Jade
05-07-2005, 22:27
Two decades have passed since 16 year old Leititia Dean burst on to our screens as Sharon Watts in EastEnders. Last moth she made a dramatic return to Albert Square along with actor Nigel Harman, who plays her boyfriend Dennis. In real life, Letitias husband, media consultants Jason Pethers, popped the question within three moths of meeting the 37 year old actress through mutual friends. Here Letitia talks about love, having children and PMS….
TV Stars are under constant pressure to look good – how do you cope with that?
I don’t really feel any pressure probably because I’m more content these days. So I look bigger on camera? Well, I know I do – but that’s life. I might think about getting down to a size 6, but quite frankly I’d be miserable. I have to be realistic I know I couldn’t maintain it. And how boring would it be if we all looked the same? There are some beautiful girls on EastEnders but we wouldn’t be in Walford if we all looked like models wed be on that plane to New York!!.
But you obviously care about how you look…
Of course I do. I like to look good and I dress up and put on make up if I go out, but generally I prefer not to wear it when I’m relaxing at home. Ant that’s usually when I’m spotted by the paparazzi – its always when I’m doing something like taking the rubbish out. If I was dressed head to toe in Versace I could fine a photographer if I tried. Over the years there have been so many pictures of me looking as rough as a bear that I’m philosophical about it – I think what’s another one.
Working on EastEnder is relentless – are you good at switching off at the end of the day?
Jay’s brilliant at making me switch off. Sometimes he’ll let me have a 10 minute rant when I get in from work – but then that’s it no more.
Yours was a bit of a whirlwind romance wasn’t it?
My husband proposed within a few months of our meeting. We met in June 2001 and got engaged that August. But we took our time and didn’t get married for another year. I’d never lived with anyone before Jay but it just felt right.
What do you do to relax?
I’m a homebody. Its how I know I’m getting middle-aged. Clubbing’s the last thing I’d want to do. These days, I prefer dinner parties. We have a circle of friends we like to see, but I cant actually give the dinner parties because I cant cook!.
Are you a DIY fan?
When I was single, every time I got premenstrual the brushes would come out and I’d paint a wall. But my husband soon put a stop to that Jay has the most stunning taste. We live in the flat where he lived before we got married. Its all neutral, stone and deep greens- very soothing. He knows when I get twitchy I start to think a bit of purple would look good- so he tells me its time to go out.
Your seem very content with life at the moment – is that from being with Jay?
I’ve been quite happy to wave goodbye to the single life, but we’re all different creatures, so what’s right for me inst going to be right for others. I think I’ve found what suits me I feel that I’m at a stage in my life where its time to think about things like whether or no we’re going to have children and to take stock a little.
So what’s the main difference Jay has made to your life?
We’ve got an awful lot in common and we’re comfortable together – although if you asked him, he’d probably says she’s a nightmare – very neurotic around the house. He’s brought a lit of joy to my life really hers a good man and he understand all of this, I feel very safe with him.
How did you get started in show business?
My parents weren’t show business parents at all. It started because my brother Stephen and I both went to a dance school in the village where we lived then Stephen went to stage school and so did I, just because my big brother was doing it. The rest is history.
Was EastEnder’s your first TV role?
My first appearance was in Brookside in 1984, just before EastEnders began. I was 16 when we started filming EastEnders and my contract was initially for eight weeks – none of us had any idea it would go on for so long. I nearly fainted when I saw Wendy Richard (Pauline) for the first time, because she was a really big name and I was in awe of Anitia Dobson who played Angie Watts, my mum took me under her wing.
Your were born in Hertfordshire – but didn’t EastEnders insist only genuine Cockneys apply?
Oh I lied. I invented some story about my parents being abroad and living with an auntie in Hackney. I was born in Hertfordshire in a cottage my parents rented on Barbara Cartlands estate, although I never met her. Then we moved to Buckinghamshire and then London when I was about 13. So the Cockney thing was a bit of a stretch really!!.
TV Stars are under constant pressure to look good – how do you cope with that?
I don’t really feel any pressure probably because I’m more content these days. So I look bigger on camera? Well, I know I do – but that’s life. I might think about getting down to a size 6, but quite frankly I’d be miserable. I have to be realistic I know I couldn’t maintain it. And how boring would it be if we all looked the same? There are some beautiful girls on EastEnders but we wouldn’t be in Walford if we all looked like models wed be on that plane to New York!!.
But you obviously care about how you look…
Of course I do. I like to look good and I dress up and put on make up if I go out, but generally I prefer not to wear it when I’m relaxing at home. Ant that’s usually when I’m spotted by the paparazzi – its always when I’m doing something like taking the rubbish out. If I was dressed head to toe in Versace I could fine a photographer if I tried. Over the years there have been so many pictures of me looking as rough as a bear that I’m philosophical about it – I think what’s another one.
Working on EastEnder is relentless – are you good at switching off at the end of the day?
Jay’s brilliant at making me switch off. Sometimes he’ll let me have a 10 minute rant when I get in from work – but then that’s it no more.
Yours was a bit of a whirlwind romance wasn’t it?
My husband proposed within a few months of our meeting. We met in June 2001 and got engaged that August. But we took our time and didn’t get married for another year. I’d never lived with anyone before Jay but it just felt right.
What do you do to relax?
I’m a homebody. Its how I know I’m getting middle-aged. Clubbing’s the last thing I’d want to do. These days, I prefer dinner parties. We have a circle of friends we like to see, but I cant actually give the dinner parties because I cant cook!.
Are you a DIY fan?
When I was single, every time I got premenstrual the brushes would come out and I’d paint a wall. But my husband soon put a stop to that Jay has the most stunning taste. We live in the flat where he lived before we got married. Its all neutral, stone and deep greens- very soothing. He knows when I get twitchy I start to think a bit of purple would look good- so he tells me its time to go out.
Your seem very content with life at the moment – is that from being with Jay?
I’ve been quite happy to wave goodbye to the single life, but we’re all different creatures, so what’s right for me inst going to be right for others. I think I’ve found what suits me I feel that I’m at a stage in my life where its time to think about things like whether or no we’re going to have children and to take stock a little.
So what’s the main difference Jay has made to your life?
We’ve got an awful lot in common and we’re comfortable together – although if you asked him, he’d probably says she’s a nightmare – very neurotic around the house. He’s brought a lit of joy to my life really hers a good man and he understand all of this, I feel very safe with him.
How did you get started in show business?
My parents weren’t show business parents at all. It started because my brother Stephen and I both went to a dance school in the village where we lived then Stephen went to stage school and so did I, just because my big brother was doing it. The rest is history.
Was EastEnder’s your first TV role?
My first appearance was in Brookside in 1984, just before EastEnders began. I was 16 when we started filming EastEnders and my contract was initially for eight weeks – none of us had any idea it would go on for so long. I nearly fainted when I saw Wendy Richard (Pauline) for the first time, because she was a really big name and I was in awe of Anitia Dobson who played Angie Watts, my mum took me under her wing.
Your were born in Hertfordshire – but didn’t EastEnders insist only genuine Cockneys apply?
Oh I lied. I invented some story about my parents being abroad and living with an auntie in Hackney. I was born in Hertfordshire in a cottage my parents rented on Barbara Cartlands estate, although I never met her. Then we moved to Buckinghamshire and then London when I was about 13. So the Cockney thing was a bit of a stretch really!!.