnders, originally from 1985 to 1989.
A 1986 Christmas Day episode drew an audience of more than 30 million viewers, who watched as Watts handed over divorce papers to on-screen wife Angie.
His character was apparently killed off in 1989 but made a shock return to Albert Square in 2003.
Grantham had originally been a soldier, having enlisted in the British Army in 1965 and being sent to West Germany with the Royal Fusiliers.
In 1966, however, he was involved in a struggle with a taxi driver he was attempting to rob in Osnabruck, Lower Saxony.
The driver, Felix Reese, was shot in the head and died and, in 1967, Grantham was convicted of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment.
Former co-stars and friends paid tribute to the actor on Twitter following his death today
It was during his time behind bars - he spent ten years in British jails - that he first took to acting.
Speaking about his past in 2016, Grantham said: 'Life isn't a straight line. It's like travelling the motorway. Every now and then, you have to take a diversion. Unfortunately, some of my diversions have been quite catastrophic. But I'm safe in the knowledge that what I do now is good.
'Of course I have regrets, but you can't go round wearing a hair shirt all your life, otherwise you'll never get out of bed in the morning. I f***** up, now I'm going to move on.'
In 2004, Grantham was exposed by a Sunday newspaper after he took part in webcam chats while performing a sex act and sucking his finger in his dressing room.
He apologised to his family for the embarrassment but later said he was 'set up'.
Grantham said he was so devastated after the scandal that he attempted suicide.
Grantham, with co stars Anita Dobson, Tom Watt), Nick Berry, Gretchen Franklin and Gillian Taylforth in 1975
In other tributes today: Blue singer Antony Costa, who starred alongside Grantham in Dunstable's Cinderella pantomime in 2015, said: 'Just heard the news my friend and ex panto colleague Leslie Grantham has passed.
'RIP big man...loved working with ya in panto...you made me laugh and I learnt a lot from you too..absolutely gutted. You was West Ham...I am spurs but that didn't matter. x'
Citizen Khan star Adil Ray tweeted: 'What a life Leslie Grantham led. Brilliant character in EE. He was proof of how you can turn your life around.
'He was kind enough to give me some nutrition advice last summer too! Rest in peace. Thoughts with Leslie's family and friends.'
Former soldier was convicted of murder as a teenager but discovered acting in prison and went on to become one of Britain's best-known soap stars
Grantham was jailed for murdering a taxi driver while he was a soldier in Germany. He is pictured being marched to his court martial in 1966
Leslie Grantham was known to millions of viewers for his role as adulterous Queen Vic landlord Dirty Den.
More than 30 million viewers tuned in to see Den Watts serve divorce papers to wife Angie, played by Anita Dobson, in the famous episode on Christmas Day 1986, with the words 'Happy Christmas, Ange'.
Dirty Den was believed to have been shot dead by a hitman in 1989, but Grantham made a shock return to Albert Square in 2003.
And some 17 million viewers watched his return to the BBC One soap.
Off screen, London-born Grantham had an eventful personal life.
He was born in Camberwell, south London and, according to his sister, burgled houses from the age of 15.
He joined the Army in his teens and, aged 18 and serving in Germany in 1966, he was convicted of murdering a German taxi driver, Felix Reese, during an alleged robbery.
Grantham always denied the charge. He is said to have told his parents it was an accident but his sister, with whom he fell out, suspected he had run up debts in Germany and needed some money.
Grantham pictured outside Walford's Queen Vic pub, the place where many will remember him
Grantham served an 11-year sentence and later returned to Leyhill Open Prison in Gloucestershire as a VIP guest to open an art exhibition.
He said the jail fostered his interest in amateur dramatics.
After his release, he was signed up for EastEnders and, shortly afterwards, the details of his past crime were reported.
Rather than being an embarrassment for the show, the news boosted ratings and Grantham's notoriety. He became an overnight sex symbol and women would ask them to sign their breasts.
Grantham turned his life around after being convicted of murder as a teenager
In 2004, Grantham was exposed after taking part in webcam sex sessions from his EastEnders dressing room at Elstree Studios.
He issued an apology for the scandal, which had also seen him criticise his co-stars, describing his actions as 'a moment's stupidity' of which he was 'wholeheartedly ashamed'.
Dirty Den was killed off for the second and final time - by his second wife Chrissie, played by Tracy-Ann Oberman - in 2005. More than 14 million viewers watched Den's demise.
Grantham felt that EastEnders was not what it once was.
'With Den and Angie, one minute he'd make you laugh, the next he'd cut your legs off. There was humour. Everyone thought Den was a lovable rogue. He wasn't evil, he was just Jack the lad,' he told the Press Association.
'When he came back a second time, he suddenly became this Machiavellian character. I'm not saying it was better when I was in it, but when you're doing four episodes a week, you can't keep up that level of consistency.'
Grantham and actress Jane Laurie, the mother of his three sons, divorced in 2013 after being married for more than 30 years.
He said of the split: 'It’s very sad. I am to blame. It’s not Jane’s fault. She is a fantastic mother. It's very sad but we have to move on now. The marriage was a huge chapter of my life and the divorce is a very sad episode.'
Spike, the eldest of his three children, is a successful executive for the ESL Gaming Network and lives in Los Angeles with his partner Lauren Slater.
His younger brother Jake is a luxury menswear entrepreneur, specialising in Italian tailoring.
Daniel, the youngest of the three brothers, is a successful actor with Down’s syndrome who has appeared on Call the Midwife.
Having almost disappeared from the small screen, Grantham in his later years focused on touring theatre work and panto.
Grantham, pictured launching his book 'Life and Other Times: A Memoir'
In 2016 he published his debut children's fantasy novel Jack Bates And The Wizard's Spell.
He was offered reality shows but turned down what he called 'humiliation TV'.
Grantham moved to Bulgaria after making friends in the country while filming soap The English Neighbour in 2010.
Speaking in 2013, he said: ‘I made a lot of friends out there and I am planning to move out when the financial details of my divorce are finalised.
‘I am an old man now and I want to go somewhere it is hot. I really enjoyed it there. I had to learn Bulgarian and even Hungarian. They said they were going to dub the show for me but on the first day of filming I had to speak Bulgarian.’
In one of his last interviews, he said: 'Life isn't a straight line. It's like travelling the motorway. Every now and then, you have to take a diversion,' he said.
'Unfortunately, some of my diversions have been quite catastrophic. But I'm safe in the knowledge that what I do now is good.'
